Rebecca informed Cassidy that Wynn had already returned to the car, so Cassidy departed quickly. The two hugged, pecked each other’s lips, exchanged farewells, and Cassidy was off. She sped walked down the stairway to the parking lot outside in two minutes – careful not to trip in her heels – and entered the black sedan waiting for her.

 

“Hey,” Wynn said as Cassidy slid into the sedan’s interior, “I’ve got an idea I’d like to bounce off you.”

 

Cassidy hiked an eyebrow. “Do share.”

 

“What if Crow and I have a little duel for the truth? If he beats me, we air Vincent’s laundry. If I beat him, he has to tell us if he’s in bed with Lilah.”

 

“…Your choice of words leaves much to be desired.”

 

Wynn heaved a sigh. “Why’d you have to take something so innocent and make it dirty?”

 

“I’m pretty sure proposing illegal solutions is the opposite of innocent.”

 

“Do you want to do it or not?”

 

Laughter brewed behind Cassidy’s sealed lips. Just two words, yet so full of comedic potential… Another time. As amusing as teasing him was, Wynn seldom proposed schemes. She had to address him with the seriousness his request demanded. “What if Crow chooses to deceive us?”

 

“I don’t know, you’re the one with the big brain. You tell me.”

 

Cassidy’s brow furrowed. Wynn was clearly itching for a fight with Crow and using any excuse he could find. Taking him seriously was a mistake. “I’ll need some time to think. Besides, we have more immediate concerns. I need you to handle a matter in Sudurba.”

 

“Sudurba? What’s waiting there?”

 

“The juror Dr. Billings bribed: Diego Castillo. Inform him of the evidence and that we’re extending the same offer to Billings.”

 

“Hold up, we didn’t discuss this last night. Have you talked to Edan?”

 

Her jaw squared. She was the one who called the shots, not her Grandpa! Or at least, she was supposed to be. Still, so long as he had them in a bind… “I’ll contact him at once.”

 

Without delay, Cassidy called her grandfather. The two exchanged greetings – a good morning kiddo from him, a good day sir from her – before she flowed into the topic she sought to discuss.

 

“Rebecca and I discussed the case last night and reached a new conclusion. We should show mercy to Diego Castillo, the juror Dr. Billings bribed. He’ll face consequences as well when we expose Billings’ actions. We should prioritize his safety, as he’s the more vulnerable of the two.”

 

“I see,” Edan said. “And this new approach, was it your idea or Rebecca’s?”

 

“Mine.”

 

“What will happen to Dr. Billings in this revised strategy?”

 

Cassidy’s chest rose and fell as she took and released a measured breath. “We’ll catch him off guard. It’s the most efficient course of action.”

 

“How do you propose to catch him?”

 

“Diego will be useful, but we shouldn’t rely on him alone. I suggest airing the footage during an episode of A Bill of Health. This will ensure maximum exposure and make it difficult for Billings to escape.”

 

“It's curious how this new approach not only catches Dr. Billings but also serves to humiliate him.”

 

A thread of suspicion sifted through Edan’s words and seeped into Cassidy’s bones. Goosebumps prickled her skin, but one thought remained firm in her head: stay the course. Her scheme was efficient. Grandpa wouldn’t choose Billings over Diego.

 

“Do you not agree that it’s more efficient?” she asked, voice composed.

 

“It would be wise to remember the consequences of previous deviations from our plans.”

 

A knot formed in Cassidy’s stomach as she recalled his appearance months ago when she explained how things went awry. The soft lines of his face hardened while his usual warm gaze cooled. He had studied her as if she were a common criminal.

 

This time, she thought, the outcome shall be different. After all, she had weighed the options. This was the best choice. “I have considered the impact of our actions on others. This discussion is the result of my contemplation. Sir, we can only spare either Mr. Castillo or Dr. Billings. Which do you favor?”

 

“…Sparing Castillo is indeed the best course of action.”

 

Cassidy leaned back and sank into the soft interior as a warm flood coursed through her, dissolving the knot.

 

“Stellar,” she said, her voice as composed as a seasoned diplomat. “Now, if you’ll indulge me a little longer, something else requires our attention. Do you remember Naomi Hiltz, the tennis player who suffered a knife attack?”

 

“Ah yes,” Edan said, “the young athlete you helped. What brings her to mind now?”

 

She recounted Naomi’s request. The silence between her words was punctuated only by the subtle hum of the phone connection and her grandfather’s measured breathing as he listened. When Edan finally broke the silence, he spoke with the tempered patience of experience.

 

“I fear that Miss Hiltz’s aversion to Andrea may be clouding her judgment.”

 

“I agree with the wise man who said that ‘thoroughness is the foundation of every great investigation.’”

 

A low, amused huff echoed through the connection and curled Cassidy’s lips. She had him now! After all, the “wise man” in question was him.

 

“I am not suggesting we abandon Miss Hiltz,” Edan said, the timbre of his voice ringing with a quiet, begrudging acceptance. “I am merely expressing my reservations. Regardless, if we are to act, we must do so swiftly. Waiting might only make our job harder.”

 

“I’m afraid I cannot join you now. Mother has summoned me for a meeting. But please keep me informed about the investigation’s progress. I'll try to join as soon as I can.”

 

A noticeable pause hung in the air before Edan said, “Understood. Give my best to Scarlett.”

 

“I shall,” Cassidy said before the two bid farewell and ended the call.

 

With their tasks set, the remainder of the ride was spent creating a pretext for Wynn’s disappearance. Fortunately, Cassidy had a built-in smokescreen for his disappearance: she sent him to purchase a surprise for Rebecca. They could come up with the item later. Best of all, she could acquire a legitimate surprise for Becca, like a costume or magician relic.

 

Or at least that was the plan. Cassidy tried to discover something in or near Sudurba on the ride to HQ, but time wasn’t on her side, so she devised an excuse instead. Wynn would go there searching for an antique book rumored to be in Sudurba and fail to uncover it.

 

They arrived at the Cain International skyscraper – a sleek monolith of glass and steel – about twenty minutes before noon. They parked near the elevator at her family’s reserved locations.

 

“Give me a holler if things get messy,” Wynn said. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

 

“Likewise,” Cassidy said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. Then, with a grace honed from years of practice, she slid out from the plush interior onto the cement floor with a click.

 

As the sedan rolled away, the echoes of its departure bounced off the concrete walls. Its taillights shrank into two points of light, and the dull hum of the engine faded into the steady pulse of the city.

Part 1 End