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“On to the next,” Jason said. He sounded tired.
“On to the next.” She watched him press the down arrow, feeling like they’d never reach the bottom of this mystery.
29
Harris didn’t bother brushing the fur off her jacket before she knocked on Chief Clementine’s door. There was no way this meeting would go in her favor, so why delay the inevitable? The detective rapped her knuckles on the door twice and heard a reply from within.
“Come in.”
Harris pushed through the door and closed it behind her. Something else she was sure of: This wasn’t a meeting she wanted anyone else to overhear. She had crossed the line yesterday, and she knew it.
“Sit.”
Clementine didn’t look up as she barked the order. Her voice was sharp as a knife, and it hit Harris dead center. Despite her crusty exterior, Harris hated disappointing people. She had a lot of respect for the Chief, and even though she didn’t regret her actions, she regretted the trouble she’d caused.
“I trusted you, Adelaide.” Clementine finally lifted her head. The familiarity of hearing her first name made Harris want to sink deeper into her chair. “I asked you not to be rash. You told me you wouldn’t. You lied to me.”
“I was doing my job, Chief.” Harris tried not to sound like a petulant child and failed. “Gibson attacked me. I arrested him.”
“Without backup.” Clementine held up a hand before Harris could argue. “It was stupid and reckless. You were stupid and reckless.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you?” She shook her head. “Because I don’t think you are. If you could go back in time and do it differently, would you?”
What was the point of lying? “No.”
“Gibson told us you had a chat with Aguilar before you cuffed him. What did you talk about?”
“We talked about David.” Harris could see the barrage of curses forming on Clementine’s lips. “He brought it up first. I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t there to goad him.”
“Weren’t you?”
Harris sighed. Rubbed her temples with her fingers. She knew exactly why she’d charged into the steakhouse, and it wasn’t just to arrest Gibson. If she was being honest with herself, it was because she wanted to look into Aguilar’s eyes. She wanted to see for herself if he was the one who’d killed David. But she’d found out a lot more than she’d bargained for. “Was David undercover?”
Clementine’s eyebrows pinched together. The question had clearly taken her off guard. Harris could see the calculations behind her eyes. “Why do you ask?”
“Something Aguilar said.” Harris pressed the issue. “Was he?”
“No. Not to my knowledge.”
“Wouldn’t you know if he was? You’re the Chief.”
“As you’re well aware, Detective Harris, sometimes cops like to go rogue.”
“Do you think David went rogue?”
Clementine leaned back in her chair. She looked more than tired. Exhausted down to the bone. “If you asked me that a week ago, I would’ve said no.”
“And now?”
“And now I don’t have an honest answer.”
“I didn’t like the way Aguilar knew something that I didn’t.” Harris ran a hand down her face. “Something about David.”
“He could’ve been messing with you.” Clementine shrugged. “Someone like Aguilar gets off on manipulation. He enjoys pulling people’s strings.” Hardness crept into her voice. “And you fell right into his trap.”
“What do you want me to say?” Harris asked. “That I’m sorry?”
