Page 66 of Defending Love
“I came to tell you something I recently learned. You can call him back after that.”
“Damien is not guilty of killing our father.”
Eli took the phone from my hand and swiped the red icon. “Listen to me first.”
Crossing my arms over my breasts, I stared incredulously at him. Despite his incredibly handsome face and toned body, I wasn’t a fan of being told what to do. “Talk.”
“The initial forensics came back on your dad’s letter. Multiple latent fingerprints were found. None belonging to Derek Sinclair.”
What?
I staggered backward, my knees folding as I fell to my chair. “None?”
Clenching his jaw, Eli shook his head. “They’re running the prints through the government databases. Not everyone has fingerprints on file. In the state of Indiana, attorneys are required to submit their fingerprints as part of the bar admission process.”
“Attorney. Stephen Elliott’s fingerprints are on Dad’s letter?”
“Yes. Do you recall last year when Damien had Darius arrested?”
“Yeah, Darius was broadcasting family laundry from in front of Sinclair Pharmaceuticals’ main office building.”
“Darius’s fingerprints are on file,” Eli replied.
“Were his on the letter?”
“No, but there were some with enough similarities to infer that they were from someone related to Darius.”
“Not Dad?”
“Not Derek. Damien.”
“No.” I shook my head. “You’re not sure, right? You said infer.”
Eli squatted near my legs, laying his hand on my knee. “We need to get Damien’s fingerprints to rule him out.”
I met Eli’s green stare. “Are you just going to ask him? He’ll think you’re a lunatic.”
“Deidra can get them for us. She’s currently in Damien and Ella’s home.”
“Dad and Damien worked together before Dad’s retirement. Damien could have touched a piece of paper.”
My phone vibrated again.
“I have to answer this.”
“Don’t tell Damien what you just learned.”
“If he spoke to Mom, he knows I left Florida.”
With his firm lips pressed together, Eli nodded.
My stomach twisted as I lifted the phone, hitting the green icon. My eyes met Eli’s as I tried to hide the trepidation in my voice. “Hey.”
Chapter
Twenty-Six
Eli
