"Hey there," Alina greeted, flashing a quick smile as James slid into the seat across from her.
"Hey," James replied.
Alina leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs casually, her fingers tapping lightly against her coffee cup.
"You know," she said, with a light tone but the tight expression on her face, gave her feelings away, "when you first told me about the McCullens, I thought they were just another dirty company — drug trafficking, money laundering, typical scumbag stuff."
James said nothing, simply watching her with a smile on his face.
"But then," Alina continued, her voice dropping lower, her smile fading, "when I went through the digital evidence you gave me... I finally understood."
She leaned forward, her blue eyes dark with something dangerous.
"Man... it's not just drugs and dirty money. They're knee-deep in human trafficking too — funding whole cartel operations like it's just another side hustle."
