Page 140 of Dead Man's List

“For what?” she asked calmly, sliding her hand into her pocket for her cell phone. She’d get help quickly enough by contacting 911. She was in the SDPD parking lot, for fuck’s sake.

If she could activate her recording app, even better. But for now, she needed to get help before this escalated. She tapped the side button on her phone five times. It was a powerful thing, being able to contact 911 without dialing. She’d never had to use it before but was glad she’d set it up.

Her other hand moved to her service weapon. She released the safety latch on her holster and gripped the gun’s handle firmly. She didn’t want to fire her weapon at Drummond unless it was to save her own life.

So much paperwork was required after firing one’s service weapon.

Drummond poked her chest with his finger, hard enough to hurt. “I was gonna get a deal, butyougot in my way.”

“Not my call, Mr.Drummond. Take it up with the prosecutor.”

“He’s in with you. Probably sleeping with you, you bitch.”

Kit took a measured step back. Drummond stepped forward, still in her space. “I need you to move away, sir,” she said politely.

He was baiting her into taking action against him and shewasn’t going to do that. Not when he could muddy the waters of his case by screaming that she’d assaulted him, which she figured was his intent.

“You go back in there and tell that fucker Haley to call me. And his news better be good.”

“I’m not telling Joel Haley anything.Sir,” she added, making her tone as sarcastic as she could muster. At least she wasn’t tired any longer. Adrenaline was surging like a flood-swollen river. “You murdered a woman in cold bloodandassaulted her child. I’m not lifting a finger to help you. You’ve earned whatever horrible things happen to you from here on out. Have a good day.Sir.” He reached out and gripped her arm, faster than she’d believed him capable. He was strong, too. She’d have a bruise later. “Release me. Now.”

Drummond tugged her into him, his face close enough that their noses nearly touched. “What did you say?”

Kit blinked at him, feigning innocence. “What do you mean?”

There were cameras all over the place. Surely one of them was capturing this moment. Hopefully with audio.

“What did the little whore say I did?”

“You mean the child of the woman you murdered?”

“I didn’t touch that kid. Whatever she said I did, she’s lying.”

But once again, he sounded desperate. Desperate and oh so guilty.

Please be recording, cameras. Please.

“That’s for a jury of your peers to decide, Mr.Drummond.”

“She never said I touched her. My lawyer would have told me.”

“Did you? Touch her?” That Kit wasn’t clawing his eyes out or filling him with bullets made her proud of her own self-control.You motherfucker. Touching my little sister. I willendyou.But she’d do so legally.

She needed Rita to see that the justice system did work.

His iron grip on her arm tightened, and he hauled her even closer until the front of her body was up against his. “I didn’t fuck her. If she says I did, she’s lying.”

His fetid breath filled her nostrils.Do not gag.

“I never said you ‘fucked’ her, sir.” The words wanted to stick in her throat, choking her. “I only said you assaulted her.”

His grip tightened even further and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from wincing. “She’s a liar,” he snarled.

Kit’s fingers flexed on her service weapon. She’d have to stop him soon. “We’ll see what the DNA says.”

It was a long shot. Rita had never told her any details of the assault and Kit had no idea if there was any physical evidence of the act, as Rita hadn’t told anyone at the time it happened.

But Kit was certain that there’d been no rape kit. Drummond didn’t know that, though.

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