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But then Jada proved hioodness earned Sylvia’s trust in a way that unspoken threats never could have Ian had been wrong about the best course to take, had convinced Jada to use techniques which had worked for hiotiations and business deals But this wasn’t a business deal

Jada, being herself, had innately known the right thing to do, and thanks to her, they no everything Sylvia knew They’d gotten the outco it as a victory to celebrate the way Ian did

It took only a few et two coffees fro spot so Jada could safely doctor her coffee with a packet of powdered creamer that would have raised the hairs on the back of Mrs Best’s neck had she been there to see it

Ian took a sip of his own black coffee It was bland, boring, a little weak It had caffeine, though, so it would do

“Want to sit here and go over the notes?” He hoped the suggestion hten her up

“No point Hardly anything there,” she gru her coffee with a plastic stick

“What about the ti before noon, Sylviablack wig, a floppy hat and—”

“Don’t be condescending,” Jada interrupted “I’m not in the mood”

“I wasn’t condescending”

“You were acting like it Being all, let’s pretend Jada is on the case and distract her with the little details that don’t matter anyway”

Ian didn’t care for her attitude and for the first time, was annoyed “That’s unfair”

“Were you going over the timeline because you think it’s valuable and will help us solve the case? Or were you only bringing it up to try to distract htly from side to side

“Those are loaded choices,” he said, trying to keep it light

“Whatever” She sipped her coffee and turned her head, staring out the passengeragain

“You did great back there, you know” Ian pressed on carefully “We learned who made the second entry into the courthouse database Sylvia slipped into the office early Thursday ot there, and accurately entered the et thatme”

One of Jada’s shoulders rose quickly and fell even faster

Ian slogged onward “I was disgusted that Sylvia’s plan was to set up Mrs Nell and let her take the bla the fake license I can’t believe anyone would do that to such a kind lady”

“I don’t know,” Jada said, her voice low “Sylvia knew everyone would think Mrs Nell si that would happen to her would be forced retire”

“Okay, I can see that I’h”

Jada swung around to face him “Five thousand dollars is not a little money”

“It’s not even close to a life-changing amount She risked her job and freedom for whatless than a month’s salary?”

Jada snorted “You think Sylvia makes that much? Not even close, I bet And she darned sure doesn’t actually take home five thousand dollars a month Ha! After insurance and taxes and all the other ways they stick it to you when you can’t afford an accountant, she’s lucky to take horand a h to pay rent or buy groceries for your children, even a hundred bucks can be a life-changing amount of money”

Ian knew he should back down, but her indignant tone irked hi to who now?”

“You don’t get it, Ian”

“And you do? When have you gone hungry? Not been able to pay your bills?”

“That’s not the point I greith these people I know thehed softly “Never mind It’s not your fault” She took a sip of coffee

He watched her lips pucker around the rio back to what Sylvia told us, without passing judgment, either of us”

“Fine”

“I thought the ave us was that the mystery woman didn’t have the bribe money on her when she came to the records department”

“Yeah, I didn’t expect that,” Jada said

“What do you think about it? What does it mean?”

“I’reed to the deal, and accepted the fake license even after the woman admitted she didn’t have the five thousand on her and said she’d have to go to a bank for it Then Sylvia texted her husband to call her at work and she pretended to Mrs Nell that the call was Sylvia’s kid’s school so she could leave for the day Then she went to a cafe to wait for the mystery woman to shoith the money It’s kind of crazy, when you think about it”

“I have to adhed when she talked about slipping into the office the nextto enter the license into Mrs Nell’s computer”

“Oh, yeah, the part about how Mrs Nell is always twenty minutes late but claims she’s always on tiht s up the corners of her mouth