Page 11 of The Girl and the Lies

“He has no family,” Fuller tells me. “The closest thing we’ve been able to find to a next of kin is his roommate. He was given official notification of the death.”

“He interrupted the attack?” I ask, remembering what Eric told me about the murder.

“Gideon was already dead by the time he arrived home,” Fuller says. “The door was broken open when he got home, and he went inside to find out what was happening. He reported seeing a figure writing on the walls of Gideon’s bedroom with a permanent marker. The assailant came after him and gashed his back before he was able to get into his bedroom and get his gun. He shot at the killer but missed him while he was running out of the apartment.”

“Writing on the walls?” I ask. “What was written?”

“The message wasn’t completed because Jesse Kristoff interrupted him,” he says, opening a file and turning a crime scene photo toward me.

I pick up the photo and examine the words written in thick, black letters across the wall:

Defender of the vile, protector of —

There’s a streak on the wall where the marker slipped, likely when the killer was startled by the arrival of Gideon’s roommate. I reach for the folder with the rest of the crime scene photos. Gideon’s body is stretched across his bed like he was sleeping when he was attacked and didn’t have a chance to fight back.

“It doesn’t look like there were many knife wounds,” I point out.

“No,” Fuller says. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing. It was a fast kill.”

“This wasn’t spontaneous. He was targeted specifically. Whoever sent the threats fulfilled them with him,” I say. “Has the scene been processed?”

“Yes. Very little was found other than a few synthetic hair fibers,” he says.

“Synthetic hair. Wig fibers,” I say.

“Exactly.”

“All right. I need to talk to Jesse Kristoff. Has he been released from the hospital?” I ask.

“He’s being held for observation,” Detective Fuller says. “He gave a preliminary statement when the first responders arrived, but he hasn’t been formally interviewed yet.”

He gives me the information about the hospital where Jesse is being treated for his injuries, and I take that, along with the notes about the investigation so far, and return to my car. I call Sam on the drive to the hospital to let him know that I’ll be staying at Eric and Bellamy’s house for the next couple of days.

“I’ll miss you,” he says.

“I’ll miss you too,” I tell him. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Do what you need to do. But be safe,” he says.

“I’ll do my best.”

I get off the phone as I’m pulling into the hospital parking lot. I park at the main entrance and head inside to the fifth floor where Detective Fuller said I’d be able to find Jesse. A man in pale-green scrubs looks up at me from a desk when I reach the floor, and I show him my shield.

“Agent Emma Griffin, FBI,” I say. “I’m here to see Jesse Kristoff.”

“I’ll get the doctor,” he says.

I step to the side to wait while he walks out from behind the desk and goes further into the floor, disappearing into a room. He emerges a few seconds later with a doctor right behind him. She walks up to me and shakes my hand.

“Dr. Zachary,” she says. “You’re here to see Jesse Kristoff?”

“Yes,” I say. “I’m investigating his roommate’s murder and his attack. I need to speak with him. Is he in a condition that he can speak with me?”

“Yes. He has been given considerable painkillers, so he might be tired. He might not be able to speak with you for long.”

“I understand,” I say.

“Come with me.”

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