She strides from the corner of the investigation room with determination. Propping her hands on the steel table she leans against it. “We’re not here to play games, Mr. Barrington.”
“Mr. Barrington reminds me of my father. Keep calling me that and I won’t answer anything at all.”
Her nostrils flare. Through clenched teeth she says frustratedly, “You haven’t answered anything for the past five hours.”
I cock my head to the side. “Perhaps it’s because you insist on addressing me as Mr. Barrington.”
Travers suppresses a laugh. When Liu gives him a glare meant to kill his laugh turns to a smothered choke.
She raises a brow at me. “You do realize you are being charged with murder.”
“Allegedly.”
“Not allegedly,Ethan,” she says my real name as if that’s any better. There’s only two people left in this world who call me by my real name. And that’s my sister and my mother. “We have the evidence that you killed Chris Townsend.”
“Forgive me, Astrid,” I address her by her name only to ruffle her feathers more. The twitch of her eye tells me I’ve succeeded. “You’re acting as if an innocent man has been murdered.”
“You don’t get to decide who lives and who dies.”
“It seems I was only afforded the luxury of a decision when I was a Marine.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You were serving for your country.”
“And you’re serving the people?”
“Yes,” she responds stiffly. “What is your point?”
“That it seems only certain people are allowed to decide who lives and who dies.”
She huffs, turning to face her partner with an exasperated expression. He seems to be biting back a smile.
Aggressively she pulls out a chair and takes a seat. Staring me down she says firmly, “We have several witnesses that state you were the last person to see Chris Townsend alive. And that you had a personal vendetta against him.”
“Do pray tell who these witnesses are.”
“We can’t disclose that information at this time,” she says.
I want to roll my eyes but I refrain. However, I keep remain stoic. I won’t give these fuckers anything. “Nightcrawlers MC along with his family are my top guesses as witnesses.”
“Your club has history with them, yes?” Travers asks.
“Had,” I correct him. He looks on, expecting me to elaborate but I don’t. He leans back in his seat and I swear a flicker of admiration happens in his eyes.
“There is also surveillance footage of you outside Stonesville Sheriff Department awaiting Chris Townsend when his bail was posted,” Liu informs me.
My fingers tap against the steel table but not as a coping mechanism, rather a tactic to annoy her further. Her eyes cut tomy fingers and I flash her a grin when they return to me. “Your point?”
“Why were you waiting for him, Mr. Barrington?” I raise a brow and she clears her throat, correcting herself. “Ethan.” I cock my head to the side and finally she calls me by my road name. “Oak.”
“Who says I was waiting for him?” I answer her question with a question.
“Are you denying your presence outside Stonesville Sheriff Department?”
“Is that what I said?”
Another twitch of her eye. “You expect us to believe you weren’t outside Stonesville Sheriff Department for Chris Townsend?”
I answer with another question. “Is that what you believe?”
