The computer wasn’t a problem. All the incriminating stuff was stored on the server, and if the cop techs could backtrack tothat, they would have gone into business for themselves already. All they’d get out of his hard drive would be some eye-watering porn and his Bali research.
Syntech’s involvement was more concerning—ifSyntech was involved and it wasn’t just a shot in the dark by the cops.
Although that raised the question, howhadthe cops known where to find him?
His fingers itched to crack the folder open and see exactly what the cops had on him, even though there was no way Barnes had put anything useful in there. It was a trap, even if Jacob wasn’t sure yet what they expected to get out of it.
So he did nothing, and nothing happened. Stuck in the small box of plaster and glass, boredom started to nag as time dragged. Jacob rocked onto the back legs of the chair and balanced on two and then on one. That got old after a while, and he got up to pace the room. Nervous energy made him move and fidget.
It had probably been twenty minutes, but it felt like more. Finally Jacob gave in and hammered on the closed door until he heard footsteps approach down the hall.
“What?” Morena snapped as she opened the door.
“I need to piss.”
Her mouth twisted. “I’d have thought you needed your lawyer for that.”
“She holds my hand, not my cock,” Jacob said. “Can I use the restroom, or do I pick a corner?”
Morena studied him for a second with her lips pursed and then shrugged. “Wait, and I’ll get someone.” She closed the door again, and Jacob heard her footsteps retreat. It didn’t sound like she was in a hurry. He went back to pacing the room, and the ache in his bladder grew in urgency.
The door finally opened again, and a uniform built like a fireplug gestured to him with a scowl. “Come with me.”
The cop escorted Jacob through the bull pen and shoved him as a means of directing him through the maze of desks, kicked-out chairs, and scowling detectives. Morena and Barnes were both at their desks, heads lifted from their work to watch him go past.
Jacob glanced around as he walked and looked down corridors and through blind-slatted windows into small offices. There was no sign of Porter or Simon, although they could be in one of the other interview rooms. Behind the closed door of the captain’s office, a man in a suit held forth at whoever was at the desk. He looked like a lawyer, but he had the matte look of a corporate shill. Criminal lawyers favored suits with a bit of shine to them.
Besides, if the CEO of Syntech had been dragged down for questioning, no shark worth their chum would leave his side during interrogation.
The toilet was opposite the elevators. It was grimy, with dirt worked into the grout and stains rusting around the drains. The uniform stood with folded arms and uninterested eyes while Jacob unzipped and pissed into the urinal.
Jacob shook, tucked, and zipped back up. A quick wash of his hands, the soap sickly sweet with lavender, and the cop shoved him back into the hall.
“Move,” the cop ordered impatiently and gave him a shove when Jacob dragged his feet.
Halfway back to the interview room, Morena intercepted them.
“Bellick.” She nodded to the uniform. “I’ll take him from here. Thanks.”
“Of course, Detective.”
Morena took Jacob by the sleeve and walked him back the way he’d come.
“Detective,” Jacob said. “I’m still waiting for my lawyer.”
“Yeah, you’ll be waiting for a while,” she said. He looked at her curiously, but she didn’t elaborate. “Don’t worry. We’re done with you for now. But don’t leave town.”
“Of course not,” Jacob lied smoothly.
Morena let go of his arm as they reached the elevators. She jabbed the call button and then leaned back against the wall, crossed her arms, and bit the patchy lipstick off her lower lip.
“You’re in over your head, Archer,” she said abruptly.
“Lawyer,” Jacob replied.
“I’ve released you from custody.”
He side-eyed her. After a moment she tilted the corner of her mouth in acknowledgment. “You don’t strike me as a killer. So if you did kill Clayton, it wasn’t your own idea. Tell us who’s involved and maybe we can help. Maybe not. You don’t tell us, we’ll never find out.”
