Page 96 of Taking Care of the Target

As she climbed out of the car, Cassie’s nerves bounced around in her stomach like they were in a tumbling competition.If Agent McVee did as promised, Vince is in that building right now.

Admittedly, she admired the agent’s refusal to give her information about where Vince was staying, even though he knew their history. It meant he took Vince’s safety seriously.

Cassie popped the trunk and lowered her well-worn backpack into it. She kept hold of the strap for a moment, finding it harder than expected to uncurl her fingers from the pale pink material. For weeks she’d had her gun within reaching distance at all times.

Since taking it into a courthouse was probably a good way to end facedown on the floor in handcuffs, she let go of the strap and slammed the trunk, having to do it again when it didn’t quite latch.

With each step she made toward the building, the throbbing pulse behind her temples increased. By the time she reached the metal detectors, her hands shook so much that she fumbled with her Kate Jones ID.

She noticed two guys in suits standing off to the side, eagle eyes on every person who came through, and the pink tie snagged her attention. Agent McVee hadn’t seemed very happy about her color choice, but she needed one not many men would wear to court. His gaze skimmed over Cassie to a blond woman, who he assessed and dismissed, and then moved to the next person.

Score, my disguise works!She strode over to the two men, and Agent McVee’s brow furrowed as he tried to look around her. Then his eyes bugged out a little, and she couldn’t help but smile. He smacked his partner’s arm, and then both of them stared at her.

“Thought I’d take a few extra precautions,” she said, swiping her bangs off her face. “Hate for anyone to spot me too soon, you know?”

“I can’t decide if ‘nice to finally meet you’ fits,” Agent McVee said, extending his hand. “Butgladto see you definitely does.”

Cassie shook his hand. “Well, you’ve been a pain in my butt, too, if that makes you feel any better.”

He chuckled. “It does, actually. And I thought Vince was stubborn inhisnegotiations. If you want bragging rights, you earned them.”

Cassie’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. “He’s here?”

“You know this isn’t exactly ethical. I must be insane to even let it happen.”

“Not insane,” Cassie said. “Motivated. When it comes down to it, we all want the same thing—to see Carlo Rossi go to jail for life. Now, if you’ll kindly not quite ‘find me’ until after I talk to Vince, I’ll answer any and every question you care to ask.”

***

Vince sat at a table that took up most of the small room at the courthouse, wondering why the hell the feds had dragged him down here before he was supposed to testify. He leaned back in the cushy chair and closed his eyes for a moment.

He hadn’t been sleeping much. He and Bobby were holed up in a two family house with a US Marshal, and the trial weighed on his mind constantly.

He tried to focus on how far Carlo had pushed him, the times he’d used Bobby against him, and how he’d been partially to blame for Dad’s death, but once in a while memories of living at Carlo’s house would crop up instead. Dinners under his roof. Watching ballgames on the couch together.

Then he’d have to remind himself that if Carlo had his way, the lie he told about shooting Cassie and burying her body in the woods would be a reality, and his resolve would strengthen.

Bobby knew everything now, including what happened with Cassie. He surprised Vince by telling him he’d do whatever he needed to help, even testify. But putting him on the stand meant his arrests and drug use coming to light, so the Assistant US Attorney felt like it might do more damage than good. The lawyer added his name as a witness just in case. He said you could never have too many possible witnesses.

Vince opened his eyes, looked at the blank wall across from him, and rapped his fingers on the table. Not having a job or anything else to do didn’t help with the antsy-ness. The only thing keeping him going was the idea of leaving Jersey as soon as this was all over and finding Cassie.

He didn’t let himself think about what would happen if Carlo didn’t go to prison, since that meant being with Cassie would only put her in danger again, and the same with not being able to find her. Because if he let those thoughts creep in and take root, he didn’t know if he could do what he needed to over the next week or month, or however long this took.

They’d already selected the jurors. People had been hesitant to serve given Carlo’s reputation and the nature of the crimes. No one wanted to be his next target or put their families at risk, so the judge ruled that they’d be sequestered and known only by number. Opening statements and the display of evidence would be presented today, and as soon as tomorrow—but definitely within the next few days—Vince would be testifying.

The ticking clock in the room made an inordinate amount of noise. Not that he had anything better to do, but each tick reminded him that his life was slowly being drained a second at a time.

These law types love the hurry up and wait game. If this trial drags out for very long, I’m going to be insane by the end.

He’d just folded his arms on the table and rested his head on them when he heard the door crack open. Heeled footsteps followed, and he gave a half-glance in the woman’s direction. “Another lawyer? Really?”

“You could always use one more person on your side, don’t you think?”

Vince’s muscles stiffened. He must be going crazy, because the new lawyer sounded like Cassie. He looked at her again as she took another step toward him.I’m definitely cracking up. She doesn’t even look like Cassie.

“Just ask your questions so we can get this over with,” he said.

Her hand came down on his shoulder, and he tensed again. Lawyers weren’t normally so intimate.

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