Ashlyn was happy to see Micaela again, even if she would have preferred a different occasion.

"Did you see the interview yesterday?" Micaela asked the blonde immediately after they had greeted each other.

"Sure," Ashlyn replied with a frown.

"So, what did you think?"

"You can't deny he has a certain chutzpah. The question is whether he'll get away with it."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you," said Micaela, and Ashlyn could tell from her voice that she didn't have good news. "It seems we're having a hard time making progress. Most of the DA's Office files have been destroyed, and we have little to go on. If you or Dom have more information, I would be thrilled to exchange it."

"Okay," Ashlyn replied with a serious expression. "That's exactly why I wanted to talk to you. Because actually, we found something. And it doesn't show our interior senator well at all."

Micaela tilted her head and looked at the blonde questioningly. "And what is that supposed to be?"

"Well, I don't think you'll like this very much, but it seems that Cantu not only helped to place children with pedophiles but also went to great lengths to conceal his involvement." Ashlyn reached into her briefcase and pulled out a file. She spread the papers inside out on Micaela's desk. "As you can see here," she explained, pointing to the printout of a chat conversation, "is the request for a contract killing. We could trace this back so far, and we know that the requesting part of the chat was sent via Cantu's private computer, more precisely, his MacBook."

Micaela looked at the documents in disbelief, then at Ashlyn, and finally back at the printouts in front of her. She read the individual sections first thoroughly and then quickly.

"Where did you get this?" she wanted to know.

"A former client of mine," Ashlyn replied. "A computer genius, a hacker, call him what you will."

"But we can never verify that. I can't build a case on that. This isn't legally obtained information, not to mention criminally obtained." Micaela's voice was edgy and defensive. "Please tell me you have something more than that."

Ashlyn was unprepared for Micaela's almost hostile attitude but didn't let it show. What she was ready for, however, was the fact that the ADA would not trust the data. She, therefore, pulled another file out of her briefcase, which contained only a single sheet of paper. "Here," she said, 'are the exact instructions for getting this information yourself."

Without paying much attention to the paper, Micaela put it in the file with the other documents Ashlyn had given her and closed it. 'I need to take a closer look at this. Besides, even if it's true, I have to see if it's usable," she replied curtly.

Ashlyn was surprised. She had actually expected Michaela to be grateful to her for this data.

Obviously, the ADA had caught Ashlyn's doubtful look. With a twinkle in her eye, she looked at the blonde. 'What?!' she exclaimed rather than asked. "Did you think that if you came here with information from the darknet without telling me the source, I would jump up and drag our senator of the interior into a preliminary investigation for murder?"

Ashlyn looked at her in disbelief. And yes, she had actually thought something like that.

"You can probably imagine the impression this makes. I'm accusing a high-ranking politician, and the head of our police force at that, of evidence that was probably obtained illegally and that my former colleague, who I once had a crush on, one of the most colorful defense attorneys we have in Massachusetts, is trying to pin on me." Micaela snorted, apparently trying hard to regain her composure. "I might as well just read my cards."

Ashlyn thought quickly and saw only one way to steer things in the right direction. Micaela had to find out about it herself. Which was Ashlyn's plan anyway. That's why the blonde had given Micaela instructions on how her Darknet experts could use their resources to follow Cantus's trail. "Okay. I'm surprised," she admitted. 'I would have thought you would react differently, but that doesn't matter. I have a possible clue that could help us solve a crime. And that clue is worth nothing if it can't be verified. I can't verify it.' She paused and now leaned over the desk toward Micaela. "But, Mica. And if it turns out that it's all nonsense, then so be it. However, if it turns out that our information is correct, then it's high time we acted on it as quickly as possible," Ashlyn faltered here and corrected herself, "… sorry, I mean that you act as quickly as possible. Because then Cantu is probably a goddamn murderer. And as it stands, not only is he that, but he will soon be our next mayor."

Micaela looked thoughtfully at the blonde. She was considering how to classify Ashlyn's words. She opened the file again and looked at the documents.

"Okay," she finally said. 'I'll have it checked. And I hope for your sake that it's good.' Then she reached for her own file. 'Incidentally, we haven't been idle in the meantime either.' She flipped through the papers and then paused. "Not, however, regarding the attack on Garner. We've interviewed all the witnesses at the bus stop. Most of them saw him fall in front of the bus or lying on the ground, but none of them noticed how he got there."

"And Booker?"

