Page 18 of Sinful Deception

“He doesn’t need an alibi!” Minka snarls. “You have priors already attached to another man. That other man is a known criminal, a known drug dealer, a known violent offender, he was named by your victim last time he hurt her,andCharlie Fletcher’s body is void of every single marker one would expect of a man who beat someone nearly to death overnight.” She breaks away from my side and surges around to stand by Fletch, and though I know she intends to be gentle, she snatches hishand and presents it to the cops. “I can assure you with my professional opinion as a forensic scientist, this man’s fists did not recently hit anything, or anyone, with the force needed to create Jada’s injuries. His palms,” she turns his hand over, “do not show any such markings, blisters or calluses, that would indicate he has swung any weapon, whether it be made of wood or metal, that would lead to the injuries Jada has sustained.”

“That’s your medical opinion?” Elen writes his notes. “If we find ourselves in need of an expert witness, should a case proceed against Mr. Fletcher in the future, then I can assure you, we won’t request you. I’d hate to have to call into question your bias, considering your friendship with the man.”

“I have stood in court countless times,” she snarls, “testifying in cases that had the power to lock perpetrators away for life. My credibility stands.”

“Even without formal testing?” Balladae wonders, oh so fucking calmly. “You’re jumping the gun and harming your friend in the process.”

“I’m trying to point out that you’re looking in the wrong direction! You’re?—”

“Mayet.” I reach around Aubree and snag my wife’s hand, yanking her back before she makes things worse. “Stop talking.”

“But he?—”

“I said,” I pull her into my side and stare down into her eyes, “stop talking.”

“You have a job to do,” Fletch murmurs, sitting back in his chair and dropping his legs wide open. “So do it. Then you can follow the leads you already have and arrest the asshole who hurt Jada. I was at home at the time of her attack. I was watching television while my daughter slept in the next room. I’m not seeing anyone right now, so I did not have an adult companion with me, thus, I have no alibi. I will, however, submit to questioning if it helps you cross me off your list.”

“You don’t need to be questioned!” Aubree growls. “You’re the only person on this planet trying to save her. Not in a million years would you hurt her.”

“Be that as it may,” Balladae steps forward, aiming for Fletch, but stopping, because I refuse to move. Then he offers a card, information side up. “We’d like to have you in our station before five, Detective Fletcher. The sooner we ask the questions, the sooner we can move on.” He meets my eyes but speaks as though speaking to Fletch. “We’re certain you understand the importance of staying in the city until this is tied up. Leaving would cast doubt on your innocence.”

I take the card and hold his stare. “We’ll be by when we can get away from here.”

“Questioning other cops is never fun,” he admits, shedding a little of his arrogance and buying back just an inch of my good graces. “But it’s the job. I know you understand the necessity of conducting this investigation thoroughly, especially after the recent arrest of Detective Taylor in the cop-killer case. Our city is fighting a war right now, Detectives. A war Nathan Booth is knees-deep in. Unfortunately, cops aren’t coming out as clean as they should be. Those of us who are on the front line, working to keep not only our streets clean, but our reputations and that of the force, too, need to focus extra hard on crossing those t’s. The last thing any of us want is for the case to come undone in court, because Booth, or whoever is standing on the wrong side of the bench, questions why we never looked into the ex-husband. It’s motive 101, and it would be foolish of us not to look at every angle. It’s best for us all that we’re thorough.” He takes a step back, Elen moving too, until their backs touch the curtain. “We’ll be on the streets most of today, but if you give us a twenty-minute warning when you’re on the way, we can meet you at the station. If you don’t come…”

“You’ll come looking for me,” Fletch finishes. “Yeah, I got it.”

“What if he can’t get away from here?” Aubree questions, taking a single step forward. “Jada’s state is fragile at best. Not to mention his four-year-old daughter who will need his attention. Certainly, his inability to split himself in three won’t count against him in your investigation.”

“Communication helps. If it’s getting on four and you still can’t move, communicate that, and we might find ourselves able to commandeer a room right here in the hospital for a chat. If we hear nothing, we can only assume it’s because you’re hiding something. Let’s go.” He taps Elen’s shoulder and backs out of the room.

“Absolute assholes,” Aubree growls, spinning and plopping onto Tim’s lap like he’s not a human, but rather, an old, beat-up couch. His hands go to her hips, even while her hair whips through the air. “They’re scared of pinning Nathan Booth for this, so they’re looking for the easier target.”

“How do you know?” Minka questions in an almost whisper. “You didn’t even tou?—”

“It doesn’t take a genius to recognize a couple of cowards. They mentioned Taylor, which tells me they think, in the current climate of the city, it’s easier to pin this on a cop than it is on an actual criminal.” She turns on Tim’s lap and taps Fletch’s arm. Because his eyes are on Jada. Always, until he can save her again, this is where his attention goes. “You need to take a lawyer with you into that meeting.”

“I don’t need a lawyer. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“And the fact you saidthat,” she snaps, “proves your inability to attend that meeting without representation. You’re not emotionally or mentally capable of going in there alone. They’ll have you admitting to crimes you never committed, all because you’re too tired to fight back.”

“I could call the mayor.” Fifi takes out her phone, her hands shaking as Fletch’s eyes slowly come across to her. “He won’tbe able to represent you. It wouldn’t be proper. But this is his stomping ground, and a little advice from someone with his experience would be helpful.”

“So not only am I being questioned because my ex-wife had the shit beat out of her while I was home looking after our daughter, but now I need a shark lawyer to keep me out of prison?” He lowers his gaze and shakes his head. “I’m so fucking exhausted already.”

“I think they’re decent,” I offer. “Maybe. They came in with bad attitudes, but I think they mean it when they say they wanna be thorough. To drag Booth in front of a jury without even considering you in the matter would be dumb. Booth’s lawyers would tear that apart in seconds.”

“I’ll make the call.” Fifi dials, bringing the phone to her ear and resting her head against the wall. “I need to let him know why I’m not at the office, anyway. Mr. Mayor?” Her spine snaps straight in an instant. “Hello. It’s Seraphina. So sorry to call you like this.”

FLETCH

“I’ve provided you with a colleague I consider well-equipped to handle your situation.” The mayor draws eyes as we stand in the hallway inside the hospital. Because Jada isn’t improving, according to the reports sliding from the machines attached to her.

To me, she seems stable. Despite the fucking destruction of her face, her hand, her entire body. If I look past the purpling of her skin and bloody scrapes everywhere else, I might consider the beep-beep-beep of her machines to be a good sign.

They seem consistent to me.

But as the doctors come and go and the nurses on the floor top up her pain relief, they leave again with shaking heads, andthis isn’t going greatattitudes.

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