“He broke in.” She continued to massage her throat. “Grabbed me. Threatened tokillme.”
Vaughn had been squatting over the kid, but now dropped his knee back down. Ground it into his spine.
“I said stop moving.”
Zeke hadn’t moved.
“And he’s a student of yours?” Vaughn’s mind went to the two crime scenes. “A math student?”
“Yes.”
“Did he say anything about the—?”
“Lawy—”
“Shut up.” Vaughn pressed harder.
“He said he didn’t mean to hurt—” Ivy cleared her throat. Grimaced. “He blamed me.”
“You like to kill people, kid? Play these fucking math games?”
“Lawy—lawyer.”
“I’ll get something for your arm.”
Ivy darted from the front hall, returned a few seconds later with some alcohol pads and tissue. She quickly cleaned the wound. Now that he could see it better, Vaughn confirmed that it wouldn’t require stitches.
“What else did he say? Did he admit to the other murders?”
Zeke twisted a little at this.
“Stop!”
“No... he said... he said... Vaughn, I don’t think this about the gassing. I think—I think he killed Rebecca.”?
?Chapter 55
Ivy was standingoutside with Vaughn while Zeke sat on his heels, his wrists cuffed behind him, his chin down. Her heart was still racing, and no amount of deep breathing could coerce it into slowing down.
Zeke had only said one word since Vaughn had taken him down: “Lawyer.”
“Who is he?” Vaughn asked as they waited for backup to arrive.
Ivy briefly told Vaughn about the cheating, about what Zeke had said at the bar. Him standing outside her building and the alleged confrontation between Rebecca and Zeke.
“Jesus, why didn’t you tell me?”
Ivy opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Whydidn’tshe tell him?
She’d had ample opportunity. And she’d helped him with his case.
Cases.
Tit-for-tat.
She inhaled sharply.
