The Day I Stopped Waiting Was the Day He Started Begging novel Chapter 80

The chat ended with a string of unanswered texts from York.

She pressed her lips together.

Sloane was actually right.

If York was the prosecutor on the case, the fastest way to get to Piper was through him.

Piper's husband's family had money. If they had fabricated evidence against Piper, then Piper—currently sitting in a holding cell—was utterly defenseless.

The only thing Madeline could do was find Piper a ruthless defense attorney, dig up any evidence that favored her, and submit it directly to the DA.

...

At the DA's Office, York had just stepped out of a meeting when a colleague briefed him on a case.

"Prosecutor Yates, these are the evidence files and statements submitted by the police."

"During the investigation, they discovered that Charles Channing and Tyler Zimmerman are in the same group chat. They even talked about hiring some escorts together."

"Based on the evidence we have, there is reasonable suspicion that Tyler and Charles were both involved in organized criminal activity."

"You're the lead on Tyler Zimmerman's case, so regarding this Charles Channing domestic assault case..."

Piper Lane?

That was the name his in-laws had brought up at dinner the other night.

He remembered how furiously Madeline had reacted.

What a spectacular coincidence.

York cut straight to the chase. "Give me the entire case file."

"And send over any related leads."

"Understood."

York combed through the entire case file and instantly understood why Madeline had been so livid.

Aside from Piper's own testimony and some vague neighbor reports about their toxic marriage, the existing evidence was entirely stacked against her.

And the Monroe family was tangled up in the mess. Charles Channing was a distant relative of the Monroes, and they had been the ones to arrange the marriage.

Furthermore, when Piper struck her husband in self-defense, Miles Monroe had actually been at the scene.

Just like she used to when they first got married.

Back then, if she got off work early, she would always wait for him to have dinner together.

It was a long-lost feeling. Since he had returned, Madeline had either stayed away for days at a time or used work as an excuse to avoid him, treating Azure Bay like a temporary hotel.

"Housekeeper, why did you wait for me to serve dinner? Hoping for a raise?"

The housekeeper popped her head out of the kitchen, wearing an apron.

"It was the missus. She was afraid you'd end up eating cold food every night and report her for abuse."

York's lips quirked up, having already pieced it all together.

He had guessed Madeline would come to him.

He just hadn't expected her to get the intel so fast.

He sat down on the sofa directly across from her, flashing a wicked, knowing smile, the top few buttons of his shirt casually undone.

"Ms. Monroe, what a rare treat. You're home early today."