Blood Orchid (Holly Barker 3)

“So you shot him?”

“Not right away, not until he went to his back for a gun.”

“And how did you know he had a gun?”

“I saw the bulge under his shirt when his back was to me,” she said. “I already had my hand on my weapon. I had told him to kneel and put his hands behind his head.”

“Did you identify yourself as a police officer and show him your badge?”

“I identified myself as a police officer, but I had my dog in one hand and my weapon in the other, so I couldn’t show him a badge right at that moment.”

“I see. And you believed it was necessary to use deadly force?”

“His weapon is lying next to him,” Holly said. “I haven’t touched it.”

“Why was the perp threatening Ms. Santos?”

“It appeared to be a robbery,” Holly said. “When I arrived, the living room was in disarray, and his hand was drawn back as if to strike her.”

“Was he looking for something specific, Ms. Santos?”

“I don’t know,” she replied innocently. “He was tearing up the living room when I walked in from the kitchen, and then Chief Barker arrived.”

“Did you know him?”

“No, I’ve never seen him before.”

“Was there anyone with the man?”

“When I arrived, there was a car parked out front with a Latino male at the wheel, reading something. After I fired, I heard the car start and leave in a hurry.”

“Any further description?”

“Dark hair, a mustache, that’s about all I could see. The car was a late-model Lincoln Town Car, black.”

“Great,” the detective said. “Not many of those around Lauderdale. Are you here on official business, Chief?” the detective asked.

“Yes. Ms. Santos was the fiancée of a man named Carlos Alvarez, who was murdered in my jurisdiction. I was here to discuss that with her.”

“And what, exactly, did you discuss?”

“We didn’t have time to discuss anything,” Holly said.

“And what did you want to ask her?”

“I don’t think that’s relevant to your investigation of the homicide,” Holly said.

“Well, I guess your internal affairs people are going to want to discuss this with you.”

“We don’t have an internal affairs division,” Holly said.

“Lucky you.”

“I’d like my weapon back as soon as you’re done with it,” Holly said, giving the detective her card.

“Sure. Now why don’t you come inside and walk me through what happened?”

“Glad to, Detective.”