Broken

Chapter 30: Unspoken truths

Zac sat in the small, dimly lit office of Detective Cortez, the room cluttered with case files and the scent of old coffee lingering in the air. They had been poring over Denzel Garcia's criminal record for hours, searching for any overlooked evidence or fresh leads on his extensive network of drug and gun deals. Yet, despite their efforts, they had found nothing. Cortez leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily as he rubbed his eyes, exhausted from the long day.

The room was quiet, filled only with the faint hum of the overhead fluorescent lights. Zac's phone buzzed on the table, breaking the silence. He glanced at the screen and saw a text message from Fatima: Dinner at my place tonight? A smile crept across his face, the first in hours. He quickly typed a response: Definitely. Cortez, noticing the change in Zac's demeanor, raised an eyebrow.

"Seeing someone?" Cortez asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Zac looked up, slightly startled. "What?" he replied, trying to play it off.

Cortez gestured towards Zac's phone. "That look on your face. You're seeing someone," he repeated, his hand tracing a circle in the air as if outlining the invisible glow around Zac.

Zac hesitated, the weight of secrecy heavy on his shoulders. "It's... new," he finally said, setting his phone back down.

Cortez leaned forward, intrigued. "Who is it?"

Zac paused, wrestling with the decision to reveal the truth. He finally exhaled, resigning himself to the inevitable. "I can't say," he murmured, shaking his head.

"Man, why not? I won't tell a soul, I promise," Cortez pressed, leaning in conspiratorially.

After a long moment of deliberation, Zac groaned and gave in. "Fatima," he admitted, almost reluctantly.

Cortez's eyes widened as he connected the dots. "Fatima Wilson? From Wilson Construction Inc.?" he asked, sitting up straighter, his tone suddenly serious.

"Yes," Zac confirmed, a hint of defiance in his voice. He couldn't help but smirk at Cortez's quick deduction. "Damn, you figured that out fast!"

Cortez leaned back, folding his arms. "Only Fatima I could think of," he said. His expression shifted to one of concern. "Are you sure about that?"

Zac's brow furrowed. "Yeah. I think I'd know who I was seeing," he retorted, a touch of defensiveness creeping into his tone.

Cortez pressed his lips together, clearly mulling over his next words. "You're aware of her business background?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave.

Zac nodded, though his confidence faltered slightly. "Some of it. Yeah... I guess," he replied, his voice less certain now.

Cortez leaned in, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "You know Henry and Gomez were on her trail like two years ago?"

Zac blinked, taken aback. "What?" he asked, leaning forward.

"Yeah," Cortez continued, his tone grave. "A whole case and investigation were open because her business was making some fishy investments."

Zac's mind raced. "So what happened to the case?" he demanded, his voice tense.

Cortez sighed, shaking his head. "It got shut down, orders from higher up. Point is, you really need to be careful with that one."

Zac stood, the room feeling suddenly claustrophobic. "I know the woman behind the facade," he said, more to reassure himself than Cortez.

Cortez raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm just giving you my point," he said, his voice calm but firm.