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Latimer made that concession under duress, Special Agent Reyes. We both know that after the altercation—”
    â€œBrought about by your client attacking—”
    â€œMy client advises that you struck first. He was only defending himself,” Ruggiero shot back.
    â€œYour client has a foot and at least one hundred pounds over my partner, Mr. Ruggiero,” David said.
    Hernandez finally joined the fray and brought silence to the room with a sharply barked “Enough.”
    Diana nodded and at Hernandez’s prompting, sat in the chair next to Ryder’s lawyer. David took a seat on the couch. As she sat and listened to her boss’s briefing, she wondered why Latimer had sent a shark rather than come himself.
    The nattily dressed lawyer sat calmly as Hernandez advised them on Latimer’s concerns and his willingness to cooperate in any way he could, including presenting himself in the late afternoon for questioning. The lawyer nodded, confirming each of Hernandez’s statements.
    Ruggiero must have taken fashion tips from an early Godfather movie—his brown hair was ruthlessly slicked back with gel and his silk suit was shiny, the oily sheen in keeping with the unctuous smile he had given her when they met. He had on an overpowering cologne that made her nauseous, as did his tight, ferretlike smile.
    â€œMy client will do everything in his power to cooperate,” Ruggiero replied in seemingly sincere tones, and she wondered how he could lie so easily. Latimer clearly had something to hide, and this man was here to help him do so.
    â€œTell me, Mr. Ruggiero. Does your client’s idea of cooperation include attempting to restrain a federal officer?” Diana countered, and gave the man some credit when he had the grace to blush.
    â€œA misunderstanding, Agent—”
    â€œSpecial Agent in Charge, Mr. Ruggiero,” David corrected him.
    Diana shot her partner a glare, hating that he had paraded her title. In her book, titles alone didn’t earn respect. She addressed the lawyer calmly, her tone brooking no disagreement. “If your client doesn’t appear by this afternoon, he’ll leave me no option but to issue a warrant.”
    â€œMy client has rights—”
    â€œAnd it’s well within his rights for us to ask him to answer a few questions. If he feels uncomfortable, he has the right to counsel and to refuse to answer. In which case, we’ll charge him as the suspect and hold him for additional proceedings,” Hernandez answered calmly, attempting to stop further disputes. “Do you think your client can come by this afternoon, at let’s say…”
    Hernandez stopped and glanced at Diana to continue. “Four o’clock would be fine,” she confirmed.
    The attorney nodded, rose and walked out the door.
    After he was gone, Diana let out a stinging Spanish expletive. Hernandez whistled beneath his breath. David coughed uncomfortably.
    â€œWell, what does he think we’re going to do? Chinese water torture or boiling in hot oil? The last thing we want is to lose a suspect due to a technicality,” she said hotly.
    David shrugged. “You and Latimer got off on the wrong foot last night. Maybe that worried him.”
    â€œAnd speaking of that, Diana, I understand from your reports that you and this suspect had a physical altercation. One in which you may have suffered a possible injury?” Hernandez glanced at a file as he spoke.
    â€œHas anyone here checked you out?” he continued.
    â€œI planned on going down—”
    â€œAs soon as we are done,” Hernandez instructed, and then quickly launched into a discussion of the case and their plan of action for the interrogation of Latimer.
    Diana took a deep breath, her headache having intensified during the interview. She hoped Latimer wouldn’t mess around with them. They needed his cooperation at the club. But something told her that even