Chapter 322 Fall Guy

Ella

The meeting had been far more intense than I’d anticipated. The courthouse’s grandeur, with its marble floors and tall pillars, had done little to cushion the impact of Westbrook’s verbal blows.

As we exited the grand, double doors, the change in environment was immediately noticeable. From the stifling intensity inside, we were met with an unexpected chill. The sky had turned a somber shade of gray, with raindrops starting to patter, as if the heavens shared in our melancholy.

“Ella,” Logan began, his voice hoarse from the discussions, the umbrella already in hand, warding off the steadily falling rain. His face looked drawn, every drop of rain that splattered against it emphasizing his deep-set lines of worry.

I took a deep breath, feeling the moisture in the air, the weight of the day pressing down.

“Logan, with this information, we need to check with the police. We need to see that bullet casing. If it has a serial number or any defining mark, and it doesn’t match any of the guns in your possession or of your men, it’s a lead. And a damn good one at that.”

He looked at me, the cold rain painting streaks on his face. Without a word, he extended the umbrella towards me, silently inviting me beneath its shelter.

“Listen,” he said, “I didn’t want to say this earlier, but the police in this city aren’t… the cleanest.. They have ties. We need to be careful what we ask for.”

Pulling my coat tighter, I stepped closer, finding refuge under the umbrella. “That’s exactly the reason why we need to get to the bottom of this. If there’s corruption and foul play at work here, we have to uncover it.”

A pause settled between us, filled only with the sound of rain and the distant hum of the city. “You know,” he murmured, “you don’t have to do this alone. I’m right here with you.”

His sincerity took me by surprise. We had been allies, even something akin to friends, for a little while now, but this level of trust was new.

“Logan, I appreciate it, but you don’t need to come with me,” I said. His jaw set with determination. “No,” he said, his voice nearly drowned out by the sound of the rain pattering against the umbrella, “I do.”

It was one of those buildings that loomed large and intimidating against

of countless cases, some solved and some forever lost in the constant march of

they would have missed it. That bullet casing was glaringly obvious. Right there in the open, next

his trench coat flapping lightly with the wind, took a moment before answering. “It doesn’t make sense, Ella. I’ve seen sloppy work before, but this is beyond that. Almost like…”

turn to

unsaid hanging between us. “You

was thick with a mix of strong coffee and old paperwork. It buzzed with life as officers darted around, some huddled in deep conversations, while others were glued to their

get used to this place,” I admitted under my breath, scanning the room for any familiar

tourist attraction,” Logan quipped, guiding me towards the counter where a middle-aged

recent homicide

scanning us both, sizing us up. “And who might

Logan could, “and this is my client. I’m his attorney. We have reasons to believe there’s been a lapse in

scanning it. The officer smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Oh really?

eyes darted to the picture, then back to us, the smirk

pointed at the image.

getting up. He disappeared into a

an annoying buzz in

can’t find any

Your guys were all over

snapped. “Someone’s life hangs in the balance. So, tell me, who was

brief pause, the officer

Logan visibly stiffen beside me. “Can we speak to him?” he asked. The officer shook his head. “He’s

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