Page 195 of Chameleon Killer

I continued because I couldn't help myself. “You heard what you expected to hear. Conditioning. Isolation. Me becoming compromised.”

“That is what he's doing.”

“Maybe.”

“He's already convinced you to question me.”

“No, Elliot.” I took one step closer. “You did that.”

Something cracked. His nostrils flared. His shoulders tightened. His eyes went flat. There and gone.

But not before I saw it.

Suddenly I understood why Flint had told me to stop earlier.

It had nothing to do with Brewster yelling and everything to do with the balancing act the agent was playing. There was a drop and I didn’t know how far it went.

Alisha stepped between us. “Enough.”

Brewster didn't move.

Neither did I.

She looked at him first. “Agent Brewster, my client has cooperated with the collection of physical evidence and provided a factual statement regarding her movements. Your own technical personnel confirm your surveillance evidence was manipulated.”

“She has information relevant to two homicides.”

“Then pursue the appropriate legal mechanism.”

“You know as well as I do that journalists don't have an absolute privilege in Illinois.”

“Excellent.” Alisha smiled without warmth. “Then this should be educational for both of us.”

Ortiz looked away. Definitely hiding a smile.

Brewster's gaze remained on me. “Did Simon say I knew why Reardon died?”

There it was again.

Alisha turned. “Agent⁠—”

But I answered because I wanted to see his reaction. “No.”

Brewster blinked. It was technically true. Simon had never said those words. Not those words.

Relief moved through Brewster so subtly I might have imagined it.

Then I added, “But you keep asking me that question.”

His relief vanished.

“Which is starting to make me wonder why.”

His expression changed as his mouth thinned and his eyes chilled. The professionalism all but vanished for one, long and painful heartbeat.

Flint moved. He didn't put himself dramatically between us. He simply came to stand beside me. Shoulder to shoulder.

Brewster saw that too.