Page 104 of Trigger

Luz

Thorsen

Luz was not what I’d expected. First, he was a strikinglygood-looking guy. Slim, athletically built, tall. He had a deep, raspy voicethat somehow didn’t suit him. He was a manly guy, but he had a bratty auraabout him that was in contrast with his looks. I could also tell that he was aprovocateur and a natural-born liar, but he wasn’t lying today, because helooked scared. It was probably why he wanted us to meet in the club known forattracting football fans rather than a club like Nirvana.

“I heard on TV about Sophie,” he muttered, sipping on his mojitoand looking around the club nervously. “Tough shit.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t contact us until someone else died,” I said,tossing a piece of gum into my mouth. “Not very compassionate.”

“What else was I supposed to do?” he growled. “I was scared. I waswith Sophie the night she died and whoever killed her could have been after me,too. And if he saw me talking to the cops… no way, man.”

“Maybe you were the one who killed her.”

He rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. Do I look like a killer to you?Besides, would I call you if I were the killer?”

“Whydidyou call us?”

“That other girl… Roxie. Was it the same guy who did it?”

“It’s an ongoing investigation,” I replied, leaning back in mychair.

Luz snorted. “Of course it is.”

“Where did the blue hair go?” Carter asked him, scribbling intohis notepad.

“I dyed it,” Luz said, running his fingers through his wavy hairthat was now blond. “This is my natural color. Do you like it?”

He was a flirty little shit, and it pissed me off.

“Why blond?” I asked him, but he was looking at Carter.

“They say the blondes have more fun,” he replied, shifting hisgaze to me. “Wouldn’t you agree, surfer boy?”

“Call me surfer boy one more time, and I’ll break all yourfingers,” I said when Carter put his hand on my thigh in a warning. It did thetrick, but it also gave me an erection.

“Calm down, Tye. Luz is here to cooperate. Aren’t you, Luz?”

“I am, and I already like you more, Detective Carter. What did yousay your first name was?”

“He didn’t,” I cut in. “Now say what you have to say, or I willmake you speak in ways you never thought possible.”

“I didn’t kill Sophie,” Luz said, raising his chin in defiance. “Ionly stumbled upon her in front of Allure. She seemed lost, so I asked her ifshe needed help. We started talking. She told me she was lonely and didn’t haveany friends, so I offered to give her a good time. We went to Allure, we drank,and we danced. After that, we went our separate ways. That’s all.”

“What do you mean by separate ways?” Carter asked him.

“She took an Uber home while I went to Nirvana.”

“Do you remember the car model or the license plates?”

“No, I was wasted.”

“Why did you go to Nirvana?”

“To get laid.”

“So, you didn’t have sex with Sophie?” I asked him, alreadyknowing his answer.

Luz chuckled. “Really? At least you should know which way I swing.I know which way you swing.” Then he looked at Carter, smirking. “You, I’m notso sure.”

---