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Theo shook her head. “No.”
“Given the violent nature of the crime, police officers sent to apprehend him were warned that he may be armed.”
“That’s insane!”
“Mr. Benton was trying to leave the building when officers arrived. After being told to put his hands up, he reached inside his jacket. That was when the officer shot him.”
“Twice.”
“Yes, twice.”
“What was he reaching for?”
“Mr. Benton was not in possession of a weapon.”
“Right.” Theo wasn’t crying anymore. She was angry.
“Miss Steven and the officers on the scene tried to stop the bleeding until the ambulance got there.”
“Was he conscious?”
“I’m told he was. I believe he called for you.”
“Great! Meanwhile, I’m here.” Theo was shouting now. “Answering questions while my brother tries to hang on to life.”
“Unfortunately, Mary Cowell did not have that chance.”
“What happened to Mary was terrible, and I am sorry, but Gus had nothing to do with it.”
A knock at the door. It was opened almost immediately by a policeman in uniform, past whom strode a man in a sharp pin-striped suit.
“Alexander Wilson of Wilson Freeman. I’ll be representing Miss Benton. To which end I am instructing her to say nothing.” He looked at his watch. “You are within your rights to hold her without charge for another twenty hours, by which time her brother may well be dead, and you, good sir, will have a public relations disaster as well as one hell of a civil suit on your hands.”
Theo said nothing. Jacqui must have called her a lawyer. If he wanted her to stop talking, she would. If he wanted her to sing the score from Frozen, she would. She had to get back to Gus.
She listened silently as Wilson and Mendes threatened each other. Another knock and another officer with a message for the detective. Mendes read the slip, swore, and stormed out.
Alexander Wilson smiled. “I think we can go.”
Theo wanted to go straight to the hospital, but Wilson insisted they claim her phone from the desk sergeant before they left.
“What about Mac?” Theo asked as they walked out. “He was brought in too, but I haven’t seen him since I came in.”
“Let’s just worry about getting you out of here to see your brother. We’ll deal with Mr. Etheridge later.”
A black BMW pulled up in front them and Wilson opened the back door. Theo stepped in.
CHAPTER 29
Gus Benton wasn’t sure if he was awake. He knew he was alive because he was in too much pain to be dead. He could sense light outside his eyelids…he just had to open them. Someone had tied him up. He was trussed up like a bloody roast chicken. And yet somehow he knew that struggling against the bonds would really hurt, and so he didn’t move. Someone was holding his hand.
Gus opened his eyes.
Theo. Theo was holding his hand. She was crying. Maybe he was dead.
“Gus…I’m so sorry.”
He tried to speak.
