Dane

Dane was the first to look down. As he opened his briefcase and passed over the documents, notes, and flash drives of evidence, he muttered, "No search warrant, huh? Sounds like maybe someone didn't believe the witness?"

​​

"We haven't processed it yet. But you'd be doing me a favor giving us access so we don't have to go through a judge. And it will make you look less guilty—I have a hunch the room is real."

Dane sat back in the too small chair, one hand still resting on the table, as the Detective gathered everything up. "I do, too," he said quietly. "And I've specifically not told my staff to go looking for it, so if you find it, you find it untouched."

Harry's eyebrows jumped up. "Really?"

"Really."

"Why would you help me out like that?"

"Because I'm a good guy."

Harry snorted. "And."

"And because you and I both know who's behind this."

Harry's lips twisted and he met Dane's flat gaze. "I'm surprised we got this far before you brought it up."

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to. I was hoping you'd already be following that trail without me having to put you on it."

"Maybe."

Dane ground his teeth. "You know this is his work."

"Do I?"

"And you know he'll be making efforts to pin it on me."

"Do I?"

"So, tell me, Harry, do you want to watch him run you through a dozen different hoops over the next year before you finally drop the case because there's no evidence—again? Or do you want to nail this bastard once and for all."

Harry sat back in his chair. "I'm listening."

"I want immunity."

The Detective coughed to cover a laugh, leaning forward over the table. "Not. Going. To happen."

"Why not? You guys do it all the time."

"For bit players, and second-class assets. You're tied right at the center of this, Dane."

"Except, I'm innocent."

"Yet, you want immunity?"

"I want immunity from… other things that are going to help me prove to you what I know."

"You have proof? Physical evidence?"

"I do. But not all of it was… legally obtained."

Harry blew a breath out of his nose and shook his head. "I told you to keep your nose clean."

"I am. I didn't do this work. But it was given to me. And I don't want anyone getting in trouble for it—or myself getting arrested on some trumped up charge because I received it."

"What does it prove?"

"It proves that Tish wasn't where she said she was—at least, not all the time. And it proves that she wasn't working alone. I'm guessing if you dig hard enough, it maybe leads you to whoever was behind this, or working with her. But I haven't had time to dig that deep yet."

"Losing your touch, Dane?"

Dane snorted. "Juggling six different emergencies, actually, because someone's trying to blow up my life and I'm working to make sure he can't."

Harry grunted. He flipped through the sheets Dane had given him, reading and nodding as he went. "And the security footage is on the flashdrives?"

"All of it for the entire weekend. I've noted the times I entered and left, but you can watch for yourself, since I know you will."

Harry looked through the papers one more time, then looked up at Dane. "If this checks out, I'll give you a pass on the phone records—I'm assuming that's the part you got… under the radar?"

Dane nodded.

"But you gotta be spotless, Dane. I can't start digging on this and find out you changed something, or these records were doctored. I get in the building, I speak to the staff—on the record—and you check out."

"Absolutely."

"Well, then, we don't have a problem. I'll just need you to make a statement of your whereabouts that covers all this, and then I'll let you get out of here while I follow it all up." Dane didn't move and Harry lifted his eyes to meet his gaze. "What?"

"I'm thinking what you've got there will clear this case. You'll end up charging Tish with some wet charge like false statements, or something, and she'll get fined and it all blows over…nothing."

"Isn't that what you want?"

"No. I want him stopped. She wouldn't have done this without him. And you know he's got so much more—damn, Harry, don't you want to nail him to the wall?"

Harry sat back in his chair, clicking the pen in his hand. "I don't think it's possible," he said, finally.

"It's possible, if you want it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, irrefutable evidence, in your hands—but your hands only. And I mean, you only get it if you don't give me this bullshit about "looking into it." I mean, you get your ducks in a row, and we make it happen and you nail the bastard."

Harry whistled. "Could be career ending if it doesn't happen."

"Could be career-making if it does. You said you've got two more years left, right? Nice note to go out on, bagging someone that big."

Harry rolled his jaw back and forth, clicking his pen even faster as he thought about Dane's proposal. "What kind of man hours would we need?"

"Virtually none. You just… follow through on what I bring you."

"Irrefutable, you say?"

"I've got it—I can get it. But I can't risk it going to someone whose dirty, or someone who won't take it seriously. It's all or nothing, Harry."

Harry nods. "Let me think about it and talk to some people. I'll get back to you."

"Don't think long, because I have to move on this either way."

"Now, wait a second, Dane. If you're clean you don't need to—"

"He's coming for my wife."

Harry sighed, nodding. "I heard about the photo. I'm assuming that's who we're talking about?"

Dane nodded and leaned in over the desk. "The first mistake I made, there was a guy there with a camera. The first one, Harry. Don't tell me that's coincidence. You know better than that."

Harry nodded slowly. "If you're right—and I'm not saying you are—but if you're right, that's some serious shit you're walking into. Like, eye-level serious shit."

"Which is why I need to walk into it knowing you've got my back, and you've found other people who will follow it through to the end. I can't have a replay of last time. It's one shot."

Harry blows out a breath. "I want to say yes."

"Then do."

"But this isn't just up to me, Dane. You gotta give me some time."

"A few days, tops. And you are super careful who you talk to and what names you drop, because anyone could be in on this. Just like last time."

Harry's jaw went tense. "Yeah, I remember."

They both stared for a second, reliving the past. Then Harry hit the table with the flat of his palm. "Give me forty-eight hours."

"Okay."

"And you keep your nose clean."

"It already is, Harry."

"Okay, then." They both stood and Harry held out a hand. Dane thought about it for a second before taking it and shaking it. "Here's to a profitable partnership."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Dane said.

"Good to see you too, Dane."