I don’t give a damn. No way in hell am I going to let him drag her through the mud just because he has some kind of inkling that she may be responsible for this. “She said she was scared after she had the run in with the nurse.”
“What run in?” He runs a hand through his hair. Frustration is coming off him in waves.
“The nurse that Donnie used to date is stationed on this floor. I took care of it but Maddie was spooked afterward. She went looking for me but didn’t know where the elevator was. She found the stairs and took them down to the vending machines.”
“Chief had his neck and wrists slit. Donnie is hiding and you are here, which leads me to believe either you or Maddie did this. But I know for a fact you wouldn’t do this. Would you, Vega?”
He knows better. I’m not a criminal. I follow the law to the letter for a reason. “No, Sir. You know better.”
“Good enough. Did you see anyone that looked suspicious or out of place here?”
“No. There hasn’t been anyone on this floor and no radio chatter about suspicious persons.”
“Well fuck. Who the hell killed him?”
“I know he was your …”
He gives me one of the coldest glares I’ve ever seen that my words slip from me.
“That son of a bitch hurt his daughter. Hell, now I’m wondering how long this has been happening and what kind of officer am I that I didn’t know about it? He is no friend of mine. I wanted to see him fry in the chair for what he did. The killer gave him an easy way out, dammit.”
Maybe this is a way for me to come back to the police department full time. “I know you have your hands tied with The Mad Hatter case. Are you sure I can’t come back on duty and continue the hunt?”
“No. While I thank you for wanting to do your job, you are now involved in a domestic abuse and murder case. I can’t have you anywhere near it.”
I sigh with agitation. “Fair enough. I’ll be here with Maddie until she’s released.”
He walks away and I go back inside the room. Knave is bent over the chair with his head down on the bed. He’s murmuring to her as she sleeps. I catch the last portion of what he’s saying.
“I love you, Maddie. This whole thing is almost over. Please don’t let them win.”
My hackles rise at his words. “What the fuck does that mean?”
I thought I said that in my mind, but Knave looks up and his eyes widened.
“What did you hear?”
My hand goes to my hip, reaching for my gun that isn’t there. “You were telling her this is almost over. What’s almost over?”
He stands up and walks toward me. I’m not one to back down, but hell, I’m not sure I could take him on.
“It doesn’t matter, Drew.”
“Does this have to do with The Mad Hatter?”
“Not at all.” He doesn’t blink or look away when he talks. Damn, I was hoping to find a tell that he was lying.
“Then why were you so guilty looking when you first came into the room?”
He looks down and I’m not sure why. I’m nervous because I’m not sure if he’s willing to hurt me.
“I didn’t know her home life had gotten this bad. You have to believe me, I would never let her stay in harm’s way. She told me things were fine.”
“Wait, you knew she was being beaten?”
He looks at me for a long while before he speaks again. “Yeah.” He turns toward Maddie and touches her right foot. “She swore she was keeping herself out of harsh punishments. That she could handle the emotional abuse as long as she still could leave when she turned eighteen.”
“That makes sense, but why not go to the police? Social services?”
