Page 49 of Just Hide

"Of course, we can. What did you think was going to happen? You've been acting like someone who's trying very hard to avoid the law, and we're going to find out why."

Cami saw Nadia swallow hard. "I want a lawyer," she said, but she looked a lot less convinced now than she had before.

"You can have one," Connor said.

The police station was in sight, and Cami felt relieved that they were there at last. She didn't trust Nadia, in the back seat, not to somehow try and escape again. But she was so full of fight that Cami was feeling seriously worried about the questioning.

At least now she was safely inside the police station, Cami thought, as Connor parked inside the gate, climbed out, opened the back door from the outside, and helped Nadia out, keeping a firm hold of her arm.

They walked quickly inside, hurrying through the swirling rain. Connor processed Nadia while Cami watched. He searched her clothing carefully, making a note of her ID and personal details, and then listing the charges that were already relevant. Cami hoped that would go some way toward cowing this rebellious woman, who had taken extreme risks in her efforts to avoid coming face to face with the police.

As she'd feared, Nadia's chin only jutted more defiantly as she listened to the list of charges. "I'm not talking to you."

"We’ll see about that." Connor led the way into the interview room. The harsh light in the ceiling flickered intermittently, and it made Nadia's pale skin look rough, and her face suddenly older. She didn't look apologetic, though.

He escorted her to the seat on the opposite side of the table. Slumping down into it, she glowered at him as he sat opposite her. Cami sat next to him, keeping quiet and letting Connor lead this interrogation.

"You've been through a lot in the past two months," Connor began conversationally.

"What do you mean?" Nadia frowned.

"You had the issues with your brother. His breakdown. You mentioned on social media what you thought of his ex, and of women like her."

She shrugged.

"Did you seek out women who looked similar in a desire for revenge killings?"

She shook her head vigorously but said nothing.

"Did you move the security cameras at your workplace so that people wouldn't see you accessing the facial recognition software?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she insisted.

"You've made some pretty extreme comments about women who dump their partners and trigger psychological problems in them. Do you have anything to say about that? Did you take it further?"

“Of course not! I was just saying it. Imean, I wouldn't go that far."

Cami felt a flare of hope. Nadia was, at least, talking. Maybe now that she was getting into a rhythm of answering Connor's questions, he'd be able to get the truth from her.

There might be more to find on her devices, though.

The phone hadn't been on her and most likely, she'd thrown it under the seat or stashed it away in a safe hiding place within the car.

The phone might have important information on it, information that they wouldn't get any other way from this uncooperative suspect.

Connor nodded at Cami, and they stood up and went outside. "We need the information on the phone, now," he said. "We need more evidence that we can confront her with. The police should be bringing her car here now. I'm going to go back in and question her again. You stay here and wait for the phone. When you get it, I need you to open and search it as quickly as you can. Anything you find will help us."

"I'll do that," Cami said.

With a nod, Connor turned and strode back into the interview room, ready for another round with their uncooperative suspect.

Cami walked through to the lobby. As she did, she saw the white Mini pull up in the parking lot.

Now, she’d have access to Nadia’s phone, and as she watched, she felt even more hopeful when she saw the police take out a laptop bag from the trunk.

There must be something in the phone, or Nadia’s laptop, that would link her to the killings. All Cami had to do was find it as fast as possible.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

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