Demonically Tempted (Frostbite 2)

Now, though, I held enough curiosity about Lizbeth to force myself to reach forward and grab one of the files in front of Max.

Kipp arched an eyebrow at me.

I smiled, restraining my blush, and scanned the file. I flipped it open to see a young dark-haired woman, which I assumed was Lizbeth at her prime since the smile on her face looked all too happy. “Geesh, how old is she?”

“She was twenty-three when she died,” Max replied. “Quite young. I remember this case, vaguely. It was just after I joined the force.”

I gasped in fake surprise. “That long ago?” Max’s eyes narrowed. Everyone laughed, as did I. “Just kidding. Sorry. Go on.”

“As I was saying...” He sneered at me before he turned to Zach. “From what I’ve read, her parents said she was a well-adjusted young lady and never showed any signs that killing herself had been on her mind.”

“Until she did kill herself.” I retorted. “Parents don’t know everything that goes on with their kids.”

“True,” Zach said. “Did she have any close friends?”

“None said anything at the time as to why she would do this,” Max replied. “But what I found interesting in the file was that there appeared to be a suspect.”

“That Hector guy Anna had talked about?” I offered.

Max inclined his head. “The detective’s notes indicated they held no doubt he was involved somehow.”

“Anna said otherwise,” Zach stated.

“That’s right,” I said to Max. “Anna was adamant he had no involvement whatsoever.”

“She might have thought he wasn’t involved,” Max replied. “But people under stress forget things.”

“Fair enough,” I said, in total agreement. I glimpsed down to Lizbeth’s picture. Her blue eyes were so kind, dark hair flowing over her shoulders. She did, by all appearances, look happy in the photo. I had to wonder what changed. How would anyone as young as her have the strength to drown herself?

“A month after Lizbeth’s death, Hector attacked a young woman around the same age as Lizbeth,” Max said.

Zach lowered his coffee cup. “Yes, I read that, too, but since Tess doesn’t know, might want to fill her in.”

“He abducted a woman and attacked her,” Max explained.

“But didn’t kill her?”

Max shook his head. “He attacked her in a public place. Stupid, if you ask me. Citizens saw the attack and called the police. When they arrived they found Hector with blood all over his hands.”

“Where is Hector now?” Eddie asked.

“Riverbend Penitentiary.”

I needed to lighten the mood a little. The tension in the air had grown thick enough to cut with a knife. Even with that weapon, I wasn’t totally convinced it would work. I raised my hand to my mouth. “Hector’s still alive?”

Max glared at me. “Dammit, Tess, I’m not that old.”

The men around me laughed.

Max ignored us all, which was classic Max, and glanced at Zach. “I’ve made an appointment for you to go and talk to Hector tomorrow morning. Maybe time in the penitentiary has given the man a conscience.”

He turned to Eddie. “I’ve only skimmed the case file so you and I can dig through it and see if anything else reveals itself. Maybe we’ll catch a lead.”

Eddie groaned. “Is that an order?”

Max’s gave the stern look he had down pat. “You’re still recovering and on restrictive duty. As much as you might hate being here, the choice isn’t yours to make.”

Eddie whispered a curse and raised his cup to his mouth. He had received a shot in the side and returned to work a week ago, but the healing of his gunshot wound that Brody inflicted still affected him. I tried not to let my expression show that I noticed when he lowered his cup, he flinched.