He hung up and sighed.“Good God.It’s like there’s a language barrier between us and anyone under the age of twenty.”
“We’re not cool anymore, sorry to say.”
“I don’t want to be cool; I just want to know if Michael’s alibi is legit.”
“Is it?”
“Kid says Michael was playing with them.Took me fifteen minutes to convince him he didn’t need a damned lawyer, but he backs Michael up.”
“Do we believe him?”
“I believe that I really don’t want to call any more teenage gamers.”
“I can call if you want me to.”
Marcus sighed.“Honestly… Yeah, I believe him.Michael strikes me as the type to show up and stab Derek Hammond on impulse.He doesn’t strike me as the type to spend an hour carving an essay in shorthand on the desk after.”
Kate frowned.“Shit.He mentioned the commandment killings.”
Marcus snapped his head toward her.“What?”
“During the interview.He mentioned that Hammond was one of the commandment killings.We haven’t released that information to the media.”
“Shit, Kate.”
Marcus rolled his eyes and grabbed his shoes.Kate’s chest stung, and she said, “I’m sorry.He mentioned my father, and—”
She clammed up, but it was too late.Marcus spun around and glared at her.“And it’s happening again.”
It wasn’t a question.
“No, it isn’t happening again.I made was a mistake.We’ll go correct it now, and everything will be fine.”Marcus sighed heavily.“Marcus, it’s not…”
She stopped herself, once again too late.
“Itisa big deal, Kate!Damn it…” He shook his head.“You know not every murder we investigate is about you, right?I get that Cox said some shit to you, but doyouget that Cox is a pathological liar who mightwantyou to believe it’s about you because it makes you emotional and rash and weakens your ability to investigate?”
She flinched and stared at him, but he didn’t back down or apologize.“I’ve stuck my neck out for you time and time again.Winters might lose her job because of you.And every single damned time Cox’s scent is anywhere near a case, you do this.You lose control and fall apart.”
“How am I falling apart, Marcus?I’m exploring a very real and very valid avenue of investigation.”
“Have you confirmed with Winters that this is a commandment killing?”
“She sent us herebecauseit’s a commandment killing.”
“So, no.”
Kate’s nostrils flared, but her anger came from guilt, and she knew it.She might not be losing control, but Winters had asked her time and time again to keep her in the loop any time Cox was even tangentially related to an investigation.
Because Katehadlost control before.
“Well, you don’t have to stick your neck out for me anymore,” she said curtly.
“That’s not what I’m—”
Her phone buzzed.Marcus fell silent, looking over her shoulder, frowning darkly.Kate picked up the phone, and her heart dropped all the way to her feet.“Shit.It’s Whitaker.”
“Lovely.”
