The Murder That Never Was (Forensic Instincts 5)

No wonder Marti sounded as if she’d never heard about any robbery attempt. There hadn’t been any.

“Also, Miles just walked in,” Marti added. “He’s not at the computer, so I guess he wants to talk to you, too.”

With a deep breath, Julie unlocked the door and stepped out. “Sounds like I’m very popular today,” she said with a smile.

Marti had clearly calmed down. Seeing her boss look and act so natural calmed her down even more.

“Please send the detectives to my office. And just tell Milo I’m in here with them.”

“Okay.” The teenage girl trotted off, her ponytail swinging as she gestured to Milo and headed up to the front desk.

Julie sat down at her desk, thumbing through some paperwork.

A minute later, the two detectives appeared, one of them knocking on her open door.

“Ms. Forman?” he asked.

“Yes.” Julie rose. “Come in, Detective…?”

“Atkins,” he supplied. “And this is Detective Brown.”

Detective Brown acknowledged her, as well. He was tall and lanky with salt-and-pepper hair. Atkins was shorter and paunchier, and probably a few years older than his partner. Neither of them looked like they were about to go in for the kill and arrest her. They just looked like they were here to do their job.

“Nice to meet you both.” Julie rose and shook their hands, wishing Milo would get his ass in here. “What can I do for you?”

“We just have a few questions,” Atkins said.

“About?”

“What happened in Chicago. Lisa Barnes’ murder, to be specific.”

Julie nearly wept with relief. They might think she knew something, but they didn’t know she was Lisa Barnes.

She sank down in her chair, genuine tears filling her eyes as she thought back to that day, something she desperately tried to block out. “It was the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen. I freaked out in a way I’ve never done before.”

“Indeed,” Detective Brown said. “The thing is, you grabbed a few things, left your apartment, your places of employment, your entire life in Chicago, and you ran. You didn’t even stay long enough to call 911. Why is that? Did it ever occur to you that Lisa Barnes might still be alive? That the EMTs could have gotten her to the hospital and saved her?”

Julie shook her head, grabbing a tissue to wipe her eyes. “I’m ashamed to say it, but no. Nothing occurred to me. I acted out of blind panic. Looking back, I was incredibly selfish. But I just knew in my gut she was dead. All that blood, and she was all contorted and so very still…” A shuddering breath. “Maybe I’m just trying to justify my unforgivable actions. The truth? I don’t remember the hours right after that. One minute I was staring down the street at what I believed was a dead body, and the next minute I was on a train heading here.”

Atkins was writing things down on a pad, taking notes the old-fashioned way. “Why Upper Montclair?” he asked. “And how did you manage to settle in so quickly, both personally and professionally? It’s almost as if you knew you’d have to start over somewhere far away.”

Julie turned sheet white. “Wait—do you think I had something to do with Lisa’s murder?”

“Frankly, we don’t know what to think. But the Chicago detectives asked us to pay you a visit.”

They thought she was a killer? She felt that surge of panic and hysteria bubble up inside her again.

Abruptly, Milo poked his head into her office, coming to her rescue once more.

“Hey, Julie,” he greeted her. “The server is back up and…” He broke off, seeing the two men standing in front of Julie’s desk. “Excuse me. I thought you were alone.”

“It’s fine, Miles. Come in.” She beckoned him, trying not to look like she was grasping on to her life preserver. “These are Detectives Atkins and Brown. They have questions about Lisa’s death.”

Atkins turned to look at Miles in surprise. “You knew Lisa Barnes?”

Miles’ jaw tightened. “She was my best friend from the time we were kids. We were in foster care together.”

“And your name is?”