The interview ended shortly thereafter. Rue confirmed addresses for a few of Blaze’s friends, and we left.
11
Kobe
Rue drove us backto the station while I reviewed the interview notes, adding missing details and compiling a list of names. We would need to contact several people and arrange interviews.
My partner hadn’t spoken a word since we left Neo and Blaze. She was pissed, and I gave it three blocks before I earned a ranting earful.
It took two.
“We don’t meet aggression with aggression, Kobe.”
“I didn’t—”
“You got into a pissing contest with that boy the second he walked in the room.”
“He came in guns blazing. What did you want me to do?”
“Not throw him against a wall and restrain him.”
“I didn’t restrain him.”
“All I’m saying is you could have handled it differently.”
“You’re not my mother, Rue. Knock it the fuck off. I handled it.”
Her knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. “I’m your superior, and if Sarge finds out you let your cock swing, she’ll put you back on street patrol. Is that what you want? Control your mouth and your temper from now on.”
I bit my tongue, recalling the conversation I’d had with Dominique that morning and the shame that surfaced after I revealed too many personality flaws and opened my big, unfiltered mouth. In no universe did he have to know about my sordid past, yet I’d spilled embarrassing details without thinking. Then I’d gone and remarked about Jesse getting what he deserved, which was proving more and more true.
At least Dominique hadn’t run out the door, although I deserved no less.
“Being a protective brother isn’t a sin,” Rue added when I said nothing. “If you had a better relationship with your sister, you would understand Neo’s position.”
“Wow. Don’t you know how to sour the mood.”
“I’m just saying—”
“Drop it, Rue. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
We spent the rest of the morning doing research and making phone calls. I left another message with Dominique’s doctor friend in Gatineau before focusing on Jesse Vargas. He had been working an entry-level position at a local tech company before his death. His boss was out of town, but I got him on the phone, not that I learned anything new. Jesse had a drug problem, an ego problem, and an attendance problem. Before getting his ass killed, he’d been written up three times and was on his last warning before being shown the door.
Brilliant. The one thing our two victims seemed to have in common was a slew of people who fucking hated them.
Rue located a few of Blaze’s friends. It turned out, three of them house-shared a few blocks from campus. We arranged to meet with them in the late afternoon. Classes were wrapping upbefore the holiday, so no one was willing to skip out to meet with a couple of detectives. Especially fourth-year students, one semester away from getting their degrees.
“They’re twins,” Rue said as we shut down our stations, preparing to head out.
“Who?”
“Neo and Blaze. I looked into him. His attitude, although understandable,” she emphasized, “felt a bit… jarring.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? After you tore me a strip in the car for—”
“Kobe.”
Nostrils flaring, I forced a smile, deciding to mention something else I’d noticed since she brought Neo up. “Did you notice he got quiet when we mentioned Kordestani? Why do you think that was?”
