Page 68 of The Writer

There’s no record of Declan Shaw visiting the evidence lockup during that time frame. There is one signature during that window, and that signature belongs to Declan Shaw’s supervisor, Lieutenant Marcus Daniels. Lieutenant Daniels was questioned by IAU but quickly dismissed—the signature in the log did not match his actual signature. It was a clear forgery. The officer on duty the day of this particular visit made a sworn statement to IAU (of which I have a copy) stating he had no recollection of the lieutenant coming to the evidence lockup (something that he did only rarely), but he did recall seeing Detective Shaw. When pressed on how he could be sure, he said Shaw’s shirt was torn and when he asked him what happened, Shaw said he’d ripped it chasing a suspect across rooftops.

The only known rooftop chase involving Detective Declan Shaw was the apprehension of Ruben Lucero. That would mean he retrieved the book at some point between Lucero’sarrest and when Lucero was brought to the precinct for questioning. Ruben Lucero’s arm was broken during that arrest. He was transported to Memorial for treatment and brought to the precinct three hours later. This window offers Declan Shaw ample time, and there is no record of his whereabouts during that period.

Can I prove he took a side trip to evidence before admitting CSU into Lucero’s apartment for processing?

No.

No more than IAU can.

Does that mean it didn’t happen?

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

WHEN DECLAN STEPS out of the elevator and into the precinct bullpen, a silence falls over the room. Eyes follow him all the way to his desk.

No sign of Cordova.

He’s probably still with ADA Saffi, maybe at her office. After Saffi and Cordova spoke to Denise, they asked her to come in and provide an official statement. She said she would, but only after obtaining new counsel to replace Geller Hoffman. Maybe later today.

Maybe never.

They can’t force her, not without charging her, and he seriously doubts Saffi would do that. Denise played it perfectly. Damaged goods. It was all on Hoffman.

And him.

But that is about to change.

When Declan put the battery back in his phone and powered it on, he had nine missed calls from his partner. Three more from the lieutenant. A few others he didn’t recognize. An insane number of texts. And he was fairly certain someone was watching Fog Reveal to get his location. The moment his phone pinged the first tower, they knew where he was. That’s why he didn’t insert the batteries until he was standing on the sidewalk outside his building. He stood there for about a minute, then walked to the precinct.

“Declan.” Lieutenant Daniels’s voice cuts through the quiet like nails on a chalkboard.

Declan turns to find him standing in the elevator holding the door open, ADA Saffi at his side. No sign of Cordova.

“Lieutenant. I heard you were looking for me.”

The expression on his supervisor’s face clearly saysNo shit, but he bites his tongue. Instead of chewing Declan out, he nods his head to the left. “Conference room. Right now.”

“Should I call my union rep?”

“I already did.”

Ten minutes later, they’re all sitting around the large conference table, Daniels and Saffi on one side, Declan and his rep on the other. Declan is pretty sure his union rep is wearing the same shirt and tie as last time. The man looks so disheveled that if someone told Declan he’d been sleeping on a bench out in the park, Declan would believe it. Roy Harrison also came down for the party, and in an effort to appear as intimidatingas possible, he has opted to stand in front of the door, one hand resting on his service weapon.What a tool.

Daniels looks to Saffi, then back to Declan. “Where have you been, Detective? And if you tell me you were out on another walk, I’ll cuff you myself.”

“I was with a friend.”

“That ‘friend’ will vouch for you if asked?”

“I’m sure she will.”

“Why’d you turn your phone off?”

“People kept calling for the wrong reasons. You’d shut yours off too.”

Declan’s rep slides him a note. In a nearly illegible scrawl are the wordsGeller Hoffman is dead.

Declan does his best to look surprised, then turns to Daniels. “What happened to Hoffman?”

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