Page 22 of I'm Watching You

Zack refused to lock horns with his partner now. It was more important that Ayden keep him on the case. ‘I want this case, Ayden.’

Ayden frowned. ‘Why?’

Zack couldn’t even explain his reasons to himself, let alone his boss. ‘I just want in on it.’

‘The last damn thing I need is a conflict-of-interest issue,’ Ayden said. ‘A body in the suburbs is going to generate a lot of media coverage. And everyone in thecounty government is going to be all over this by lunchtime.’

‘Where was O’Neil last night?’ Warwick said.

Zack straightened. ‘She was home last night.’

‘Can she prove it?’ Ayden said.

‘She says she was home alone. No witnesses. She was also late this morning, because a power outage shut off her alarm clock.’ He knew she hadn’t told him everything. There was more going on with her. But still his gut told him she was no killer. One way or another, he’d find out the truth. ‘There are a lot of people who could have killed Harold.’

Warwick exhaled. ‘You’re too close to this case.’

Tension rose in Zack’s body. He’d had about enough of Warwick’s attitude. ‘Are you questioning my judgment?’

Warwick met his gaze. There was no hint of apology. ‘Yes.’

Ayden raised his hand. His expression allowed for no argument. ‘Jesus, you two sound like my boys. Cut this crap out.’ He tightened his jaw and released it. ‘Fight later. Solve this case now. Turner may have been slime, but he got himself killed in a nice suburban neighborhood. The public is not going to be happy. If you two can’t work this case, I’ll get Vega and Ricker to handle it.’

Zack didn’t want to get pulled from the case. ‘We’ll be fine.’

Warwick nodded in agreement. This was a case he didn’t want to lose either. ‘We’ve got it under control, sir.’

‘You’d better,’ Ayden warned. ‘Because if I get even a whiff that you two aren’t working well together, you’re offthis case.’ Ayden ducked under the tape. ‘Keep me posted.’ Without a good-bye to either officer, he disappeared around the side of the house.

‘As long as you stay sober, I’ll be fine,’ Warwick said.

‘Don’t be an ass.’

Warwick shrugged and crossed the yard. He crouched in front of the bloodstain and studied it. ‘Word is Ronnie T. and Turner fought after court yesterday. I heard Turner presented a plea deal to him. The deal required that he do five years in the state penitentiary.’

Zack shifted his gaze to his partner with a measure of respect. ‘How’d you hear that?’

‘I box with guys in the Justice Department. We talk. Harold and Ronnie T.’s argument caused quite a stir yesterday.’

‘What was said?’

Warwick pulled off his sunglasses and leaned closer to the stain. ‘Ronnie T. apparently was paying Harold big bucks in exchange for a promise that he wouldn’t have to do jail time. Ronnie T. thinks of himself as a family man. He wants to see his three kids grow up.’

‘The son of a bitch got his start selling drugs to kids and he’s worried about being away from his own. Priceless.’

A fat rain droplet fell and hit Zack on the shoulder. ‘Damn.’ He glared at the sky and then at Sara. She nodded and picked up her pace. ‘This doesn’t look like Ronnie T.’s work.’

‘I agree. A drive-by is more his style, but he’s got to be checked out.’ Warwick rose. ‘Do you have Turner’s home address?’

Harold’s wife was at the top of Zack’s list. ‘Yes. His home is about twenty minutes from here.’

More rain droplets started to cut through the leaves above and hit the ground around their feet. ‘Let’s go talk to Mrs Turner and then we’ll have a chat with Ronnie T.’

Chapter Seven

Monday, July 7, 12:02P.M.

Zack took off his suit jacket as he and Warwick moved toward Zack’s Impala. Several reporters and cameramen rushed toward them but neither paused before getting into the car. Zack fired up the engine and wove through the neighborhood and out onto the main road that fed into the interstate. He gunned the engine and pulled onto the ramp into traffic.

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