Beyond Innocence by Carsen Taite Read Free Book Online Page A

Cory hung back for a second before following. Cory caught her eye before she could look away, and in the moment she saw a flash of uncertainty. Funny, she’d thought she was the only one experiencing that particular emotion.
    Cory took the backseat without asking. Ian chatted affably during the entire ride to the restaurant, gesturing to points of interest along the way. Serena snuck a few looks in the rearview mirror but never caught Cory’s glance since she spent the entire drive studying every aspect of the rear floorboard. Ian seemed not to notice Cory had nothing to contribute to the conversation.
    They were early arrivals at the restaurant, and the hostess escorted them to a booth right away. Ian stood beside the booth, waiting for them to take a seat. Serena slid into the booth first, relieved when Cory slid in across from her until she realized now she couldn’t avoid her gaze.
    After the waitress took their drink orders, Ian excused himself to the restroom. Serena searched for something innocuous to discuss. “How long have you worked for the clinic?”
    Apparently, the simple question was anything but. Cory squirmed in her seat. “I don’t really work there. I’m volunteering my time.”
    “That’s nice of you. For how long? What’s your background?” Serena was used to directness and she would’ve thought Cory, a lawyer, was too. Apparently not. Cory’s head moved back and forth, and it was immediately apparent she was looking for a way out. Serena decided to let her off the hook and swiftly changed the subject. “Never mind. I didn’t mean to get personal.” She held up the menu. “What’s good?”
    Cory flashed a wide smile. “Everything. Try the French dip. The fries alone are to die for, but the sandwich is perfection.”
    Serena closed her menu. “French dip it is. Though I have no idea why I’m trusting food advice from a skinny white girl.” She grinned to soften the faux insult.
    Cory’s retort was cut short when Ian slid into the booth. “I see you two are becoming acquainted.”
    Serena looked back and forth between them. Maybe she could find out about Cory in a roundabout way. “Have you two known each other long?”
    “Years,” Ian replied. “Though this will be the first time we’ve ever worked on the same side.” He fiddled with his silverware and napkin, completely missing the killer stare Cory leveled in his direction. The reappearance of the waitress saved him from Cory’s wrath. When she left with their food orders, Ian launched the conversation in a different direction.
    “Your brother’s case was mishandled from the start, but the problem is that once he’s been found guilty, the burden is on us to show he is actually innocent or should at least be entitled to a new trial.”
    Serena crossed her arms and leaned in close. “Okay. How do we go about doing that?”
    “Cory and the team at the clinic will worry about the legal stuff, but we need an investigator to follow up on all the unturned leads the trial team overlooked.”
    “Didn’t they have an investigator working on the case?” Cory asked.
    “Well, they filed a motion to have one appointed, but I can’t for the life of me tell what he did. It was George Patton. He’s a popular investigator, retired cop, and very old-school. Didn’t keep notes or write anything down.”
    “Guess we should start by having whoever we hire interview George and determine what he was able to find out.” Cory realized she’d said “we.” Too late to bite back the words. She wasn’t officially assigned to this case and she wouldn’t be. She’d do what she promised and move on. “I have an idea about who you can hire. Her name is Skye Keaton and she used to be a homicide detective for the Dallas Police Department.”
    Ian flashed her a questioning look and she answered his silent query. “She’s a private investigator now, doing a lot of work for the Bradley and Casey law firm. She’s good, better than a lot of