Holy shit. The log had said that there were two soldiers who visited Connor in prisontogether.
“So the colonel knew all along?”
“I think he suspected Travis had something to do with it from the start. Hence why he sent him on the training exercise to avoid being interviewed. It also kept him away from Connor’s house. The Colonel also set off the fire alarm atthe base during your interviews. Tilly just told us today when I approached him with the other evidence.”
Jesus Christ. This is so much information to take in.
“So, Travis roofied Connor, put him in the car, put on his T-shirt and baseball cap, murdered a woman, and then framed Connor for it, all for a promotion?” Jonesy asks, his brow scrunching.
“That was probably part of it,” I say. “But the colonel shunned him. Asked him to change his name so he’d have no connection to him. If the colonel knew what he was like and wanted to keep a close eye on him, Travis would probably want to make that as difficult for him as possible. Not telling people where he lived, having this secret life that no one knew about. He probably thought he was smarter than everyone around him. And then to get overlooked for a promotion again, maybe he snapped? Or maybe he wanted to punish the colonel further.”
“But the bodies in the backyard...” I say, confused at how all this is fitting together, even with new evidence coming to light.
“Travis told Connor exactly where they were so he could point them out to us.”
We’re all silent for a moment, even the snarky EMT has quietened down and stopped fidgeting.
Anthony coughs awkwardly, and I hear one of the other officers calling his name. He turnsand holds up a finger to them, indicating that our conversation would be over soon. He turns back to me, a slow, satisfied feeling sitting in my belly. The tightness in my chest is loosening. “Katie, I’m so sorry I said you were losing your touch. You knew something was off about the case. You never believed Connor had done this. I’m sorry for doubting you and for making you doubt yourself,” Anthony says, his head hanging low.
“It’s okay—”
“It’s not,” Jonesy interrupts, his hand covering mine and squeezing.
“Jonesy—”
“He’s right. It’s not. But, given you’re now a victim of this case, I think I can safely take you off it and give you some vacation time,” Anthony says, stepping out of the ambulance.
“Will you keep us up-to-date?”
“Of course.” He nods sternly at us both, closing the doors and tapping the back twice.
“That guy is a douche,” the EMT says as soon as the doors slam shut.
“We should be friends,” Jonesy says to the EMT, grinning, before dropping a kiss on my forehead, his nose wrinkling in a cute, if not rather insulting, scrunch.
“You smell terrible,” he adds, to really twist the knife.
“I’m pretty sure my hand squelched in someone’s intestines when I was in that room.”
“Please don’t say anymore,” the EMT says,turning slightly green.
I ignore her. “You know I’m going to be even more messed up now, right?”
“Want me to chase you through an abattoir next time we fuck, princess? That might help.”
“Jesus Christ!” the EMT yells. “Hurry up.” She slams her fist on the partition between the cab and the back where we are, and I feel the driver floor it.
“Do you think that would work?” I ask, only slightly seriously.
“Only one way to find out.” He shrugs.
“You’re disgusting.”
“Only for you.” He drops another kiss and grins against my lips.
“What if I never got to tell you how I feel?” I say. A small whimper overwhelms me.
“Katie, princess, you tell me every day how much I annoy you. I know. Don’t you worry.”
