Part 16 (1/2)

aTake him in,a she said, grabbing his arm and handing him over to Lincoln.

aYouall be sorry,a Sam said as the officer took him away.

She ignored him and slid back in her car, then headed toward the precinct.

Dante was already back at the station when she arrived. She grabbed a cup of coffee and sat at her desk.

aMy guy didnat pan out,a Dante said. aHe was like a saint, so squeaky-clean I felt dirty interviewing him.a Anna nodded. aWell, I guess thatas too bad.a aWhat did you find?a aCat pee, stale cigarettes and unbathed old lady.a Dante made a sour face. aFun. Did you get anything out of it other than that?a aI did,a she said, and gave him a rundown of what Amarola had told her.

Dante nodded. aThatas a solid lead. Now we need to find Dr. Drug Dealer.a aYeah. Also, I was followed on the way back.a aWhat?a Dante sat up in the chair. aBy who?a aSam Maclin.a Danteas eyes narrowed. aSon of a b.i.t.c.h. You grab him?a She took a sip of her coffee and nodded. aHeas in holding.a Dante stood. aI want to talk to him.a She grabbed his arm. aNot right now. I want him to cool his heels for a while. Heas got an att.i.tude.a She knew that wasnat Danteas first choice, and from the look on his face it was probably a good idea not to let him anywhere near Sam at all.

aWhat did he say to you?a aTo back off his mother and the reopening of the investigation.a aHuh. He couldnat have called you?a Funny that they were on the same wavelength. aThatas the same question I asked him.a Dante stared at the back of the precinct toward the holding cells. aIs he worried about his mother or himself?a aThatas what Iam wondering. You think he was in the alley that night?a aItas possible. He was fifteen at the time. File says he was at home. And he sometimes ran with the same crowd as Tony.a aGuess we should check that out.a aCheck what out?a Roman asked as he came in. aDid you get a lead?a aYes, and that isnat what weare talking about.a Anna filled him in on what she found out from Evan Amarola, and what happened with Sam.

aHe tailed you? Thatas suspicious as h.e.l.l, especially after the roses and cards. We need to figure out where he was the nights of the murders.a aIam going to go talk to him,a she said, grabbing her notebook and a pen.

aIall do some backtracking on his whereabouts the nights of the murders,a Roman said.

aHis mother isnat going to like that.a aAnd?a Dante asked. aYouare not trying to be her friend. Youare trying to solve a case.a She stopped, realized what shead been doing. Her first thought was how this would affect Susan Maclin because shead already lost one son. What was she thinking?

She had no objectivity here. She lifted her gaze to Dante. aYouare right.a Roman laid a hand on her arm. aYou interview Sam first, see what you can get from him about the nights of the murders. Weall go from there. Iall do the background on him.a aOkay.a They called for Sam to be brought into an interrogation room. He didnat look any less subdued after spending some time in holding. In fact, he looked more p.i.s.sed off than ever, and focused his glare on Anna.

aHeas got a bug up his a.s.s about you,a Dante whispered as they entered the room.

aSo I noticed.a She and Dante took a seat across from Sam.

aYouave been read your rights and you understand those rights?a Anna asked.

aYeah.a aI understand you waived your right to have an attorney present for questioning?a He shrugged. aI didnat do anything wrong. What do I need a lawyer for?a aWe need to know your whereabouts on the nights of June twenty-third and June twenty-seventh.a aWhy?a aDo you know where you were those nights?a He shrugged. aProbably in my studio working on some art.a aDo you know that for a fact?a aNo, but thatas usually where I am. Iam working on a project, so Iave been spending a lot of time in there. Why?a aTwo people were killed in the same alley your brother was killed in.a aHuh. So?a Wasnat he a real bleeding heart. aThey were beaten to death, just like Tony.a He leaned back in his chair. aAgain. So? What does this have to do with my brother?a aThatas what wead like to know,a Dante said.

He shrugged again, refusing to look at Dante and keeping his gaze focused only on Anna. aPeople get killed all the time, especially in the city.a aThatas hardly a high-crime area,a Anna said. aAnd to be beaten severely in the same manner as your brother, in the same location, isnat a coincidence.a A flicker of interest lit in his eyes. He sat straighter in the chair. aSo youare saying whoever did these murders is the same person who killed Tony?a aIam not saying that.a aSo what am I doing here, and why are you talking to me about it?a She let the question linger in the air, until recognition dawned in his eyes.

aAre you f.u.c.king kidding me? I had nothing to do with those murders. I was working at the time.a aCan anyone verify that?a she asked.

aYeah. My mother.a aSomeone other than a family member?a Dante added.

He rolled his eyes. aThe studio is at the house. So no, no one else but her.a aThatas too bad,a Anna said, feeling a small twinge of guilt for going after yet another member of the Maclin family. Then again, head come after her today, and in doing so put himself on her radar. He had no one to blame but himself.

aYouave put yourself in a bad position, Maclin,a Dante said. He stood and walked around the table to Samas side, then stared down at him. aYou hara.s.sed and threatened the detective here, and you have a connection to a prior crime in the alley with a similar method of death.a aWhat connection? Because he was my brother?a aBecause you canat verify your whereabouts on the night your brother was murdered, and now these murders. Doesnat look good for you.a Now the venom in his eyes was directed at Dante. aThis is bulls.h.i.+t. Youare trying to railroad me because you donat have any other suspects.a aAnd youare trying to deflect because you killed the two men. Maybe you even had something to do with your own brotheras death that night twelve years ago.a Sam shot out of the chair and lunged at Dante. aYouare full of s.h.i.+t!a Two uniformed officers hustled into the room to subdue Sam, cuffing him and slamming him into the chair.

