Page 48 of Girl, Reformed

‘So, you saw this man in the flesh? Yousaw his face?’

Aleister shrunk in on himself like aturtle trying to retreat into its shell. ‘Not quite. Y’see… he had this maskon.’

‘A mask?’ The comment set Ella’s nerves onedge. ‘What kind of mask?’

Aleister waved a chain-rattling hand infront of his face. ‘Plain white, but the mouth was frowning. That’s all Iremember.’

She shot a glance at Luca, who seemed torecoil at the comment. Maybe it was the imagery. Maybe the guy just had anoveractive imagination.

‘What about hair? Clothes? Tattoos?Height? Weight?’ she asked.

‘Hair was completely scalped. Skinhead. Notattoos that I could see. Normal height, on the smaller side. Not skinny, butwide. Clothes were… I don’t know. How often do you pay attention to someone’sclothes?’

Frustration began to rear its head.‘Usually when that guy is wearing a mask and asking you to build him ancienttorture devices.’

Aleister placed his palms on the table.‘I’m sorry. I don’t remember.’

Ella and Luca shared a glance. They hadthe stocks linked to Aleister, but something still wasn't sitting right. Callit a cop's instinct, call it woman's intuition. But Ella couldn't shake thefeeling that Aleister was just the tip of a very ugly iceberg.

‘Alright, Aleister. You've given us thewho and the how. But I want to know about the why. What was this commissioner'sendgame? He must have mentioned a reason for needing these props.’

Aleister squirmed in his seat. He wassweating now, greasy rivulets running down his pasty face. ‘I don't know, Iswear! Dude never said anything about why he wanted the pieces. I didn't askquestions, just took the money and ran.’

Luca's lip curled. ‘C'mon, man. You reallyexpect us to buy that? You're telling me this whackjob commissioned customtorture devices from you, and not once did you think to ask what he wanted themfor? What he was planning?’

‘Hell no!’ Aleister yelped, eyes wide androlling like a spooked horse. ‘In my line of work, you learn real quick not topoke your nose where it don't belong. Guys like that, with the masks and thecloak-and-dagger routine? You don't ask questions. You just do what you're toldand count your blessings you walked away with all your bits still attached.'

Ella sat back, chewing on the inside ofher cheek. Much as she hated to admit it, Aleister had a point. Sickos with amurder hard-on weren't exactly known for their sparkling conversation skills.Chances were, this commissioner – if he existed at all – was just usingAleister as a means to an end.

But that didn't mean they were at a deadend. Not by a long shot.

‘Alright, Walter White, let’s say we buyyour whole mysterious client schtick. You still got those emails he sent?’

Aleister couldn’t nod quick enough.Y-yeah. They're on my computer. I can show you.’

'We'll need to see all of yourcommunication and the bills he gave you if you still have them.'

‘I got the emails, but not the money.’

No surprise there, Ella thought. ‘Twostocks. That's what he ordered, right? Just the pair?’

‘That's right,’ Aleister said, the cuffsrattling as he spread his hands. ‘One metal, one wood.’

Smallmercies,Ella mused. If this sick sonovabitch was working with such a limited toolkit,chances were the body count would stay in the single digits. Cold comfort tothe families of Archie Newman and Georgia Bolton, but better than thealternative.

She drummed her fingers on the table, gazeboring into Aleister like a laser cutting steel. ‘Where were you the past twonights between 11 PM and 3 AM? And before you start hemming and hawing,remember what happened the last time you tried to sell me a line of bullcrap.’

‘Wednesday night I was at the cinema.Caught the midnight showing of some film. I still have the stub.’

‘And last night?’

‘At home, streaming something on TV untilI passed out on the couch.’

Ella said, 'Well, you better rememberexactly what it was. We can check your streaming logs.'

‘Okay,’ Aleister said.

Ella pushed to her feet. ‘Sit tight,Aleister. We're gonna check those alibis, see if they hold water. In themeantime, I suggest you get real familiar with the idea of being here a while.’

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