“I was broken over Mom’s death and having trouble functioning.”
“Cry me a fuckin’ river.”
“I thought it would be best for you and your sister if you stayed with Heather and Gordon while I got myself together.”
“Does that mean you got yourself together now? All pretty and ready to step in and be an amazing dad? That job is filled. Gordon stepped in. He and Heather went to every game I played. Football, basketball, lacrosse. I don’t remember you doing that when you were around. They helped me apply to colleges and paid for me to go. They made sure Trudy and I felt loved. They included us, like we’d been their kids for-fucking-ever. You were a mediocre dad, at best. I’m not interested in seeing you again. Sunday Funday is for family. You aren’t.”
Stryker got in his car and drove away, but his agitation stayed with him all the way home. Though he wanted to see Emerson, he needed to learn about Carlo Spinetti. If Spinetti was guilty of something beyond the Internet scam, he would find it. If there was anything Stryker was good at, it was rooting out evil.
“Takes one to know one,” he ground out as his fingers flew over the keyboard.
16
Chasing Blondie
Tuesday, late morning, Emerson called Parker and asked him to swing by and answer a few more questions.
“I already told you everything I know,” Parker pushed back.
“You and April were friends. What would you do if she asked you for help?”
“I’d help her.”
“Well, Parker, I’m asking for her, because she can’t.”
“What time?”
“I’m here now.”
“Be there in twenty.”
When he arrived, Emerson asked an officer to escort him into an interrogation room. Nikki joined her to watch Parker through the one-way mirror. While waiting, Parker nibbled a fingernail and stared at the floor.
“You think he’s our guy?” Nikki asked.
Emerson continued watching him. “He didn’t tell me about his prior, which makes me suspicious.”
“Makes me wonder what else he’s hiding,” Nikki replied.
“He doesn’t have an alibi for the first night April Peters went missing.” Emerson glanced over at her partner. “Can you ask about the dates in April when he took vacation? Those coincide with the dates Gloria Stanton was killed.”
“Got it.”
The women left the observation room and walked next door. Emerson introduced Detective Cardoso.
“Let me get you a water,” Nikki said.
She left and Emerson eased down in the chair across from him. “Thanks for coming in, Parker. I’m struggling with this case and could use your help filling in the gaps.”
“I didn’t kill her.”
“No one accused you of that.”
He stopped fidgeting.
Nikki returned with a bottle of water. With a trembling hand, Parker drank down half the bottle as Nikki leaned against the wall.
“You talk to a lot of people at the club,” Emerson began. “Have you heard anyone say anything about April’s death?”
