Page 21 of Girl, Bound

Novak leaned back inhis chair, his fingers drumming on the polished wood. ‘Eric was a workhorse. Hepoured his life into Seraphic, often burning the midnight oil. It wasn'tunusual to find him here at all hours, tinkering with formulas or poring overdata.’

Ella watched Novak like a hawk eyeing amouse in a field. The way his gaze slid to the side, the tic in his jaw muscle- he had guilty written all over him in neon ink visible from space.

She leaned in. ‘Dr.Novak, I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me. Somethingabout Eric, about his work here.’

Novak's hands went still, his facehardening like quick-dry cement. A long moment stretched between them, silentexcept for the ticking of that pretentious Rolex on his wrist.

‘Agent Dark,’ he finally bit out, ‘I'vebeen more than cooperative. But Seraphic's business is just that - ourbusiness. I won't have you impugning Eric's reputation based on mereconjecture.’

Ella's pulse kicked up a notch, thethrill of the hunt thrumming through her veins. She had him on the ropes. Timeto move in for the KO.

‘See, here's thething, Doc. Mere conjecture is what I tell myself in the mirror to getthrough another day shoveling through humanity's gutters. But this man tooksecrets to the grave. And I'll bet my badge those secrets have Seraphic'sfingerprints all over them. So you can stonewall me, feed me the company lineuntil the cows come home. But ask yourself - is protecting some bottom lineworth another man's blood on your hands?’

Novak deflated like apopped balloon, all the hot air leaking out of him at once. He sagged back inhis chair, rubbed a hand over his face. For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then, with a sigh, heseemed to deflate, his shoulders sagging. ‘You're right. There is something.Eric, he... he had certain moral quandaries about some of our products.Quandaries that not everyone here shared.’

Ella's pulsequickened, a surge of adrenaline thrumming through her veins. ‘What kind ofquandaries?’

Novak shook his head,his lips pressing into a thin line. ‘I'm afraid I can't say more than that.Confidentiality, you understand. But Eric, he was a man of principle. Hebelieved in doing what was right, even if it wasn't always profitable.’

Ella sat back,frustration simmering in her gut. She could push harder, try to pry more out ofNovak. But she sensed she'd hit a barrier of corporate secrecy and self-preservation.Typical, she thought.

‘Right, thank you.’

She stood, smoothingher jacket. She handed him her card, the edge digging into his palm. He took itwith a nod, rising to escort her to the door.

‘Of course. We'll besure to let you know if anything comes to light.’

Ella didn't miss thesubtle emphasis on if. She gave him a tight smile, her hand on thedoorknob.’I appreciate your candor, Dr. Novak.’

Moral quandaries.Shady corporate dealings. A researcher with a conscience, a man who'd ended updead for his troubles. It was a tantalizing thread, but without more to go on,it was just another dead end. Another question mark in a case full of them.

She hated this part,the waiting, the not knowing. The feeling of being two steps behind, alwaysplaying catch-up to a killer who seemed to dance just out of reach.

She headed for theelevators, her phone already out and dialing. Ripley picked up on the secondring.

‘Dark. Tell me you'vegot something.’

‘A lot of corporatedoublespeak and stonewalling, but apparently our pharma victim was holding backdistribution of a new drug.’

‘Did it piss off theother workers there?’

‘That’s what I’mtrying to figure out. What’s happening on your end?’

‘Krystal's friends areeither clueless or covering for someone. And her client list is a dead end.Mostly fake names and burner phones.’

Ella pinched thebridge of her nose, a headache blooming behind her eyes. ‘Goddammit. We can seethe pieces but they don’t fit. Feels like we’re about to go around in circles.’

‘Maybe not. Holbrookcalled me ten minutes ago. He found something hinky with the body bags. Wantsus to meet back at the station ASAP.’

Ella's heartstuttered, a flicker of hope sparking in her chest. ‘What kind of hinky?’

‘Wouldn't say over thephone. But he sounded pretty keyed up. Like, 'I just found Jimmy Hoffa's body'keyed up.’

‘Perfect,’ Ella said.A break, a lead. Something solid to sink her teeth into. ‘Meet you there inthirty.’

‘Done.’

---