"You’re right to an extent," Moore said."You don't need to tell us anything, but there are things we need to know.Two people are dead.A third has been threatened.More people will die.There are two options here.Either you are the killer and are going to great lengths not to cooperate because you know what we’ll find, or you’re not the killer and you’re wasting our time when we could be out there catching the actual killer.I didn't much like the other option at the moment."
"I know you don't like me," Alison said."I get that.I also don't care about it one bit.All I care about is finding the killer, and from everything you have said and done so far, you look incredibly guilty."
"Again, are you accusing my client of a crime with absolutely no evidence?"the lawyer asked.
"I can't believe we’re on the same side," Marcus scoffed.
"What does that mean?"Alison asked.
Marcus shook his head and grimaced, still weighing up whether or not he should elaborate on that.He looked to his lawyer, who raised his eyebrows to tell Marcus that it was his choice what he did next.
Marcus sighed and finally spoke."I’m a private investigator."He folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his chair as if he had just explained everything.
"Okay," Alison said."You still need to help us connect the dots on why you followed a person of interest home right after he left a police station."
Marcus grimaced again."My work as a private investigator gives me access to various systems and databases.That’s what you were worried about earlier."
"Oh, that’s not what I’m worried about," Alison admitted."That’s a part of the bigger picture.What I’m most worried about is you following someone who was threatened by a killer.The more you dodge that question, the more curious I become."
"Yeah, well, I can't talk about my clients, can I?"Marcus tutted.
"You’re following him, so he’s not your client, which means your client had you following him," Moore pointed out."I really respect your professional integrity, but if you’re not the killer and you want to prove that, then tell us the name of the person who hired you."
"I can't do that," Marcus said, seriously.
"You don't know the name?"Moore asked.
Marcus squirmed a little in his chair."It goes against my professional integrity.I can’t go around revealing my clients' names when I promise anonymity.That could destroy my reputation and my business.I know that I’m not working for a killer."
"How do you know that, Marcus?"Alison asked.
"You just get to know things," Marcus said, his voice becoming high-pitched.
"Two people are dead," Alison reminded him."This is not the time to try and protect anyone, nor yourself or your business.We need that name, Marcus, and we need it now.Tell us the name, and it doesn’t leave the room that you were the one who told us.I can promise you that.Think what you want about me as a person, but I am one of the best at finding killers.From one professional to another, who hired you, Marcus?"
Marcus stared at Alison.She hoped she had done enough to convince him after laying it on thick.She needed to know the name, but was being truthful when she told him she wouldn’t reveal her source.She held his gaze, trying to show sincerity by not looking away.
"Linda Ashford," Marcus said.
"Linda Ashford?"Moore asked.
"Yeah," he said dejectedly as if he had just let out a devastating secret."I don't know why they wanted him followed, but I was to watch him and report everything he did.Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, in cases like this, it’s a spurned lover, but I don't know in this instance."
"What makes you say that?"Alison asked.
"I don't know," Marcus admitted."I’ve spoken to her, and I’ve watched him, and they don't seem like a couple.She’s way out of his league."
"Wait, you’ve been watching him?"Moore asked."Have you noticed anyone hanging around him?Has he spoken to anyone?"
"I can give you my report, but I haven’t seen anyone.He hasn’t changed his routine or anything."
"How about last night?"Moore asked excitedly."Were you at his house?"
"Briefly," Marcus said."I was outside his work, then I followed him home, and then down to the police station shortly after he got home.I waited for him outside the station, then followed him home again, and that’s when your officer picked me up."
"All right," Moore said, a little disappointed."I would like your full report on Jenkins, and I also need your whereabouts over the past week.Do you have an address for Linda Ashford?"
"Yeah, I do," Marcus said through gritted teeth."When you go there, I’m not mentioned, yeah?"
