Page 46 of Say Nothing
"It’s weird, though, right?"Alison said."If it were a wrong number and a regular message like,don't forget to pick up milk, then that would make more sense, but it’s like someone is trying to communicate with me.And why now?I’m in the spotlight.Right after I’m mentioned in the news, I get this message."
"They’re trying to trace it back at the office, and we’ll follow up on it.It’s nothing.It’s probably nothing."
"Yeah, I know," Alison said.
"Can you tell me which motel you’re going to stay at, or would you rather no one knows?"Derek asked.
"Sunshine Villas tonight," she replied."It’s central in a reasonably busy area, and I can pay cash.As long as no one knows I’m there, I’ll be fine."
"I can sleep on the couch.You can take my bed if you want," Derek suggested."I have a second set of sheets, so you don't have to worry about dirty sheets.I don't do room service, but I can cook you breakfast in the morning."
They both fell silent.It shouldn't have felt weird, but it did.Alison knew she would be safe in his house, but it didn't feel right to go and stay with him, not like this.
"Or I can stay at the motel," Derek suggested."Get the room next to yours and be there just in case anything happens."
"Yeah, maybe," Alison replied."I appreciate you looking out for me."
"I don't want to lose the best partner I've ever had," he replied.
"We do make a good team," Alison said."I’ve been… I’ve been thinking about what Thomas Bennet said to us."
"I don't know if I’m going to like this," Derek admitted."I hear that slight hint of doubt in your voice."
"It’s more than just a slight hint," Alison told him."He comes across as one of the most honest suspects I’ve interviewed.So much so, I’m rethinking whether I made the right decision years ago to recommend against early release.From everything he said and how he acted both in his office and in the interview room, he presents as someone who fully believes in what he says."
"Okay," Derek replied.
"And I can see it in him that he really does want to help people," Alison added."He’s turned his life around and wants to do the same for others, and I fully believe him.He’s one of the few criminals who don’t reoffend or struggle when they are released.He’s basically a model prisoner for all types of prison reform, and that’s likely why he’s talking about it at the upcoming town halls."
"We have a lot of evidence against him," Derek pointed out.
"I understand that, but what if it’s not all… evidence?"
"Go on," Derek said.
"So, we know he was in the area close to the time of all three murders, which does look suspicious, but on its own, doesn’t prove he killed anyone.We can put him near each crime scene before the murders happened, but we can't place him at the crime scene when the murders happened."
"Correct," Derek said."And the pink thread?"
"It feels too good as evidence," Alison pointed out."Maybe if it were a black thread, I might buy it, but a bright pink thread from the lettering on a jacket he wears.When he mentioned that there were no threads missing, I remembered that he was telling the truth.The lettering looked intact when we brought him in.Maybe the thread matches, but it feels wrong for being too right.And if there are other jackets out there worn by his colleagues, then it becomes shaky."
"I don't like this," Derek said."He ticks all the boxes, but you’re making me doubt myself."
"And the logins to the computer at his office to download the files on each of the women," Alison continued."I’m confident that when you look at the CCTV, you’ll only see Bennet enter the building right before the files were downloaded.Maybe there’ll be others on the camera, but they'll be expected in the community hall.And if you were to look into it and find a witness or talk with Bennet, he’ll probably admit to being in the office when the files were downloaded, and when we take a look at the computer, I’m certain the files will be there."
"But?"Derek asked with a knowing tone.
"But the person we’re looking for managed to bypass three security systems without leaving a trace.If they can do that, they can remotely request and download files."
Derek slowed as they reached the top of the hill where Alison’s house was.
"I can have the tech guys look into that if you think it’s a possibility," Derek said.
"I think it is," Alison admitted."Have them look for keystrokes on the computer, breadcrumbs leading somewhere else, any digital forensics surrounding the downloads, and—Oh, not again."
Alison looked from the vehicle to the front gate where the reporter stood.He was the same guy who’d come to her house at two in the morning asking for a statement.He stood in the middle of the road, blocking their way.
"He’s the guy who came to the door in the middle of the night wanting a quote," Alison told Derek.
