Page 125 of Skeletons in the Closet

I landed in MPU five minutes later and found Quaid alone, sipping a coffee, surrounded by paperwork.

“Hey.” I crouched next to his desk to remain inconspicuous. I didn’t need other detectives to wonder why I was hanging around. “How’s married life treating you?”

Quaid smirked. “It’s all right.”

“No little rug rats running around yet?”

“It’s been six months.”

“True. My bad.”

Quaid found something interesting on his desk to look at. “But we’re working on it. It’s… a long process.” Refocusing on me, he asked, “What did you need?”

I pressed my lips together, weighed my options, then blurted. “Did Diem call about Olivia?”

Quaid appeared puzzled for a minute before he glanced toward the hallway that led to homicide’s side of the building. “You’re talking about Az’s case.”

“Yeah.”

“Why would I know anything?”

“You were at the diner when I updated them.”

“So?”

“Come on, Quaid. I’m not stupid. Married people talk in bed at night. I’m sure you know way more than you’re letting on.”

“Why are you asking?”

I sighed. “Diem kicked me out Saturday night. He’s backing off just like your husband wanted.” It took everything in me not to roll my eyes. “But I can’t sit still. I need to know if they’ve made an arrest or sorted out what the hell is going on. It’s driving me crazy.”

“Diem kicked you out? I’m sorry. I didn’t know you two… I mean, Az said he thought—”

“No, no. It’s not like that. I mean, it’s kind of like that. Only… we weren’t dating. I was just… helping. And now I’m not.”

God, I sounded like an idiot. I may as well have told him we’d fucked it out a couple of times, but everything about those encounters felt too hard to explain. They weren’t typical.

Quaid stared for a long time as though processing and analyzing the situation.

“Please?” I added. “I’m not blabbering this everywhere. I swear.”

“Krause passed along the information about the fire. Az looked into it. The fire department confirmed it was arson. There’s an open investigation, but it could take months. They brought Olivia in about an hour ago. They’re talking to her right now.”

My skin prickled. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in the interview room.

Quaid must have read my thoughts. “I can’t give you more than that. Anyhow, I don’t know more.”

“Olivia does. She has all the answers. She’ll close this case for them.”

“Hopefully.” Quaid spun his coffee mug on the desk. “A word of advice. You need to back off, and I say this in the nicest way I know how. I don’t know how you came into contact with Krause, but digging your nose into confidential cases with thedepartment will get you fired. Potentially charged. I don’t want that for you.”

I sighed. “I know.”

“Are you working for him?”

“No.” It hurt to admit it because I had truly enjoyed acting as Diem’s partner.

“Az and Torin will sort it out. They always do, and when the case is closed, you’ll have all the answers.”

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