Parker and Eliot approached the apartment slowly.
"Think there's anything here?" Parker asked as she stepped up to the door.
"Doubtful. Even if she kept anything behind..." Eliot began as Parker swung open the unlocked door.
"It's already gone." Parker finished the sentence as they stared at the overturned entry table.
Eliot glanced at her before carefully entering to sweep the place. Parker followed far enough to stoop down and right the table. She began collecting the scattered items around it, returning them to the surface.
"All clear," Eliot grunted as he returned to her position. "Find something?"
"No, I just thought..." Parker lost her words.
He nodded his understanding. "We don't have time to fix up the whole place, so let's stick to the job."
Parker stood the lamp back in position and followed him into the main living room.
"What do we look for? We don't usually break into a normal person's home. Do they even have safes?" she muttered.
"Look any way. Safe, a computer, file cabinet, anything that can file or hide something."
He began digging under the mass of shredded couch while Parker entered one of the bedrooms.
Gia closed her dryer door. She lifted her basket of finished clothes as the doorbell chimed. The basket dropped as she went to open the door.
Before her stood Sophie, decked out in full nun's habit, and Breanna in a conservative full length dress, a ribbon headband around her hair.
"Yes?" Gia ventured.
"Hello, ma'am," Sophie answered in her fullest natural accent, emphasizing her British roots. "I am Sister Hazel, this is Ana. We would like to speak with you about donating to our outreach program."
Gia opened her mouth to decline, but Sophie quickly held up an open brochure in her face. In bold letters the message inside read: We are with Haley.
Breanna gave a small half nod to confirm the message.
"Our sisters help the poor youth find their calling. Ana here came from the streets, and now creates the most exquisite ceramics. If you would permit us just five minutes of your time," Sophie continued her act.
Gia glanced around before shrugging. "I guess five minutes to help kids isn't a burden."
"Bless you, ma'am," Sophie added as Gia ushered them inside.
"Place is picked clean," Eliot announced as he exited the bathroom.
Parker slunk out of the kitchen, shoving a grain bar in her mouth.
"Stop stealing food!" Eliot hissed.
She shrugged. "I didn't find anything either."
"Pretty much what we expected." Eliot gave the room one last sweep with his eyes.
"Didn't you say we'd find her phone and ID here?"
"I didn't say..." Eliot's face scrunched in frustration. "I said I believe she left them here. I never said they'd still be here."
"So those guys took them after all." Parker shoved the last bite in her mouth and absently made her way to the door. He reluctantly nodded agreement and followed her.
"Let's hope Sophie and Breanna are able to sway the assistant."
Sophie and Breanna sat at the small dining table as Gia brought them water and a small dish of berries.
"I'm sorry I don't have anything better to offer." Gia sat down.
"It's fine," Sophie assured her in her regular voice.
"Not sure what I can do for you. I told Haley there was nothing more I could do. She chose to go forward with this."
"Take it easy." Breanna reached towards her reassuring. "We aren't going to ask you to do anything you don't want to do."
"Then what do you want with me?"
Sophie breathed and placed her hand near Gia's. "We hope you could tell us whatever you told Haley."
"But you said you're with Haley. Why wouldn't she have told you if you're working together?"
"I wouldn't say working together so much as picking up where she left off," Breanna admitted.
"Left off?"
"You don't know?" Sophie withdrew her hand.
"Don't know what? Who are you?" Gia's anxiety showed.
"Don't be scared. We're part of a network that helps people like Haley and yourself. I'm Sophie and this is Breanna."
"Haley hired you too?"
"Not exactly. She was attacked by professionals. Our colleagues were able to stop them from killing her, but she is comatose."
"Oh my god."
"We were able to find some info. We know she was tracking a financial link between Martin Daeville and Prosecutor Jameson. We also believe much of her information came from Daeville's lawyer's office, your boss – Safer."
Gia started to cry. "I couldn't stand the thought of that man becoming governor. There's one thing having corrupt lawyers out there, but the highest office in the state held by someone who gladly took money to allow a man like Daeville to escape justice? I had to do something."
"So you gave Haley Safer's passwords?"
"He didn't know I had them. I don't think he remembers I'm there half the time, let alone that I can hear."
"We'd like to finish the job for you and Haley. If you'd be willing to help us," Breanna interrupted.
"I can't. I stuck my neck out there once. Safer spooked. I haven't been found out yet, but I will if I do anything else. He would end me. I'd never be able to get even a paralegal job anywhere."
"A paralegal job?" Sophie asked.
"I'm studying for my certificate. Eventually I want to take the bar."
"We understand." Sophie paused a few moments to let her catch her breath. "We don't need you to let us in or do anything further to expose yourself."
"Well, testifying would have helped," Breanna admitted.
"Sorry, I can't help you. In fact, I'm going to need you to leave now." Gia stood and grabbed the berries.
"Gia." Sophie waited for her to look. "We know you're scared. I promise you we don't wish to expose you."
"I can't help you." Gia swallowed.
"We appreciate your time and assistance." Sophie stood and gave a nod to Breanna to follow.
"I'm sorry I can't help. I hope you can find what you need."
Sophie offered her a soft smile and nod before heading to the door.
"Sophie!" Breanna hissed under her breath. "We should try to get the passwords at least."
"No, Breanna. We don't want to ruin Gia's life and career. She gave us enough."
"Enough? Like what?"
"Shhh." Sophie placed a finger to her lips as they stepped back into the street.
They made their fake nun pitch to the rest of the block in case of surveillance on Gia.
Back in the safety of HQ, Breanna snorted.
"Any luck, 'cause we struck out. Jameson's guys cleared everything out," Eliot asked. He and Parker waited as Sophie and Breanna returned.
"She's scared, so she won't help us," Breanna muttered.
"Actually she helped us quite a bit," Sophie corrected.
"How? She wouldn't even give us the info she gave Haley."
"She confirmed for us that these files came from Safer, and they're real."
"How does that help us? We still can't use them as is, especially if she won't testify."
"We don't need her to testify. We don't even need to get our hands on the files again."
"What are you thinking?" Parker tilted her head, waiting for Sophie's grand reveal.
"We aren't going to reveal the files. We're going to convince Safer to do it."
Eliot chuckled. Parker smirked.
"How are going to do that?" Breanna smiled as Sophie's assurance sank in.
"Let's go steal a partnership."