“That’s it. I want a lawyer. This is bullshit,” Mercer snapped. “I want a fuckin’ lawyer in here, right now!”
“Why isn’t he asking him anything?” Pres whispered into the dark room. “He has to hurry up.”
“It’s one of his many tactics. Works every time he uses it. Ever been looked at for so long you began to squirm? The unknown making you crazy nervous?” Day asked.
“No,” Pres responded.
“Then keep watching, you’re about to.” Day left the room to do his part.
Ro stared, his eyes blinking maybe once a minute.
Mercer shifted. “What? What was that from cyber?”
Ro kept staring.
“Say something. Whatever it is, it wasn’t me.”
“He’s already cracking,” God said. “Come on, Ro.”
Day went in next but let Ruxs and Green go in with him, the Enforcers doing their usual intimidation.
Mercer jumped back in his seat, shaking his head for no apparent reason. When Day turned and left, Mercer clenched his fists repeatedly, the metal of the handcuffs clinking. “Hey, hey, I want to talk to that officer. Come back! What forensics did he give you?” Mercer snapped, looking more and more afraid.
Ro looked at the papers, still as silent as a mouse.
“I don’t know what’s going on here.” Mercer paled, his body reacting to the situation, his chest rising and falling like he was running a race. “Say something, goddamnit. Talk!”
Syn went in and slammed a CD down in front of Ro, his dark eyes staying on Mercer’s until he left the room. The man stared at what was most likely a blank disk; his face turning a sickening pale shade, thinking it was a video of him. “Oh my god.”
Ro began to put everything back in the file like he didn’t even need to ask any questions, he had all his answers.
“No. No. Wait, this wasn’t my idea. I didn’t do it. There’s someone else!”
Ro began to stand, the file tucked under his arm, the exact same expression on his face that he’d entered with like Mercer wasn’t saying enough to make him stay.
“Don’t leave! No, I’m not the one you want. Hold on, please! The guy you want is still out there.” The man was begging to be interrogated. “I have his number. He’s expecting my call.”
Ro silently slid a piece of paper across the table and Mercer began scribbling fast. “I’ll tell you everything. I didn’t do this. I swear. But I know who did.”
Ro took the paper, got up, and left the room.
“No. Don’t go,” Mercer yelled at the closed door. “I got proof!”
Ro met them in the hallway and handed God the paper with Mr. AC – Mr. Adam Carbone – written on the front along with a phone number, probably a throwaway cell. But with the positive ID from a witness, they had enough to arrest him.
“Is this admissible, even though he asked for an attorney?” Ric asked.
“Yes. You have to stop interrogating immediately after they ask for counsel. Ro never asked a single question, before or after he asked for a lawyer. It’s all one hundred percent admissible. He got a confession and never uttered a single word.”
“Damn.” Ric went over and shook Ro’s hand before coming back to stand in front of God. “I… I have no words. I’m sorry. I underestimated you, doubted you… it’ll… it’ll never happen again.”
God shook Ric’s hand. “I understand. I’m glad we could help.”
They headed back to the office while Ruxs and Green took Mercer to processing. They’d get him to make the call and set Pres’ business partner up. They’d have Hart and his men at the man’s front door to arrest him as soon as he did.
Steele
Steele called his shot and sank the number six ball in the corner pocket. “So what does this mean for your company? It’ll be a lot of negative press, won’t it?”
They’d all gathered at Ruxs and Green’s to wait for Hart to call and tell them the situation was contained. The set-up call by Mercer had been a success and Hart’s arrest of Carbone was an easy one, apprehending him right there in his office. Hart insisted God and Day stay out of it, not wanting any force that may have to be used on Carbone to come from men so closely connected to Prescott. They needed a clean arrest. Once Pres’ business partner was in custody, they’d let the DA handle it from there. Their work was done. Pres would meet with the DA to give his statement, and their office would handle acquiring Carbone’s records and evidence to build their case.
“No. This probably won’t be negative. I don’t want people feeling sorry for me, though. It took a long time for the public to stop seeing me as blind and vulnerable. I’ll see if my publicist can keep it quiet.” Pres pulled one of his partners between his legs, holding him around his waist while the bigger one held him from behind.