“You will pay for this. Both of you will.”
The words from the past came back to haunt her.
“Miss Taylor, are you listening to me?”
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned at the police captain’s sharp tone.
Autumn noticed the muscle ticking in Newman’s jaw. His lips pursed and color flushed his cheeks. He glared at the closest people, who looked in their direction. The officers looked between the two of them and moved toward the door.
He brought his gaze back to her. “Follow me.”
“Taylor, you okay?” Hererra called to her where he stood next to Diego.
Diego’s eyes darted between Newman and Autumn.
She gave both of them a curt nod, then hurried after the captain.
Newman stood in the hallway. He leaned against the wall and stared Autumn down. This was the first time he directed his ire at her. Newman didn’t have outbursts inside a crime scene. Come to think of it, she couldn’t even remember when he ever yelled at one of his officers outside the NYPD office.
As they stood at the room’s entrance, Newman wiped a hand down his chin. “This room belongs to you.”
The accusation shouldn’t sting. After all, it was supposed to be private.
There was no reason to lie. The authorities would have found out the room was hers anyway, since Navarro kept a detailed record of who used what rooms with times and dates.
She hadn’t been here since she used it with Hererra.
Autumn lifted her chin. “It is.”
“And a dead woman is lying in there. With her eyes removed. It wouldn’t surprise me if they lay inside that box resting in her mouth.”
“Are you accusing me of something, Captain?” Her jaw jutted out as she looked up at him.
“You were with us, so no, I’m not accusing you of anything.”
“Oh, I amsorelieved you believe me since I was at the police station.” Autumn’s eyebrows rose with her words.
“Watch your tone, Taylor.” A grave expression moved over Newman’s face. “I will call Mick to have you removed from this case permanently.”
Autumn’s lips pinched together. “Yes, Sir,” she mumbled. She half turned to the open door of the crime scene.
“How could the suspect get a key?”
She turned back to Newman. “There is no way a stranger has a key. I have them both in a safe place.” Didn’t she?
“If that’s the case, how did the suspect get into your private room and bring the victim with him?”
She gritted her teeth. There wasn’t an answer she could give, since it was impossible to get a key made. Each door had its own set of skeleton keys.
Newman sighed and shook his head, “Tis killer is fixated on you, Autumn. And that’s dangerous for my officers.”
She froze.
“I’ve changed my mind. I need you off the case ASAP.”
Autumn shook her head, “Sir—”
He squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sorry, you’re too close, Taylor.”
