Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
“Have you seen either man in the bar where you work?” Westlake asked. His gaze once more dropped to her breasts.
Rory was uncomfortable enough that she looked around for a blanket or throw to cover up with. She wasn’t wearing anything revealing, but he made her feel sleazy.
“Recently? As in the last couple of days, or ever?”
“In the last couple of days,” Westlake snapped. “I think we’ve made it abundantly clear we’re looking for them.”
She let her breath out slowly. “No, I haven’t seen either one of them in the bar recently. I think I’ve been very cooperative, even though you’ve been a complete asshole. I’m done here. I’ll call my boss. He has plenty of lawyers and no doubt will loan one to me.” She pulled out her cell phone. “I’ll meet with you at the precinct if you have more questions. Let me know what time you want me there.”
She stood up, suddenly furious with all of them. “Your good-cop-bad-cop routine sucks. We had a bad scare finding Moses in the garbage chute. And then discovering Ret Carnes with a plastic bag over his head was traumatizing. None of us have ever experienced anything like that. You are supposed to be the good guys, but instead of making us feel better and helping us understand what’s going on where we live, you’re making us feel like shit.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Miss Chappel,” Detective Carver said. “That wasn’t our intention. These men are persons of interest in the murder of a police detective.”
“Harvey Matters and Jarrod Flawson could be in danger,” Detective Abbott said. “You can see how important it is for us to find them.” He jerked his chin toward the door, and the other three detectives made their way out. “Please accept our apologies.” He gave Rory a little salute and followed the other detectives out.
“I can’t believe you said those things to them, Rory,” Sally said. “I was afraid they’d arrest you right on the spot.”
“For what? Calling them out? Speaking the truth? They were being assholes.” Rory wrapped her arms around her middle. “Did you see little Moses? He was drooling. His face was slack even when Cindy took him from Janice. I think she’s going to have to take him to the hospital.”
“Cindy did,” Janice confirmed. “She took both boys. I was glad she took them, even if Moses didn’t need to go. That way the police couldn’t question them even if they wanted to. Once the doctor sees Moses, he’s not going to give anyone permission to talk to the kid without the psych doc right there.” There was satisfaction in her voice.
“Moses can’t tell them anything anyway,” Rory said. “What would he be able to say? But you saw them. I don’t care that Detective Abbott apologized. He didn’t sound all that sincere to me. They would rip those little boys to shreds.”
“I agree,” Lydia said. “Well, maybe not Detective Larrsen. He didn’t seem nearly as aggressive and mean as the others. He kept interrupting them and frowning at that awful Detective Westlake.”
“We should try to remember Detective Ramsey, the man who was shot to death practically right in front of him, was his longtime partner,” Sally reminded gently. “Westlake had to go home and tell that man’s family he was killed.”
Pam sighed. “I know Ramsey was his partner, but he doesn’t have to be so nasty.”
“And did you see the way he kept looking at Rory’s ta-tas?” Janice was indignant. “He had a wedding ring on his finger and was staring at her boobs.”
“She does have amazing boobs,” Lydia pointed out. “I’m a little jealous.”
Rory burst out laughing and then sobered, looking at her watch. “I’ve got to put together a picnic basket and forget all about Ret’s face wrapped up in a plastic bag and those detectives yanking my chain. I have a date with Gideon, and I’ve already blown it. I’m late. I’m supposed to put a picnic basket together and meet him. I even cooked earlier. I should have been there fifteen minutes ago. I’ll have to text him and tell him I can’t make it.”
For some reason she wanted to cry. She never cried.
“Oh no.” Lydia jumped up, reaching down to gather her sleeping daughter into her arms. “Go shower. Text him. Tell him you’ll explain everything when you get there, and then do it, Rory. Don’t make this worse by not going. If he’s really into you, he’s not going to mind waiting another half hour while you get ready.”
Rory’s stomach dropped. She pressed her hand hard into the roller coaster to quiet it. “You think?” She looked around at her friends.
They nodded.
Her hand shook when she texted Gideon. She didn’t want him to tell her that he didn’t want to see her again. She couldn’t text him when the detectives had been interrogating her. It had felt like an interrogation, not simply asking questions. They’d been abrupt with everyone, but she felt like they’d been especially nasty with her.