“Yes, but it was dead. I mean, it was hanging by a noose. I ran, and a stupid mannequin behind me looked like a person, and I was spooked. I didn’t see Mike, and I tripped over him. Face-first.”
“Ah.”
“And so, I thought the mannequin was the person who killed Mike. You knew who I was and who Mike was. I didn’t think I should call anyone else. Look, can we do this later? I really want to change.”
Winter shook his head and pointed a blunt finger at me. “Don’t move.”
“Come on, Detective! I’m covered in blood!”
The prick was already walking away.
I moved to look around the corner, watching him go into the T display with Detective Lancaster. I huffed and crossed my arms before quickly uncrossing them. So much for this jacket. And jeans. I’d have to scrub my skin raw in the shower too.
I was left to stand there under the eye of a uniformed cop who kept a hand on his belt, ready to put a bullet in my knee if I tried to duck out. That’s when the gravity of the situation began pushing down on my shoulders. I told myself everything would be fine. They’d confirm everything I’d said with evidence analysis done by someone like Neil.
Oh God.
“Neil….” Was going to kill me.
I was doing my best to come up with a bearable story besidesI resented being treated like a child and wanted to defy youwhen Winter was approaching me with a short, middle-aged woman. “So, about changing,” I said again.
“We need your clothing.”
“You what?”
“Evidence.” He nodded at the woman who had just come in a moment before.
“I’ll need you to hand over the jacket and jeans, and whatever is underneath,” she confirmed while putting on latex gloves.
“I didn’t kill Mike!” I protested while looking back at Winter.
“You’re covered in his blood,” he pointed out. “You were found alone on his property with the body.”
“I calledyouafter finding him!” I said, voice rising.
“I’m only taking your clothes,” Winter said sternly, moving a step closer and already filling up the space around us. “But if you keep it up, I’ll be more than happy to book you and then strip you.”
Wow.
I swallowed audibly, clearing my throat. “Can I make a phone call?”
“Why?”
“I don’t have anything to wear. Just—let me make a call, please?”
A moment of internal deliberation was followed by a curt nod, and Winter backed off.
I pulled out my bloodstained phone and picked Neil from the contacts.
“Seb?” was the first thing he said. “Is everything okay?”
“No,” I admitted. “Can you go home—”
“I’m at work.”
“I know, but listen. I need you to go home,” I said quietly, glancing up to make sure Winter wasn’t listening in too much, but he was speaking with the woman waiting to see my nether regions. “I need you to grab a change of clothes for me, and a coat. Come over to Bond Antiques.”
“What’s going on?”
