Lotus Effect

“I’m advising my client not to answer that,” Rhys says.

Vale glares across the table, then dips back into my file. “It says here that Torrance Carver was interviewed in connection to your attack.” He looks up at me. “Did you recently question Mr. Carver and his brother, Mike Rixon, while investigating the Delany case?”

Rhys lightly brushes my leg beneath the table. “I’m advising my client not to answer.”

“Christ,” the detective whispers harshly. “Can I assume this is how the rest of the interview will go?”

“Unless you’re willing to disclose what your intent is with Ms. Hale, then yes. She has cooperated and has nothing further to say.” Rhys stands. “We do have the matter of Joanna Delany’s case to discuss, though.”

Detective Vale stands to match Rhys. “I’m a little busy with the current murder investigation, but you’re welcome to get a copy of my case notes.” He pulls out his phone and sends a text. “It will be waiting for you at the precinct.”

“We appreciate that,” Rhys says.

A thick current of tension hums in the air between Rhys and Vale, regardless of their professional etiquette. I push my chair back, making a loud scraping sound to disturb the silence.

“We’ll let you know if we have any questions about the Delany case,” I say.

“You do that, Ms. Hale.”

Rhys heads to the door, but I don’t budge. I look at Detective Vale expectantly.

“Oh right,” he says. “Seems that I wasn’t authorized to give you visitation, after all.”

I grab my bag and hoist it across my shoulder. I could have the last word; I could tell Detective Vale what I think about his interview skills that are completely obvious and lacking. Or the fact that I could smell his unpleasant breath from across the table.

Instead, I offer him a smile and leave. I stop myself from thanking him, as that feels crass. He doesn’t need to know that, by trying to intimidate me, he’s given us a key piece of his investigation.

Once we’re outside the hospital, Rhys says, “I promise, I’ll explain. But we need to get the handwriting analyses back from Quantico first so we can—”

“See if either Torrance or his brother is a match to the note,” I finish for him.

We stop at the trunk of the rental car, and Rhys studies me. “You caught that.”

“I did. Detective Vale is conducting interviews at the hospital. Why? The perpetrator spared Cam’s baby. He thinks there’s a link to my case.”

Rhys nods slowly as he thinks it through. “He’s looking at Torrance as the prime suspect. A theory that Cameron could’ve maintained an affair with him throughout her marriage.”

“Right. He’s read my file. Read Cam and Torrance’s statements. Torrance is connected to both victims. I mean all three…”

Rhys does something so uncharacteristically open, my breath catches. He hooks a finger beneath my chin and lifts my face, angling my gaze to meet his.

“You’re not a victim,” he says.

I nod against his hand. “I know.”

“Do you?” His thumb strokes my cheek, his slate eyes intense, before he drops his hand. He steps away, putting a comfortable distance between us, and I drag in a full breath.

“What I meant was, Torrance has a link to all three women. Me, Cam, and Joanna. With his juvi assault record, that makes him suspect number one.”

Rhys looks up at the sky, then checks the time on his phone. “Let’s get our answers to the handwriting analyses before Vale brings in Torrance.”

“All right.”

I appreciate Rhys’s collective control. By staying calm and not leaping to conclusions, he’s keeping me grounded. We’re here to solve Joanna Delany’s murder. If, by chance or fate…or some other divine design…we discover a perpetrator to investigate in my attack…

There’s time.

First, the cold case.