Ava blinked, scratching her head. "I just don’t wanna mess it up. I guess I’m stressing too much."
"Do you have a plan for talking to Rachel’s assistant?" Maria asked.
"Yeah. I’ll start soft and see if she bites. If not, I’ll amp it up—she’s got a weak nerve, it shouldn’t be too hard to rattle her."
Maria seemed to trust Ava's instincts. "Keep an eye on your phone. I’ll be keeping tabs and backing you up."
Ava paused, then gave a firm nod.
When they got to the station and laid everything out, the two officers looked at each other. Clearly, this confirmed their suspicions.
"For the sake of clearing my name, this is the only way," Maria said calmly. "And if we can sort this out, it's a win for you, too. We’ll record everything, and if you want, we can call so you can hear