"We actually did get a little further with him. It seems that he was still in his local bar on the evening of August 23rd. The BPD followed all possible leads, spoke to his employer, interviewed tenants from his apartment building, and so on. Finally, they came to the bar where he regularly had a beer in the evening." Micaela flipped through the file before continuing, 'That would also fit with Maggie's report. According to her assessment and based on the examination of the body, Booker may have died that evening.'

Ashlyn pricked up her ears and frowned. "Was he alone in his local that evening? Or possibly with someone?"

"We don't know yet. But we're on it."

Ashlyn made some notes. This was Dominic's job. What had happened in the bar on August 23rd, what happened afterward, and who was responsible for Booker's death? He should have taken care of that; he was good at it.

After Micaela had no further information and finally promised to follow up on the darknet research, the two women agreed to meet again in two days to compare the results of their respective investigations.

When Ashlyn left the building, she reached for her cell phone. She needed to meet with Dominic urgently. The case was progressing too slowly for her, and her whole approach seemed unstructured. There were just too many cooks and too many interests. Everyone wanted to help Tim Garner, and there were several additional motivations. Tracy Payne wished to publish the next article in her series; Micaela wanted to prevent her career from going down the drain by falsely accusing the senator of the interior, and Maggie and Dominic wanted to help improve child protection. And herself? What was she actually interested in? Somehow, a little of all of it. But that was too confusing for her. She needed to have the big picture. The clear picture of what was happening here and how it all connected.

xxx

In the early evening, Ashlyn invited Dominic and Maggie to her apartment to clarify the case and plan their next steps. She felt that they were running out of time.

While Maggie and Dominic were sitting at her long dining table, Ashlyn stood next to the large whiteboard at the head of the table, holding a blue marker. Years ago, she had started using these to record the individual actions and the people involved in large criminal proceedings. This had always helped her keep track of the big picture and stay aware of the details. She also felt that she could think better when she saw all the information in front of her.

"Okay," Ashlyn began after she had informed the other two about her meeting with Micaela. 'Let's start by writing down everything we have chronologically.'

"It started with Garner and Payne showing up at your office, right?" Dominic said with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, but I don't mean when we started, but when the whole case began."

"Well, then, the moment Garner came to the attention of the Youth welfare service," Maggie interjected, taking a sip from her wine glass.

"Right." Ashlyn marked a cross on the timeline she had drawn at the top of the whiteboard. "That was over twenty years ago. Tim Garner was just six years old. His mother had severe drug problems, and the Department of Child and Family Services became aware of him through a report from Garner's kindergarten teacher."

Dominic looked through the documents spread out on the table in front of him. "In October, he was then placed in the care of Simon McCurry." He paused and looked from Ashlyn to Maggie. "I still can't believe that the children were handed over to known child molesters."

Ashlyn pursed her lips for a moment and frowned slightly. "And that's exactly why we're sitting here together, Dominic. But please, let's start by writing down all the facts and evaluate them later, okay?"

It was still tricky for Dominic, but he finally nodded.

Ashlyn clenched her teeth briefly. "What happened next?"

Maggie licked her lips. "We know that Booker was already at McCurry at the time. He and Tim met there, didn't they?"

"Right," Dominic agreed, picking up another marker. To the left of the date that Garner had started at McCurry, he drew another cross with the note, 'Booker at McCurry.

"Booker moved out of McCurry's at eighteen," Ashlyn continued after sipping her whisky glass. "And three years later, when Garner was sixteen, he ran away. He lived on the streets for a few years, and then, with the help of social workers, he got his own apartment. That was a turning point in his life and must have been incredibly motivating. Shortly thereafter, he also began vocational training as a painter and varnisher."

"Then nothing happened for quite a while that we thought might have something to do with the matter," Maggie added. "Until Booker and Garner met again."

"Exactly," replied Ashlyn, pointing at her mother. "Payne told me that their first encounter was utterly coincidental. At the subway station, down on the platform between two tracks. They were standing in line right behind each other and recognized each other. After that, the two met regularly. Garner had told me that it took quite a while for them to talk about their time at McCurry for the first time. And even longer for them to talk about the abuse." She noted this on the whiteboard before continuing. "That provided the impetus for them to contact the local Department of Family and Protective Services office. They did so because they wanted justice and restitution."

"And here – I can't believe it – they were simply turned away," Dominic added. "With a reference to the fact that both McCurry and Granther had long since died."

Ashlyn took a deep breath. "Not to mention that Garner and Booker had also invoked the statute of limitations about civil damages. By the way, legally accurate, but at the lowest level in human terms."

Maggie looked at her documents. "Why did they then file a complaint with the DA's Office?"