Dante hadnat even flinched, hadnat moved from his spot against the desk. He just smiled at Sam as he was restrained.

Sam glared at Dante, then at Anna. aI want a lawyer.a And just like that, the interview was over.

aSure,a she said.

She and Dante left the interview room and met up with Roman in the hall.

aThat was interesting,a Roman said, coming in from the viewing area. aHeas hiding something.a Dante shrugged. aMaybe not. I was baiting him. It could be he was p.i.s.sed off at the implication that he had something to do with his brotheras death, which we all know he didnat.a Anna nodded as they headed down the hall back to the main squad room. aBut he might have had something to do with the current murders.a She stopped. They were alone in the hall, so she lifted her gaze to Dante and Roman. aIf he did, heas cagey. Doesnat appear to act as if he recognizes us.a aA good killer wouldnat,a Roman said. aHeas not going to play his hand.a She let out a sigh. aWeall see how this plays out.a aLet the guilt go,a Dante said as they moved back to the desk. aYou want this case over with. If Samas your guy, itas over.a aAnd Susan Maclin would lose another son.a aNeither of which would be your fault.a She threw the notepad on her desk, irritated at herself for the knot in her stomach.

Dante was right. This wasnat her fault.

aYou need to focus on something else,a he said. aLetas find that medical student and work the drug-dealer angle.a aYouare right. What we need to do is figure out who was connected to Tonyas high school who was also in medical school back then.a Dante sat, crossed his legs at the ankles. aShouldnat be too hard to narrow it down. Not a ton of people go to medical school.a aThatas what I figured, too.a She turned to the desktop and started her search.

Dante stood and leaned over her shoulder. aIs that the Wash U website?a aYeah.a She wrinkled her nose. aI was hoping it was going to be easy, but h.e.l.l, itas hard to even get a list of staff and medical students. You have to know exactly who youare looking for.a She searched a while longer, then shoved away from the desk and stood.

aThis is bulls.h.i.+t. Weare getting nowhere.a aAnd youare tense and not thinking clearly.a She shot him a glare. aDonat tell me how Iam thinking. Iam as clear as I can be.a aWith the death of a friend on your mind and Sam Maclin added to the list. Weall call the school and get them to release the names of all graduates of Tonyas high school within a specific date range who went to Was.h.i.+ngton University and attended medical school. Then weall go from there.a She nodded and made the call. When she hung up, she said, aTheyall have it for us tomorrow.a Maybe something would pop soon. It was about d.a.m.n time.

That evening she went home and changed into a dress to go to the funeral home for Jeffas visitation, something she dreaded but had to do.

They all had to do it, and she took comfort in having Dante by her side.

They met Roman and Gabe outside, both of them wearing suits just like Dante.

Gabe came up to her and kissed her cheek. aYou look beautiful.a Shead worn a simple black sheath with short sleeves, nothing special, but still she smiled up at Gabe. aThanks. And you all look cla.s.sy in your suits. Jeff would have loved to see you dressed up like this, especially you, Gabe.a Anna smoothed the lapels of his dark suit and fought back tears.

aAw, s.h.i.+t, Anna. Donat cry.a She lifted her gaze to Gabe. aI donat know if I can do this.a Roman smoothed his hand down her back. aThey said the casket will be closed becausea Well, you know.a Anna turned to Roman and shook her head. aIt doesnat matter. Heas still in there and we all know it.a Roman nodded. aBut weare all together, and weall handle it.a Dante swept his hand behind her neck. Even without words she felt comforted by his presence next to her as they all walked inside together.

What was she going to do when this case was over and Dante left?

Shead deal, just as she always did. Shead go back to the way her life was before he swept into town and turned her life upside down.

No problem, right?

Ellen Clemons was there, holding vigil in front of Jeffas casket. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Annaas heart went out to her.

Anna hated funerals, hated that they represented loss. Shead hated them ever since her mother died of cancer when she was six years old. She hadnat understood then that her mother was gone and would never come back, but slowly it had sunk in that it was just her and her dad left. Shead never feel her motheras arms around her hugging her, never smell her motheras perfume, never see her motheras smile again.

Death sucked. It ripped the people you loved away from you, sometimes well before you were ready for it to happen.

Often way before you were ready for it.

Sometimes brutally. Shead seen it plenty of times when she had to notify next of kin in a murder case she investigated, had seen families crumple when they were given the news about their son or husband or brother or sister. It was devastating.

Losing Jeff to a sick killer? There was no reason for that, no way to explain it. No wonder those families fell apart when their loved ones were inexplicably taken away from them.

As she tensed, Dante stood behind her and rubbed her shoulders and whispered in her ear.

aBreathe. You can get through this.a His touch, the sound of his voice, reminded her to stay in the here and now.

aIam fine.a aYes, you are. Did I mention you look incredibly s.e.xy in black?a She turned to face him. aThatas a totally inappropriate statement for this venue.a A smile tugged at his lips. aItas never inappropriate to tell you youare beautiful. Now relax.a She shook her head, but the rising panic had disappeared.

Probably part of his plan. Shead have to thank him later.

While she visited with those she knew and hung close to the guys, she also surveyed those who wandered in, wondering if Jeffas killer was here. Or maybe head be at the graveside service tomorrow. She planned to attend, not only to pay her respects, but to see who showed up.

aSee anyone who looks out of place?a Roman asked.