The Pursuit of Lies (Book #4, Paradise Valley) by Debra Burroughs

law firm with Colin, and Ernie, Isabel, and Peter were standing by the window, waiting in Alex’s private office, discussing the case. Ernie rushed over to Colin, wrapped him up in a big bear hug and clapped him firmly on the back a few times.
    “You all right?” Ernie asked as he released his powerful grip.
    “Holding my own,” Colin groaned.
    Alex eyed Peter. “We weren’t expecting to see you here.”
    “I figured I could be of some help. I hope you guys don’t mind.”
    “No, I don’t mind.” Emily was happy to have the help. “Colin?”
    “Welcome to the team.” Colin stuck out his hand and Peter shook it.
    Ernie examined the ragged condition of Colin’s face for a moment. “Looks like you got yourself in a scrape or two.”
    “You should see the other guys,” Colin chuckled, causing him to wince and grab his side.
    “Are you okay?” Emily rushed to see, her voice infused with concern.
    “Just don’t make me laugh.” He winced again and lifted his shirt, exposing a grapefruit-sized bruise on the left side of his ribcage.
    “Oh, that looks bad.” Isabel grimaced. “Shouldn’t you have a doctor look at it?”
    “They had a nurse practitioner examine it in the jail. Her diagnosis was bruised ribs—nothing broken.”
    Emily ran a finger lightly over the purplish area, and Colin winced again, then dropped his shirt.
    “I hope that woman’s right,” she said, raising her eyebrows at him. The last thing he needed right now was a handful of broken ribs.
    “Enough about my prison escapades, let’s figure out how to prove I’m innocent.” Colin pulled out a chair from Alex’s small conference table and gingerly sank down onto it.
    “Did he just say escapades ?” Isabel whispered to Emily as she took a seat.
    Emily shrugged. “Must’ve picked up a new vocabulary while he was in there.”
    Alex retrieved an accordion file from the top of his desk and went back to the table. “Everything the DA has on you so far should be in this packet.” He opened the pouch and slid the contents out onto the table. “It was messengered over earlier today.”
    “Kind of a thick file,” Colin said. “That can’t be good.”
    “There’s the fingerprint analysis, which we already knew they had.” Alex set the first sheet aside and picked up the next. “And the DNA results from hair and other fibers found at the scene, which I was told they just completed this morning.”
    Colin slapped his hand down on the sheet of DNA results. “I still don’t understand how they could have gotten my prints and DNA from Allison’s place when I was never there.”
    “Someone had to have planted them,” Isabel replied.
    “And we’ll have to figure out who,” Ernie added.
    Emily picked up a thumb drive that had skidded across the table toward her when Alex dumped the contents. “What’s on this?”
    “That should contain video from Allison’s condo, both the parking lot camera and the one by the door to the building,” Alex replied. “They are said to show Colin’s Jeep with the license plate in clear view, as well as him and Allison walking into her building.”
    Colin bolted from his chair. “How can the video show that when I was never there?”
    “We’re going to figure that out, now please, sit down,” Alex said.
    Emily, too, wished she had an answer for that very question. Looking over this pile of evidence, the task was daunting.
    As Colin took his seat again, Alex picked up another page, moving the papers from one stack to the other. “Then there are copies of emails back and forth between Colin and Allison.”
    “Whoa. I want to make it absolutely clear that I never sent her emails that weren’t work related.” Colin’s voice rose with irritation.
    “Duly noted.” Alex looked from the papers to Colin’s eyes. “Sorry, Colin, it’s just easier stating the evidence from the DA’s point of view. Then we know what we’re up against. May we continue?”
    “All right, but keep in mind