Page 107 of Wicked Sin

“You did,” Ram says blandly. “I heard it with my own two ears and everything.”

I search him quickly, and find he’s carrying in a shoulder holster. Ram puts gloves on and removes the weapon before I continue, but the rest of my search is boring. His pockets are empty, and his wallet doesn’t produce anything interesting either.

“Perry Newcomb, you disgusting piece of shit, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney before we ask you any questions. You have the right to have your lawyer with you during questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one can be appointed for you if you wish. If you decide to answer any questions now without an attorney present, you have the right to stop answering at any time. Is that clear?”

At our feet, Newcomb doesn’t say anything.

“Maybe he didn’t hear me,” I say to Ram, conversationally. “Should I repeat it louder?”

“I heard it just fine. We can move on to asking him those questions now.”

“We should stand him up, then.” I grin as I reach down and grab him forcefully by the arm. “Up you get, asshole.”

But the Secret Service agent isn’t interested in talking. He stares at me in silence once we get him upright.

“This is all pretty damning evidence,” I say softly as I move around him. “You probably only have a small window here to affect what happens next. Once the D.A. is involved, all bets are off.” Nothing.

Ram tries next. “You look like a serial killer with this room, Perry. I know you probably aren’t.” He waves his hand at the wall. “This is all about Taylor Reid, isn’t it? You don’t want to kill indiscriminately. You just want her. Right?”

Cold refusal to speak.

Heavy footsteps sound in the hallway outside. “All right. Crime scene team is here. Let’s get this asshole to the station.” I turn around so the uniforms will see my badge when they come in through the door Ram propped open.

We hand over the scene to the forensics team and haul Newcomb out to a marked car. I leave Ram to ride with the suspect, and go around the block to get my own car.

After I take off my bullet-resistant vest and stash it in my trunk, I text Parker a brief update, then head straight for the station.

“You’re on vacation,” Captain Woods reminds me when I stalk into the squad room. “You don’t need to be here for this.”

“I’m the arresting officer.”

“I saw that,” she says dryly. “I trust that you didn’t leave any bruises on him?”

Probably not. “It was by the book. Has he lawyered up yet?”

“Yeah, as soon as we fingerprinted him.”

“Is the D.A. on the way?”

“The D.A. is in the house,” I hear from behind me, and I turn around at the sound of a familiar, but no-longer-friendly voice.

Assistant District Attorney Nora Vance.

Ex-girlfriend.

Ex-friend.

By-the-book fanatic.

She stops in front of me, a tall, cool drink of professionalism and disdain. “What do we have?”

“I should let McBride and Singh field this one,” I say, stepping out of the way.

She closes her eyes like she’s saying a silent prayer I haven’t fucked up a case.

That makes two of us, but I know I didn’t.

“Executed a warrant looking for evidence that the suspect, Perry Newcomb, was stalking Taylor Reid, a woman he knew from Washington, D.C. He did not disclose their previous relationship—”

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