“I know. And I would never ask you to do that. But I thought maybe you’d know a defense attorney? Someone who could help me tonight?”
He swore quietly. “Let me make a few calls. Are you going to be all right? Do you need me to come pick you up?” Another question lingered in the subtext. Were they going to let me go? Or would they keep me here?
“I’m okay. I’ll find a ride home.” I lifted my head as the door cracked open and Nick stepped inside. “Thank you,” I whispered and disconnected, careful to delete the record of the call from the phone before sliding it across the table toward Nick. I pressed mymouth closed until the silence was too much to take. “How did you know it was me?” I asked.
He braced his hands against the table. The fluorescent lighting was harsh, revealing the thick, dark stubble on his jaw and the shadows under his eyes. “You flipped me off with your right hand. Kat’s a southpaw. And she wouldn’t be caught dead without her signet ring; it’s Feliks’s seal.” He worried his lip with his teeth. “If I’d known it was you, I wouldn’t have called for backup. What were you thinking, Finn?”
There was no right answer for that. Instead, I asked, “Does my sister know?”
He shook his head, his shoulders heavy. “She’s not going to.”
“What do you mean?”
“No one’s going to tell her.”
“How can you be sure?” There had been four cops with him when they caught me leaving the parking lot. This department gossiped around the watercooler like a bunch of politicians. Someone was bound to tell her. And when they did, she was going to bust that door down and throttle me herself. And then she’d tell our mother, which might actually be worse.
“No one’s going to talk about it,” Nick said. “Not you. Not me. And not any of the other officers who were with me.”
“Why?”
“Because we all agreed not to.” Nick pushed himself upright. “Lois Pyle has been with this department for thirty years. Her retirement party is next month. If anyone found out she let you in without checking your ID, she’d lose her job. None of us want to see that happen. If anyone asks, you were here conducting research for a book. It was all cleared with me ahead of time. Just a little role-play to get the full experience. That’s all.”
“Why would you do that? You could get in a lot of trouble.”
“Yeah, well, maybe I should.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t told you my suspicions about Feliks’s involvement yesterday, you never would have pulled a stunt like this. I swear, Finn, I’m handling it. We’ve already ruled out one suspect—”
“What suspect?”
His jaw locked, as if he was wrestling with how much to tell me. “Fauquier PD brought Bree Fuller in this morning for questioning. The security company said a woman triggered the security system in the trailer just before the fire. When the company called, the woman identified herself as Bree. The investigators thought they had an open-and-shut case, but apparently the real Bree had an alibi. Her parents confirmed she was home with them, watching TV. Her alibi was verified with a photo. Her mom had taken a picture of Bree and her dad in their living room that night, and Bree had posted it to her social media. The metadata from the original photo on Bree’s phone says it was taken around the same time the security company alerted the police to the fire.”
“So they still have no idea who started it?”
“That’s why I came in tonight. Lois Pyle knows a few people who work at the station in Fauquier County. I asked her to make a few calls for me. She said they released Bree about an hour ago. I promised you I’d keep an eye on things, and that’s what I’m doing. Now we know we’re dealing with a female suspect. And we know she has some intimate knowledge of Steven’s business and personal life. Given the fact that Theresa ditched her ankle monitor, and her best friend was reported missing by her husband, my money is on Theresa Hall and Aimee Reynolds.”
“Aimee Reynolds?”
“She hasn’t been home since Saturday night, and her husband says she cleaned out their savings account. I’m guessing she and Theresa are involved in this together.”
Aimee Reynolds.
Aimee, who would do anything for Theresa, including disposing of a body. Aimee, who knew how to maneuver quietly online. Who knew how to make a problem disappear. Who’d been fighting with Steven over the kids. Who’d just cleaned out her bank accounts. Probably to payEasyCleanto finish the job.
Nick took me by the shoulder as I launched out of my chair. “I know what you’re thinking, but there’s no reason to panic. I’ve got an unmarked watching Steven’s place and a tail on him everywhere he goes. Joey’s there now until I can find a team to cover shifts around the clock. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure Steven’s safe until we find Theresa and Aimee and figure out who set that fire.” He guided me gently back into my seat, releasing a frustrated sigh. “You could have gotten yourself killed tonight. I know you were scared. That you only did what you did to protect your family. But you don’t negotiate with terrorists, Finn, and that’s exactly what Feliks is. No matter what he says, you can’t trust anything he promises.” Nick took the chair opposite mine and spun it across the floor until it was right in front of me. Sinking into it, he braced his elbows on his knees, his head heavy and close to mine. “What did Zhirov say when you asked him about the attempts on Steven’s life?”
My mouth opened and closed again. Nick thought I’d come here to negotiate for Steven’s life. “N-nothing,” I stammered.
“Did he say anything at all about who might have been behind them?”
“No.”
The tension slipped from his shoulders. “Good.”
“Good? Why would that be good?”
“Because if he didn’t confess anything that can be used against him in court, then maybe Kat won’t press charges against you.” A moment passed as he let that sink in. He cupped my chin, dippinghis head to meet my eyes. “I’m going to let you walk out of here, Finn. And none of us are going to say a word about this. Hopefully, Kat and Feliks won’t either. But you have to swear to me that next time you’re scared, you’ll come to me. I know you’re worried about Steven, but promise me you’ll let the professionals handle it.”
I nodded into his palm, nearly leaping out of my skin when someone rapped on the door. Nick dropped his hand as one of the officers who’d dragged me from my van an hour ago poked his head into the room. “Her lawyer’s here.”
