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Jose arched his brows as his gaze swung to Bruce. The two men shared some kind of secret look.
Hannah’s gut clenched. She believed that Ryker might be right and there was far more going on than they knew. She narrowed her gaze at the man on the bed. “You expect us to believe that Dusty just offered this information up? Why would he do that?”
“Dusty is a bragger. He likes to talk about the stuff he did.”
“And it didn’t make you nervous to commit a robbery with a killer?”
Simon shrugged. “I knew he’d killed before. As long as I wasn’t involved in the murders, I didn’t care.”
Unbelievable. Hannah had heard a lot of things during her time as a prosecutor, but this had to be one of the biggest coincidences she’d ever come across. She opened her mouth to ask another question, but Bruce cut her off with a look.
“ADA Lawson, could I have a word?”
Her boss marched to the door and out into the hall. He kept walking until they were around the corner. This section of the emergency room was next to a supply closet and the bathroom. A bit more secluded, which is probably what Bruce was looking for since he was about to tear into her, judging from the stormy expression on his face.
She didn’t give him a chance. “We need to be careful here, Bruce. I don’t think Simon is lying, but I do believe Dusty weaved a tall tale and then sent him onto the Montgomery property knowing he’d probably be caught by the police. This is some kind of setup.”
“Why on earth would Dusty confess to a murder he didn’t commit?” Bruce scowled. “That’s absurd.”
“Not if he’s working with Thomas.” She frowned. “Simon’s story doesn’t even make sense. Dusty couldn’t have killed Julie. He’s right-handed and her murderer was left-handed.”
“That’s not conclusive and you know it. Dusty could’ve had an injury on his right hand, forcing him to use his left. We can’t ignore Simon’s statement just because you don’t like what he’s saying.”
“I’m not suggesting we ignore it. I’m merely saying we need to be careful in accepting his statement as the truth.”
Bruce gave her a sympathetic look. “You’ve been through a lot the last few days. I know this case is weighing on you, but this isn’t the way to handle it. You need to accept that Thomas Anderson is probably innocent of his wife’s murder.”
“Maybe, but I think we should reserve judgment until all the facts are in. If you drop the charges against Thomas now, and then have to bring them again, it’ll be a mess. We’re close to uncovering the truth. Give it a bit more time.”
He hesitated and then sighed. “I’ll wait until Dusty is found and interviewed, but if we continue to discover evidence that proves he’s responsible for Julie’s murder, then the charges against Thomas will be dropped.”
She could hardly argue with that logic. Hannah didn’t want an innocent man charged with a crime he didn’t commit. But Bruce’s quick concession surprised her. He’d been adamant about dropping the charges against Thomas the last several times they’d discussed the matter.
He arched a brow as if reading her thoughts. “Don’t look so shocked. This isn’t the first time I’ve deferred to your judgment and given you additional time.”
“I know, but this attitude is a switch from the last few conversations we’ve had.”
“You have Pam to thank for that.”
Her paralegal? Hannah’s brow crinkled in confusion.
A sheepish look came over Bruce’s face. “She overhead my end of the conversation we had right after Kristin was murdered. I was… upset and took my emotions out on you. Pam gently reminded me that you operate with honesty and integrity. You’d never pursue anything just to be stubborn. Nor are you angling to purposefully hurt me with my constituents.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’ve spent too much time with politicians. Always looking over my shoulder waiting for someone to try and take me down. I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to what you had to say with a more open mind.”
His apology touched her. Hannah immediately regretted her suspicions of him. “I’m sorry too. This case has been hard on everyone and Kristin’s murder was a blow. I could’ve been more patient with you.”
“Water under the bridge. Let’s focus on catching Dusty and figuring out who is responsible for Julie’s murder.”
“Yes, sir.”
With a final nod, Bruce went past her and around the corner. Hannah waited until he was out of view before sagging against the wall. Maybe her boss was right. With everything going on, she might not be seeing this case clearly. Hannah had been wrong about Bruce’s intentions. Maybe she was wrong about Thomas too.
She pressed her thumb and index finger to the bridge of her nose. A migraine was forming along her temples. Not surprising considering the depth of her stress and emotional exhaustion. Some cold water on her face and neck would help.
Hannah slipped into the bathroom. Flipping on the tap, she let the water run until it was icy, and then cupped her hands to gather it. She splashed it on her face. Water dripped off her chin as she eyed her reflection. Her eyes were bloodshot and her neck ached from the tension in her muscles. She ducked her head to douse her face with more cold water.
The door to the bathroom creaked open. Embarrassed, Hannah quickly reached for the paper towel dispenser. It was silly, but she didn’t want a stranger to see her splashing around in the sink like a baby bird. She swiped at water gathering on her chin. Movement in the mirror drew her gaze to the person behind her.
She gasped.
