Page 350 of Sticks and Stones
When they knocked on the neighbor’s door, it didn’t take long for someone to answer. The kid who did was definitely curious.
His eyes wentRIGHTto their badges that were on their hips and clearly visible.
“Am I under arrest?” he asked.
Gene was curious why that was everyone’s first question. If cops came to his door, the first thing he’d ask was what happened?
Who was hurt?
Was Ethan okay?
Maybe it was just him and the fact his partner got into trouble. That was why he hovered.
“Why would you be under arrest?” he asked, answering the question with a question. “Did you do something you want to tell us about? You know, like the murder of your neighbor? It’s Phillip Winslow, right?”
His eyes went huge.
“What? No! Graham is dead?” he asked. “And yeah, that’s me.”
They both nodded, and Gene didn’t miss a beat.
“Then how about you let us ask the questions? We’re with the FBI,” he said, and they both showed him their badges.
They could see he was nervous. Then again, most people were when a cop showed up at their door early. When it was a Fed, it tended to be even more nerve-racking.
“Do you want to come in?” he asked.
Ethan nodded.
“If you don’t mind,” he said. “It’s easier to talk to you inside, Phillip, and then your neighbors won’t think you’re on a watch list,” he joked.
The kid’s eyes went huge.
But he let them in.
When they got inside, they could see that he had a damn nice place. It was plush, and the kid was not a day over twenty-two. That told them someone was funding this who had money. This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill college apartment.
“Nice place,” Gene said.
The kid shrugged.
“My Mom and Dad didn’t want me in campus housing. They thought it would distract me from finishing my degree,” he said, and as he did, a door to what had to be a bedroom opened, and out wandered a half-asleep girl.
She was in panties and a see-through tank top.
Uh, the parents had more to worry about than him being distracted in a dorm room. It looked like Phillip was getting distracted in his apartment too.
“Phil, did you see my contact case?” she asked, sleepily. “I have to get to the library to meet with my study group.”
Gene cleared his throat.
When she looked over and realized that Phillip wasn’t alone, she came to a dead stop.
And they knew two things.
She was embarrassed, and it was chilly in the man’s apartment.
“Oh! Shit!” she said as she hauled ass back into the room.