Ashlyn gritted her teeth again. "That the Senate Administration for Youth had joined the case. Whether they did that because they feared being dragged into the public eye or because someone there finally took responsibility is anyone's guess."

"Nevertheless, it was the first time," Dominic said, "that they were supported by the state."

"Exactly," Maggie agreed. 'But without any useful result.' Now, she took one of the markers and marked another event on the timeline. "According to the DA's Office, the investigation against McCurry was fruitless, which is unsurprising since he was no longer alive. And no crime could be proven against the then responsible youth welfare office staff either."

"But that's not all," Dominic concluded cynically. "For the second time, they were advised not to take the civil route, which would have allowed them to claim damages for cost reasons. After all, the matter is still time-barred."

Ashlyn took another sip from her whiskey glass and made a face. "Right," she agreed, marking this further low point in history with a double line on the timeline. "Which brings us to the point relevant to us. Tim Garner meets Tracy Payne."

Maggie followed the drawn timeline and raised her eyebrows. "How did it come about, anyway? And when approximately?"

Ashlyn looked at her mother intently and raised her eyebrows for a moment. "I asked Payne that, too. It was just a year ago. It was actually Booker who noticed Payne. An article in the Boston Observer in which Payne critically reported the increasing ghettoization in the districts. And the subsequent conditions in Boston schools. And what impact that would have on the current situation and the opportunities for children."

Maggie took a deep breath. "I can understand that it impressed him. Every government claimed to be tackling the issue for what felt like an eternity. And no matter who ran the city, no one tackled it."

"In that respect, they had definitely found the right person in Payne," Dominic continued. 'And for the first time in all those years, they really had support.' He smiled.

Ashlyn looked at him long and hard. "Which unfortunately didn't last long. Because shortly before they published their story with Payne's help, events started to take a turn for the worse. From one day to the next, Booker disappeared."

"Only to show up at my morgue," Maggie said with a furrowed brow. "And, in my opinion, as a possible victim of a crime."

Ashlyn emptied her glass and took a deep breath. 'Assuming that as a given, the next event also fits the picture. Garner is pushed in front of the bus.'

"Which is why we have to assume that both Booker and Garner are to be eliminated," Maggie concluded,

Ashlyn made a final note on the whiteboard. "Until recently, anything was possible: from an accident to a series of unfortunate coincidences, to a robbery at Booker's house, who, after all, no longer carried a wallet or any other valuables with him, to a targeted murder."

"And then Cantu came into play," Dominic continued. "First, we learn that he, as the head of a department at the youth welfare office at the time, supported Granther and his experiment, and then we find the traces on his computer."

"Which means we have a possible culprit who has both the motive and the means to commit all the crimes," Ashlyn said, writing Cantu's name on the whiteboard in large letters. 'Motive,' she continued, "to cover up his past actions to keep them from catching up with him now."

"Because then he could kiss his chances of becoming the next mayor goodbye," Maggie stated, noting the second motive on the whiteboard.

Ashlyn took a deep breath and nodded. Still, her instincts told her they were missing something here. Dominic seemed to pick up on this and asked his friend, "What's up, Ash? Something wrong?"

"Hm, the whole thing is somehow too easy. Too obvious. Like in a crime novel. In the end, it's never the one you think is the culprit all along, right?"

"Yeah, that's possible. On the other hand, we both know that the world isn't always that complex. If it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck, right?"

Ashlyn couldn't help but laugh.

Maggie furrowed her brow and cleared her throat. "Guys, please, let's move on. We're only halfway through. Assuming that Cantu is pulling the strings in the background, which would be possible without question, what are the next steps?"

Ashlyn cleared her throat and got serious again. "The DA's office would have to open a preliminary investigation into a felony against Cantu, in this case for incitement to murder or manslaughter, and evaluate the available facts. Incitement can be considered whenever someone does not carry out the act themselves but instead uses another person, for example, as may be the case here, a hired killer."

"And us?" Dominic asked. 'We can't just be reduced to providing evidence.'

"Especially," Maggie added, "when the DA's office is in a potential conflict because it involves investigating the police chief."

"She's not," Ashlyn suddenly blurted out. "Micaela didn't exactly cheer when she heard our information, but I'm sure of her integrity. She would never do or fail to do something wrong for selfish reasons. I'm meeting her again the day after tomorrow, and I'm sure she'll do everything she can to check the data by then."

"Okay, and if she presses charges, what do we do then?" Dominic wanted to know.

Ashlyn looked at him for a long time, took a deep breath, and raised her eyebrows. "It's simple, Dom. We'll join the lawsuit as joint plaintiffs!"