Harper paused, considering the question, and Michael held his breath. “I don’t know his real name; I just know him as Mr Smith.”
Bingo.
“Do you have any proof that he organised it?”
Harper frowned. “Proof?” He glanced at his alpha, clearly asking for help.
Sam Thomas stood and crossed his arms. Sitting down and being forced to look up at him, Thomas appeared even more imposing. Michael fought the urge to shuffle back in his seat, away from him.
“Detectives, you’ll notice we haven’t asked for legal representation for Mr Harper. He’s answering your questions because a human died on Friday night, and he wants to help in any way possible—”
“He’s just admitted to taking part in an illegal fight. Against a human,” Frank cut in. “And if our sources are correct, these fights are supposed to be human combatants only. Am I correct?”
Harper nodded. “Yes.”
“So you fought Crossford, and he had no idea you were a shifter?” Michael sat forward and set the folder back in his bag. “Crossford had a lot of injuries that occurred ante-mortem. By your own admission, these were caused by his fight with you, is that correct?”
“Yes, but I didn’t kill him.” Harper’s expression was earnest, but Michael refused to get blindly sucked in. “We shook hands afterwards, and he walked away from our fight.”
“But the fact remains that you knowingly injured a human. There are laws against that—specific shifter laws.”
Isaac Lax had been silent up until that point, but he stood now and joined his alpha. “Aaron and Crossford fought in a boxing match they both consented to. The fact that no one there recognised Aaron for what he is suggests that he didn’t use either his superior strength or speed.”
“Meaning?”
“For all intents and purposes, he fought as a human.”
Michael frowned. “That doesn’t alter the facts.”
“Maybe not for you,” Isaac added. “But if you pursue this, then it will ultimately involve the alpha council, and itwillmatter to them.”
Sighing in frustration, Michael rubbed at the back of his neck. Isaac was unfortunately correct. The SCTF might investigate shifter crimes, but by law they had to consult with the alpha council and reach a decision that both sides were happy with. But that wasn’t the crime they were interested in anyway—they were getting off track.
“We’ll come back to the fact that you’ve committed at least two punishable offences.” Trying a different angle, Michael asked, “Did you see Crossford leave the building Friday night? Was he alone?”
Clearly relieved they’d stopped the previous line of investigation, Harper seemed to relax a touch. “No, I didn’t see him leave. The fight finished, I went over to shake his hand, and then I left to go get my stuff.”
“Is that what usually happens after a fight?”
“It’s what happens after mine. I don’t know about others. Ours was the last of the night. I went back to the toilets where my bag was and got changed.”
“Why did Crossford have bloodied tape in his bag? Why not just bin it?”
“It’s part of Smith’s rules—leave no evidence that we were there.”
Michael saw Frank’s raised eyebrow out of the corner of his eye.
“Really?” Frank asked, sounding sceptical. “What about all the rubbish left by the spectators, because I’m assuming there’s a crowd?” Harper nodded, so Frank carried on. “And what, they all pick up after themselves?”
He could see Frank wasn’t buying it for a second, but it would explain why they struggled to find out where the fights were held.
Harper shrugged. “I don’t know.” When Frank scoffed, he added quickly, “I mean, yes, there’s a big crowd, but I’ve no idea what happens after. I don’t go back out there once my fight’s done.”
Nash fidgeted beside Harper, catching Michael’s attention, and not for the first time he wondered what Nash was doing there. Was he only providing moral support, or was there something more?
Before he could ask him, Frank directed another question at Harper. “So you got your stuff and left the building immediately after the fight?”
“Um… not immediately, no.”
