“Yeah, well, already tried that, and it didn’t work. Somebody has it in for me, and I don’t know who or why.” Carrico slouched over on the table, smirk on his face. “Grand County, huh? I even talked to your department’s shrink when he came here yesterday. Dr. Michael whatever. Thought for a minute he was going to help me, but shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.”
Tanner sat up straight. “Wait—are you saying Dr. Craig Michalski was here yesterday? He came to see you?”
“Yep.”
Tanner glanced at Bree before turning back to Carrico. Holy crap. Was Michalski the same department psychiatrist Tanner had gone to see this morning? Had Michalski realized the connection between Carrico and the two murder victims? If so, he obviously hadn’t mentioned it to Tanner at their appointment.
“What did he say to you?” Tanner asked.
“You both work for the same department. Why don’t you ask him?”
Tanner’s lips pressed together to a thin line. “Was he asking about Anders and Newkirk?”
“Dude, nobody cares about your boyfriends but you.” Carrico turned to Bree. “Honey, he obviously isn’t giving you what you need. Sorry I can’t help you from in here, but I know some people if you’re looking for real men who know how to treat a woman right.”
Her skin crawled, and she shrank back into herself as Carrico leered at her. Tanner’s palm slammed down on the table. “Eyes on me, jackass.”
Carrico held out his hands in front of him in a gesture of—obviously false—submission. “Sorry, Officer.”
Tanner visibly got himself under control. “Why don’t you tell me what Dr. Michalski was here to talk to you about and I will look into why they are moving you into a higher-security prison. No promises, but if there’s been some sort of mistake, I can help rectify that. I can make sure you stay here, where you can have visits with your daughter.”
Carrico snorted. “You know what? I don’t believe for one second that you’re really going to help me. Youcops ain’t done nothing but screw me over. But you know what? I’ll try, just in case—”
“Carrico.” A guard walked over, interrupting them. “You’ve got a visitor. That okay, Deputy, or you want us to have him wait?”
Tanner nodded and a few moments later a man who looked almost exactly like Carrico, except more skinny—hard to believe that was even possible—and pale, walked over to their table. If Bree had been asked which one was in prison just based on looks she would’ve said this new guy, who was obviously Carrico’s brother. Carrico’ssickly and palebrother.
“Who the hell is this?” the guy asked as he reached over and squeezed Carrico’s shoulder.
“This would be Grand County officer of the law Dempsey, and his lady friend.”
The new man’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you here?”
“Who are you?” Tanner asked.
“I’m Glen, Darin’s brother. I’m here twice a week to see him. I don’t think you can say the same.”
“No. I’ll be honest—before this afternoon I wasn’t even aware Darin existed. I’m here, completely off duty, to ask him about Joshua Newkirk and Peter Anders.”
Glen shook his head. “God, you cops are all the same. Always taking, never giving. You’re about to send my brother up to a max security prison. Why the hell should he help you with a damn thing?”
“I’ve already made my offer to Darin to look into it. I can’t make any promises, but maybe there’s something that can be done.”
Glen just turned to his brother. “Darin, no. We’ve heard this before. No more help to these bastards until they help you first.” The pale man spun to stare at Tanner and Bree. “My brother’s done talking to you. Don’tcome back here. Or I’ll be filing a complaint on my brother’s behalf.”
Tanner stood and Bree stood with him. Tanner turned to Darin. “If you change your mind, look me up. Tanner Dempsey. You have my word that I’ll look into this, even if you can’t help me with my questions.”
Carrico shrugged. “Well, like I said, if Anders or Newkirk have some words of wisdom about who to talk to about stopping this transfer, I’d be glad to hear it.”
Tanner said nothing, just led Bree out with a hand at the small of her back.
“Well, that was a bust. Sorry,” she said as he opened the door for her and she climbed into the passenger seat.
“Not totally.”
“Because you think he might talk to you? Glen was going to allow that over his dead body, which, admittedly, looked like it might be relatively soon.”
Tanner shook his head. “No, I doubt I’ll hear from him.”
