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“What do you mean?” Jessie asked, though she sensed where he was headed.
“He has to know that harming your sister would likely have a boomerang effect and make you more likely to pursue him. Likewise, eliminating you would lead to all kinds of questions. There’d be an investigation of the cases you were investigating when you died and the information about him might come out anyway. And of course, Detective Hernandez, Captain Decker, and myself, among others, wouldn’t just roll over if that happened. He’d be poking a hornet’s nest with no guarantee that it would do him any good. He’d want to avoid that if at all possible. So he sends this not-so-veiled threat as a half-measure, hoping it will suffice.”
“I get that, Garland,” Jessie said, unconvinced. “But like I said, what about six months from now, long after I’ve dropped this case? What if I have an unfortunate fatal accident on the freeway? He could just bide his time and take me out down the line. Am I supposed to live the rest of my life worried that someone in the very department I work for might have me killed when I let my guard down?”
“It’s a risk,” Garland admitted unhelpfully.
“Yeah, well, I’m not sure it’s a risk I’m willing to take. I don’t see why I shouldn’t take the more straightforward route.”
“Which is?”
“Catch the killer. If this guy did it, he goes down. Not even his minions will defend a cop who stabbed an underage girl to death. If he didn’t do it, maybe I can try to find a way to move on—accept that the killer is out of commission and let the lesser crimes go. Then maybe he’ll let it go too.”
Garland’s expression suggested he wasn’t convinced she was capable of that. She wasn’t sure of it either.
“Then I guess you’re right,” he finally said. “The only way to get the upper hand and plot your own course is to catch the murderer, which was your plan all along anyway, correct?”
“Yep,” she agreed. “I’m right back where I started. Solve the case. Then deal with the aftermath.”
