Ian raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you need to give her something else to work with.”
Jake scrubbed a hand over his face. “Like what?I’mthe one who should be worried here. I was almost shot.”
“You’re welcome, by the way.”
“The bullet barely grazed you.” Jake waved his comment away and came to a stop in front of the window, too high off the ground for him to be looking out. “No offense, Officer Railings, but you’re not the one who’s locked up here like a sitting duck. I have the right to be worried.”
“Never said you didn’t.”
Ian was worried too, but he wasn’t about to go admitting that to Jake.
Not when it was only going to make him feel worse.
For now, the investigation was still being conducted, and Ian was keeping his nose to the ground and trying to glean whatever information he could. So far, little evidence was turning up, leading Ian to believe it was professional and that he hadn’t hit Jake on purpose.
It was Eric Taylor sending Jake a warning.
What was Eric going to do when he found out what Jake was really doing?
Jake turned his back on Ian and clasped his hands together. “I’ve been in touch with some of my contacts, and they managed to uncover some information I thought might be interesting to you.”
“What’s it going to cost me?”
Jake wheeled around to face Ian, and his eyes were tight and solemn. “Get me transferred back to Falmouth.”
“You know I don’t have that kind of authority.”
“Try.”
Ian paused, then nodded slowly. “I’ll see what I can do. What did your contacts find out?”
“Your mother—Kelly Wilson—was about to get the custody decision repealed in her favor.”
Ian’s heart did an odd little somersault. “She was going to get Lily back?”
Jake sat down on his bed and stretched his legs out in front of him. “That’s what my guys uncovered. Feel free to check your own sources.”
“If you’re lying, so help me God—”
“I’m not lying,” Jake interrupted, pausing to give him a wounded look. “Here I thought we were friends, Railings. Don’t go spoiling it now.”
Ian pushed himself off the wall. “I’ll look into it. If the intel is good, I’ll make a few calls and see what I can do for you.”
“Can I get a hot dog next time? Easier on the stomach.”
Ian grunted. “Don’t push your luck.”
It took everything within him not to race out of the station and into his car. Instead, he walked at a brusque pace till he reached his car. As soon as he did, he connected his phone to the Bluetooth speaker and dialed Liam Taylor, Lily and Eric’s son. Liam gave him the number to another lawyer who specialized in cases like this.
A few short minutes later, he was talking to another lawyer who worked on custody cases. Then, he was passed on to a fourth lawyer, who worked with the judge in question. When he reached the judge’s assistant, Ian’s stomach gave an odd little flip, and he gripped the steering wheel. He spent the rest of the ride back to Falmouth turning everything over and over in his head.
His ears were buzzing, and his heart was racing when he pulled up outside the FPD and got out. He paused to stretch his arms and legs, shaking off some of the stiffness. Then he hurried inside, calling out to some of the other officers on shift. As soon as he reached his desk, his phone rang, and he recognized the number that flashed across his screen. Hastily, he draped the jacket over the back of his chair and sat down.
“I’m sorry it took me a while to get back to you, Mr. Railings. This case was a long time ago, so I had to look through some of the files.”
Ian’s eyes darted around the station before he leaned forward and dropped his voice to a whisper. “That’s quite all right, Mrs. Sullivan. I appreciate you getting back to me at all.”
“Unfortunately, Judge Collins died a few years ago, and the case never went to trial because of Kelly Wilson’s death.”
