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“In that case, I’ll call my lawyer.” Colton wasn’t fazed by the threat. “He’ll have me out of here in five minutes flat. You don’t have anything linking me to this crime because I wasn’t there. I didn’t do this.”
Elly could tell that the guys were frustrated by the lack of information they were getting from the interview. But since Colton asked for his lawyer, there wasn’t anything more they could do.
“You’re free to go,” Joe said. “For now.”
Colton shot him a narrow glare but didn’t respond. Elly watched as the four men filed out of the interview room.
“This way,” Brock said, escorting Colton away.
Joe and Steele came around to meet with her. “What did you think?” Joe asked.
“He’s not the shooter.” She hadn’t meant to come across so bluntly.
“How can you be sure?” Joe clearly didn’t want to let it go.
A flash of annoyance hit hard. “I told you before, when I first saw his photograph, that he didn’t look like the shooter. Even if he’d done something to change his features, he doesn’t match my memory. Especially his eyes. I know I’ll recognize them when I see him.” She lifted her chin, meeting Joe’s gaze head-on. “I’m telling you, that is not the man I bumped into at the Christmas parade.”
“You admitted to seeing him for less than a minute,” Joe said stubbornly. “You could be mistaken.”
“I’m not.” She stepped closer, stabbing her index finger into Joe’s chest. “He’s not the shooter.”
“Hold on, Elly,” Steele said. “We believe you.”
“Joe doesn’t.” She didn’t take her gaze off his. “I understand you want this nightmare over. Don’t you think I feel the same way? I prayed we’d found him. But Peter Colton isn’t the shooter.” She jabbed his chest again for emphasis.
She tried to dial back her anger, but it wasn’t easy. Arresting the wrong guy wouldn’t make her feel safe.
That would only happen when they found and arrested the real culprit
* * *
Joe liftedhis hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I hear you.”
“It’s about time.” Elly stepped back, dragging her hand through her hair. He’d never seen her so annoyed and angry. And really, he couldn’t help but be impressed by how she’d stood up to him.
She might be Rhy’s baby sister, but she wasn’t a wimp. She stood up for what she believed. And of course, she’d saved his life that night, handling the shooting scene like a professional.
He was forced to admit that if Elly said Colton wasn’t their guy, he needed to believe her. His glimpse of the shooter had been from a distance. She’d seen him up close.
“I trust you, Elly,” he finally said. “You would recognize the shooter more than I would.”
“Thank you.” Her voice didn’t necessarily reflect gratitude.
“We don’t have anything on Colton anyway,” Steele said, his gaze darting between him and Elly as if watching a ping-pong match. “The lab will compare the shell casings from Colton’s weapon to those found at the crime scene. I doubt they’ll match.”
“They won’t because the shooter had an AK-47.” Joe knew Steele was right. Besides, Colton hadn’t given them anything useful. The guy didn’t have an alibi, but that didn’t make him a stone-cold killer.
Yet he hated knowing that without Colton, they were back at square one.
“Now what?” Elly asked.
He sighed. “I need to update Michaels. You should call Rhy to fill him in on the latest. He should know that Colton isn’t our guy.”
“Okay.” Elly pulled out her disposable cell to make the call.
“I’ll watch her,” Steele said in a low tone. “Go chat with Michaels.”
He nodded and turned away. He found Michaels in his office. The guy waved him in.
