this case had been weighing on korede more than he was willing to admit out loud. usually, he kept a clean distance from his work. it was about strategy, precision, winning — another result, another name added to his record. but this one felt different. none of it was about him, and maybe that was exactly the problem. it made it harder to compartmentalize, harder to treat it like just another case. that was why he needed josie. needed her input, her perspective. honestly, just having her there steadied something in him that had been off for weeks. he trusted the way her mind worked, the way they could fall into step with each other without overexplaining. “eh, no chance,” he said, glancing down at the file before passing it over. “she’s been married for years. kids, too. she’s not interested in reopening any of it.” his tone stayed even, matter-of-fact. “i looked into her. she’s kept a low profile for a while.” he continued sorting through the papers, sliding over anything he thought might matter. he knew what he was asking wasn’t small. he’d essentially pulled her into something that would take over her day, maybe more than that. but if anyone could follow the line of thinking, see what he was seeing, it was her.
“young cops, small town, bad habits,” he went on, voice sharpening slightly. “they picked a suspect early and built everything around it. meanwhile, whoever actually did it is still out there.” a quiet breath left him, frustration slipping through before he checked it. “yeah,” he added, nodding once. “eyewitness. claims they were pumping gas when it happened.” he didn’t bother hiding the slight roll of his eyes. the moment she agreed to help, something in him eased. not completely, but enough. he let out a slow breath, shoulders settling just a fraction. “that’s my girl,” he said, the approval slipping out before he filtered it, tone still controlled but lighter. “thank you.” he dipped his head slightly, then reached for one last file. “i’ve got one thing,” he continued, sliding it toward her. “one thing that might save marcus. it’s a long shot, but it’s what we have.” his fingers tapped lightly against the folder. “the bullets were never tested against the gun. his attorney pushed for it, but the court shut it down. standard resistance.” he paused, letting that sit. “i found a report — same type of bullets used in another robbery about a year later.” he nodded toward the file. “this might be the most important piece in here.” he leaned back slightly, taking in the spread of papers between them, the mess of it all finally starting to feel like something that could be worked through. “i’m so relieved right now i could kiss you,” he said, almost under his breath. not entirely serious. or at least that’s what he told himself. his attention shifted back to her, more focused now. “come by tonight,” he added, tone smoothing out again. “we’ll go through everything properly. i’ll answer whatever questions you have.” a brief pause. “dinner is on me. anywhere in the city.” his gaze stayed on her, measured, expectant, already anticipating the answer.