So when he returned from his tour, we had our monthly dinner club, and I brought the most attractive man I could find on short notice and paraded him in front of a jaw-clenching Jonesy like he was a show pony getting his first ribbon. The relationship didn’t last, but it didn’t need to. The message was clear to Jonesy. He’d disappeared without a word after kissing me, and I was over it. Over him. Since then, our rivalry has developed into all-out arguments until we’re both put on a warning by the group, so we rein it back, only for it to begin building up again in a few months.
Come to think of it, we are due for a big blowout. Perhaps this case will be the catalyst.
The chief intertwines her fingers, looking between the two of us briefly before continuing.
“A woman, identified as Jennifer Kray, has been found dead in the parking lot of a bar called Skallywags. She was stabbed sixteen times and left to die. We have evidence that this is a clear-cut case. The suspect, Connor Maddox, was arrested at 4 a.m. this morning and has yet to be interviewed. His lawyer is present and has beenbriefed on the case. He is currently giving his client some legal advice before we begin our interviews.
“The two of you—” She glances between Jonesy and me. “Are to observe Detective Williams and Officer Sanchez interrogate the suspect. You will each conduct your own interviews with the suspect as well.
“Dr. Jones, given that you are not a forensic psychologist, Dr. Murphy will be able to get you up to speed on our policies. In high-profile cases such as these, the investigation is thorough. She’ll not only interview the suspect but also family members, witnesses, go to crime scenes, and so on. Given that you will understand the military aspect of this case, you should both be able to help each other.”
“This seems unnecessary for an open and shut case,” the colonel chimes in, playing with the ends of his mustache.
“There has been a murder, Colonel. Investigating it is the bare minimum, is it not?” the chief snarks.
I bite my cheek to stop myself from laughing. The colonel’s eyebrows shoot up. I can’t imagine anyone has talked back to him in a while. At least not to his face. My eyes flit to Jonesy, and he’s watching my reaction. I watch as his lips twist to the side in an attempt to control the threatening smile as he looks away from me. At least he’s not completely up his boss’s ass.
“Thoughts, Dr. Murphy?” the chief asks.
My thoughts are that this is going to be a clusterfuck. A literal nightmare. Since Jonesy got back from overseas, we’ve barely spent more than an evening together, aside from the occasional group trip where I would do my best to avoid him for as much of the time as possible. He’s irritating, annoying, and did one semester on forensic psychology, so he'll be no help at all.
“It’s not usual for psychologists to confer. It could create seeds of doubt or influence over the findings. It’s best if we work separately.”
I feel Detective Williams relax next to me. The colonel, the other army guy, and Jonesy stare at me like I’ve sprouted a second head. I frown, trying to understand the situation, but I can’t make sense of it.
“The judge has ordered that you work together on this one. You can write separate reports if you wish. Discuss it, or don’t. But you will be investigating as a team,” the colonel chimes in, seemingly changing his stance on whether the interviews are even necessary.
“With all due respect, Colonel, you don’t have a doctorate in psychology. The process of interviewing and coming to conclusions is a matter of ethics. How would you feel if I influenced Dr. Jones’s report?
“I think you might overestimate your reach, Miss Murphy.” The colonel smiles, his crooked teeth on display through a snigger.
I ignore the “MissMurphy” commentand shrug. “Perhaps. I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”
Jonesy sucks in a deep breath, his annoyance transitioning into...concern? It’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. We’ve been attempting to mask our true emotions from each other for so long. If I had to guess, he’s almost a little scared of the colonel. Which is fine. Some people have shitty bosses. But he’s not my boss. Hell, he’s only here as a courtesy, I’m sure.
The colonel’s smirk turns sour, which brings me a little joy, I won’t lie.
“I suppose we will. Shall we get on with it?” He turns his attention back to the chief.
She shoots me a look that says,play nice.So I turn on my neutral therapist-face. Time for Colonel Rogers to understand who rules the roost around here.
???
After some negotiating between Jonesy, the colonel, and the sergeant major, it was decided we would head down to view the initial interview alone. The higher-ups could negotiate the remaining imposition that the army will have on us in the meantime. It’s not like they don’t have better things to do than watch a run-of-the-mill police interview.
As we make our way into the small room, I’msuddenly glad it’s just the two of us. The room is small enough without Jonesy’s towering height taking up all the space. And in that uniform. Christ, he looks about ten feet tall. The army-issued khaki clings to him like it’s trying to rub itself against his muscles. If it wasn’t Jonesy, I’d be fanning myself at the prospect of being in an enclosed space with him.But it is him, and I remind myself that he is an infuriating bastard at the best of times. And at my job...yeah, that’s not the best of times. I’m going to have to babysit this jackass whilst simultaneously sorting my own head out, which has been lax for a while now.
“I feel like I’m on some shitty cop show,” Jonesy mutters.
“They get most of it wrong, except for one thing,” I reply, looking out at the suspect, Connor Maddox, through the one-way mirror.
“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
“The coffee is always awful.”
He smiles down at me, despite my heels giving me the extra height.
Detective Williams and Officer Sanchez take their seats opposite Maddox. He’s facing us so we can watch his facial expressions. So far, he’s been well-behaved. He looks as if he is in shock. Face pale, gnawing the skin around his thumb. He hasn’t shouted out, hasn’t touched the water that was provided for him; he hasn’t asked for anything. His lawyer has been in and out andtrails in after Williams and Sanchez.
