Page 80 of I'm Watching You

Lindsay had thought about that a lot last night. ‘It’s hard to say.’

‘We’ll get the names with or without your help. But your help will make the investigation go faster.’

She sighed. The sooner Harold’s killer was caught the sooner the shelter would reopen. ‘We’ve had some rough cases the last few months. Give me your notebook and I’ll write the top ten.’

Warwick pushed the notebook and a pen toward her. She scratched out the worst of the abusive spouses she’d dealt with.

Once she’d finished, Warwick studied the names. ‘Do you think any of these men could be the Guardian?’

‘I don’t know. But they’re all violent men. And none of them would want to help me.’

Zack leaned forward but remained silent. Clearly this was Warwick’s show.

‘When is the last time you saw Turner?’ Warwick asked.

She didn’t like his tone. ‘I told Detective Kier all this.’

Warwick flashed white teeth. ‘Again, please, for my benefit.’

She reviewed the details of her encounter with Turner.

‘And you confronted him at the party?’ Warwick said.

She felt that evening’s anger returning. ‘It wasn’t my intention, but, yes, I did have words with him.’

‘Remind you of your old man?’ Warwick said.

Angered that Zack must have discussed her past, she straightened. ‘Yeah, in a lot of ways Turner did remind me of him.’

Warwick tapped his index finger on the table. ‘It’s clear you love this place. The toys, the warm colors, and the flowers – they were all done by you, weren’t they?’

‘Sure.’

‘And you care about the women and children. I’ve leafed through a few files. Your notes suggest you really do want these women to succeed.’

She sensed a setup. ‘Cut the compliments. What’s your point?’

Warwick’s expression hardened a fraction and she had a sense he’d mentally taken off the gloves. ‘I went to your folks’s place in Hanover. It looked as if it had been a nice place at one time.’

A sudden weight pressed against her chest. ‘You were there?’

‘Kier and I read your mother’s murder file. We see how rough you had it.’

‘Why are you telling me this?’ Her voice was just above a whisper.

‘You grew up with an abusive man and then you run into someone like Harold, who reminds you of your father.’ He met her gaze head-on. ‘He gets in your face and in essence threatens to close the place you love. It would be reason enough to kill him.’

Zack said nothing, nor did he show any emotion. She’d never felt more alone.

‘I didn’t kill Harold,’ Lindsay said, teeth clenched.

‘You have no alibi, Ms O’Neil.’

‘I told you that I was home asleep.’

‘A fact you can’t prove.’

Jordan Turner may not have wanted her help but Nicole Piper did, and Lindsay wouldn’t tell the cops about her. Richard had contacts in the San Francisco Police Department, and she couldn’t risk inquiries from the guys on this end. She’d find a way out of this mess somehow. ‘No, I can’t.’

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