Page 33 of Monsters

Drumming my fingers nervously on the door, I realized they weren’t planning on leaving until they got what they wanted.

“Sure,” I conceded, opening the door. “Come in. I’m just in the middle of packing.”

“We won’t keep you,” Walsh assured, prying eyes scanning the apartment floor to ceiling.

I rounded the kitchen counter and waited for them to initiate the conversation. When they didn’t, I took the lead. “So, what brings you here at nine-thirty?”

“We realized after you left that our investigation has been centered solely on Mason Carter. Yet, we believe it was Lucas who tipped him off.”

The insinuation was there.

“Lucas was always protective of Mason and vice versa. It would only be natural for him to tip his brother off.”

Walsh flipped open her pocket-sized notebook and clicked her pen. “Tell us more about your relationship with Lucas.”

“I’ve already mentioned how close we were. What more do you want?”

“Your dialogue was geared toward Mason in the memories you recounted. This time I want you to focus on Lucas and solely on him.”

For a moment I remained silent, my critical stare passing between the two. They were hardened detectives. They knew bullshit when they heard it. “Lucas would never do anything to hurt me.”

“We’re not suggesting he did,” Walsh answered far too quickly.

“Lucas and I were best friends.”

“Yeah, we know that already.” Kinross was growing agitated but so was I.

“Then you know we did what best friends normally do. We hung out. We laughed. We protected each other. We had each other's back when it was needed, and we told each other everything.”

“Everything?” Again, Walsh was narrowing in for the kill.

My throat constricted but not for the first time that night.

“Everything except whatever it is you think he’s hiding from me.” I needed Mason off my case and if I had to enlist the help of the detectives, I would. But that wasn’t going to come at the price of incriminating Lucas.

“You said you told each other everything?”

“That’s right.”

“How was Lucas just before he and his family moved out?”

The frustrated frown faded from my face and was replaced with sadness. Less than two months before Lucas had moved out things had dramatically changed. The boy I knew for years was no longer himself. He was damaged. Broken. Very seldom could I earn a smile.

“Ms. Sinclair?” Kinross prompted.

I licked my bottom lip and tried to push Lucas’s image away. “It was a challenging time for Lucas and his family.”

“How’s that?”

“Every child’s worst nightmare came true, that’s how.”

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