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Turning off the water now, I reach for a towel and wrap it around myself. I glance into the fogged-up mirror and see myself. I’ve never been happier or more exhausted.
* * *
Zeke
Caleb sent Officer Joe Granger to stay with Jasmine. He’s a great cop and is proving himself to be a valuable asset to the department. With Jasmine in good hands, I’m more at ease about leaving her at home. His partner, Officer Keith Staynor, is driving me to the station. I hate being reliant on someone to take me back and forth, but under the circumstances, there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it.
Alex is sitting at his desk when I get there. Damian’s on his way in, but Caleb personally went to fetch Connor Royce at his office to bring him in for questioning. I take a seat next to Alex.
“They just picked him up. They should be here in half an hour,” Alex informs me before I can even ask. He knows I want this done. “There’s something I want you to see.” Alex pulls out a file and opens it up to a traffic camera shot at the intersection where I was hit. “It seems that they installed a camera at that intersection over six months ago due to the number of accidents that were occurring. I took a shot in the dark and checked, and we got lucky. I had the techs clean up the image as much as possible. The guy looks a lot like Connor, but it’s still blurry enough that a lawyer could argue it. But we’re going to w make the rental service rep to make a positive ID.”
Things are looking up. Everything seems to be falling into place. But as Caleb always says, nothing is a slam dunk until we get a confession.
Damian walks in first, and within minutes, Caleb comes in with our suspect. The man in an Armani suit with slicked-back blond hair and angry blue eyes is anything but happy. “This is outrageous,” he shouts. “I’m going to have your badge. Do you have any idea who I am? My secretary has already called my attorney, but by the end of the day,you’llneed a lawyer. I’m suing the department and you personally, Detective Thorne.” Yeah, he’s pissed.
Caleb is completely calm, and that only seems to irritate Connor more. “Mr. Royce, thus far you’re only in for questioning. As I see it, the police have an obligation to follow any lead that may result in the arrest of a criminal. These led us to you. If you have nothing to hide, then there’s nothing to worry about. What would you be suing us for? Doing our jobs?”
“I was pulled out of my company, in front of my staff. How do you think that will look to them, or to the board of directors, for that matter?”
“Like you’re a man who cares enough about his fiancée’s father’s death to come in and assist us with the investigation,” Damian says.
“Greg died of a heart attack. Everyone knows that,” Connor says, throwing out his hands in frustration.
“Look, if you want to wait for your lawyer, we’ll give you a place to sit and wait for him, or we’ll get started,” Caleb offers.
“I’m waiting for my lawyer,” Connor says through clenched teeth.
“This way, then.” Damian guides him down the hall to the interrogation room.
* * *
Even though his lawyer arrives twenty minutes later, we take our time before speaking with Connor and his attorney. I sit behind the glass with Alex, watching Connor’s every move. He’s nervous, raking his hand through his hair and incessantly tapping his fingers on the table.
Damian enters alone and takes his place across from Connor and his attorney at the gray steel table.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Unfortunately, an urgent matter came up that needed our attention. Detective Thorne will be in shortly, but we can get started if you like,” Damian says.
Automatically, Connor glances at his attorney. When the tall, gray-haired man in the dark blue suit gives him a nod, Connor says, “Let’s get this over with.” His lawyer sets his briefcase on the table and leans back in his chair, his dark eyes narrowing on Damian. He’s an arrogant asshole, and I take an immediate dislike to him.
In our training, we were taught that understanding what people aren’t saying is as important as what they are. We’ve studied body language, positioning, and microexpressions, and many times it gives us an advantage in finding the right tactic in an investigation. A lawyer learns the very same thing. Reading another person while questioning them on the stand can win a case. This guy knows exactly what he’s doing.
“Just a reminder that you’re here to add to our open investigation into the death of Gregory Madden. In full disclosure, you should know that the heart attack was instigated by a drug we found in his system. This was premeditated and is now being declared a homicide,” Damian informs them.
Connor’s quick to point out, “He could have taken it himself.”
“Unlikely, seeing that there was no pill bottle. Nothing at his office, his home, car, personal effects. We’ve had a team do a thorough search. One pill, one time, and the man is dead. It’s more probable that someone wanted him gone,” Damian says. “Let’s start with the basics, shall we?” Damian completely ignores the three-piece-suit attorney and asks Connor, “Can you tell us your whereabouts on the day of Madden’s death? Specifically, between five and seven that evening.”
Once again, Connor waits for the go-ahead, then answers. “I had a client meeting in the afternoon, then I was in my office until five, like everyone else. I headed home, watched the game, and went to bed.”
“Can anyone corroborate your whereabouts?”
“Paris had her dress fitting that night, and I live alone,” Connor says.
“Did anyone see you leave your place of business? Five is normal closing. Perhaps someone in the elevator or hallway?”
“I’m usually one of the last ones out.”
“What about the security guards? They’re on duty day and night,” Damian pushes.
