“I’m sorry for bringing you news that you weren’t ready to hear,” I told her.
“He’s been dead to me for years, Detective.”
“I understand,” I told her. “Any man who can touch his own daughter deserves something more horrific. How did he get out of prison so soon?”
She ran her hands down her pants, as if she were keeping her palms from being sweaty. “He knew people,” she sighed. “And Cambria was too traumatized to recount what he did without crying on the stand so the defense tore her a new one.”
I wanted to go and stab the dead body a few more times, and maybe add in the defense attorney, too. I’d seen far too many cases where the witnesses backed out because of the brutal way their life was destroyed on the stand.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Do you know of anyone who would want him dead, aside from you?”
“Plenty of people, but I’ll never tell you their names,” she told me defiantly. “He should be put in the ground with as little fanfare as possible.”
I nodded, standing with her.
“He made me feel inadequate for not being able to have children. He made me feel like a horrible, useless woman for years, and then we adopted Cambria. We were over the moon. He was still cruel, but never to her. I could handle it, but I had no idea what he was. Absolutely no idea what he could have possibly been doing. I never would have adopted my daughters if I’d known.”
“Please don’t feel bad for not knowing,” I told her. “Men like that prey on those they can control. They know how to hide it, and they are damn good at it. He’s not worth the tears.”
She wiped at the tears that had started to fall down her cheeks.
“I’m very sorry for the loss of your daughter.”
She looked at me as she was surprised by the complete shift in personality compared to Tommy. “You don’t think it was me, do you?”
“I know it wasn’t you,” I told her. “I’ve been doing this a lot longer than my partner. I could tell the moment I told you.”
“Thank you for coming by,” she said. “I will let my other daughter know.”
“No need, I’ve already been to see Camille.”
Surprise flashed on her face. “Of course, she’s closer to your precinct I suppose.”
“Actually, I know her,” I told her. “My partner doesn’t need to know the truth about her parentage, though.”
“You know about her biological mother?” she asked me, surprised.
“Yes, again, not something I want my partner to know. He’s a little inexperienced and tends to blow things up. Camille doesn’t need to be dragged down into that.”
“I appreciate your discretion,” she said. “Thank you, again.”
She opened the door and let me out, closing it behind me. Tommy hung up the phone just as I joined him on the footpath.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Sal can’t find some evidence from the scene and is blowing up everyone’s phones,” he said, pocketing his phone. “Are you done with her already?”
“It wasn’t her, Tommy,” I said. “He’s on the register, I think we both know it could literally be anyone.”
He nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
My phone rang and I looked down to see Sal’s name pop up. Tommy smirked as he headed to his car and I went to mine.
“Garrick,” I replied.
“I’m doing the rounds because I need to make sure you aren’t burying yourself further than you can dig yourself out.”
Shit.
