Girls Like Us(65)

Lee flushes. “She is. That’s true. But to be honest with you, it’s a damn good cover. I was hired by DEA straight out of law school. One of my professors recruited me. Then this came up and we all saw it as a good way to get someone inside the department. Dorsey’s one of the biggest distributors of narcotics and opioids in New York State. Eighty percent of the shit that’s out there on the market is there because he either got paid off by someone or because he’s selling it himself. He’s a bad guy, Nell. And his team is no better than a cartel.”

I nod slowly. “And what about me? Did you just want to get into Dad’s office?”

“As opposed to what? Get into your pants?”

“No!” I snap, before realizing he’s joking. “Fuck you.”

“No, listen. I was hoping you’d be a partner. I’ve been here for two fucking years, Flynn. It’s been pretty dismal. Dorsey and his cohort are a tight-knit bunch. I thought I’d be able to charm my way in, but it wasn’t so easy.”

I can’t help it, I laugh. “Because you’re so suave?”

“Well, yeah. And I’m local. I thought they’d see me as one of their own.”

“But they didn’t.”

“It takes a while to gain Dorsey’s trust. I started realizing that my best shot was to befriend someone he was close to. I thought I had an in when I got paired up with your dad. But then he went and died on me. So yeah, I was pretty lonely until you showed up.”

“They killed him, Lee. I know it. Who else would cut his brakes?”

“Well, to be fair, your dad was kind of an asshole. I imagine he accumulated more than a few enemies over time.”

“Please be serious.”

Lee stands up. “My money’s on either Dorsey or Calabrese. Come on. Show me the office. We’re going to nail their asses to the wall.”





23.



I told you. There’s nothing in here.”

Lee walks another loop around Dad’s office. We’ve been in here for the better part of an hour and found nothing of use.

“What about his apartment in Riverhead?” Lee asks, for the second time.

“We can look again. But I didn’t find anything. Anyway, I don’t think he would have stored evidence there. It would’ve put Maria at risk.”

Lee shakes his head, frustrated. “I fucked up. I should’ve been straight with him. We could have worked together.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t blame yourself.”

“I tried a couple of times. To tip my hand a little. Show him that we were on the same side. But he just wasn’t having it.”

“Dad didn’t play all that well with others.”

Lee sighs. “I know. But I could’ve just come clean with him.”

“That would have been a huge risk. If he told Dorsey, you’d have blown two years of undercover work and maybe gotten yourself killed in the process.”

“I know.”

We’re both quiet for a minute.

“We have Dad’s bank statement from Cayman International. That’s enough to subpoena Calabrese’s financial records. And I have a meeting set with him tomorrow. Luz Molina is going to bring me there.”

“That’s way too risky. For you and for Luz.”

I swallow hard. I know he’s right, but I’m desperate. “I have Dorsey basically spilling his guts to me, not just about the forced confessions, but about taking money from Calabrese. That alone is enough to arrest them both.”

“But is it enough for a jury?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Maybe not.”

“What about Luz? If she can testify . . .”

“She’s not going to stand up as a witness. She’s a kid. And she’s undocumented. A defense attorney will tear her apart on the stand.”

“Dorsey is such a prick.” Lee scowls. “Imagine preying on a girl like that.”

“We need to get her out of here before we start arresting anyone. I promised her I’d get her into protective custody.”

“And we will. Look, we have a narrow window here. Maybe twenty-four hours, and that’s it. Right about now, Dorsey is probably seriously regretting his little heart-to-heart with you.”

“I know. I’ve thought that.”

“Let’s call Sarah Patel. And Lightman. We’ll get a team mobilized. Tomorrow we go in and seize everything at SCPD and GC Limo.”

“We still don’t know who killed those girls.”

“We could lean on Morales. Or”—Lee snaps his fingers—“we trace his bank accounts. See who paid him off.”

“We’re leaving a lot to chance. I don’t like it. We only have one shot to raid the offices. We better be damn sure we have enough evidence against these guys before we do.”

Lee walks over to the map. He leans in, studying it. “Was this always here?”

I step next to him, our shoulders touching. “No. I mean, it wasn’t here when I was a kid. Why?”

Lee reaches up and rips it off the wall.

“What the f—” I stop midsentence.

Behind the map, carved out from the wall, is a safe.

“Any chance you know the combination?” Lee says, his voice a near whisper.