Broken Trust (Badge of Honor 13)

Payne said, “And, presumably, you were going to manage that wealth for Mr. Benson?”

“Well, it’s what I do.”

“How is your relationship with Mason Morgan?” Payne said.

“He’s a fucking prick,” Austin snapped. “And what’s he got to do with any of this, Payne?”

“Interesting you say that. Camilla Rose told me that you said Mason Morgan was behind the shooting.”

“She said I said that?” He shook his head. “She told me that that was what she thought.”

“Did she say why?”

Austin appeared to think about that, then frowned.

“It’s no secret she didn’t like Mason,” he said. “Despised him, actually.”

“Any particular reason?” Payne said.

“I told you—he’s a fucking prick. Isn’t that reason enough?”

Payne didn’t respond.

He finally said, “I need to ask a personal question.”

“What?”

“Were you and Camilla Rose romantically involved?”

“What the hell?” Austin said. “How is that relevant?”

“Could you just answer the question?” Payne said.

Austin looked angry at first, then his expression changed, and he appeared to be measuring how he would respond.

“We were very close,” he finally said, the edge in his tone gone. “It was—she was—extremely complicated.”

“Were you intimate physically?”

Austin just looked at him.

“You mean, like, sex? Yeah, sure.”

Payne turned to Harris, and said, “Anything further for Mr. Austin, Detective Harris?”

“Not for now,” Harris said, tucking away his notepad and pen as he turned toward Austin. “Thank you for your time. I am sure we will be in touch soon. You’ll be at The Rittenhouse?”

“Yeah, soon as I can get the hell out of here,” Austin said, then added, “So, that’s it?”

“We’re all ears if you have something you’d like to add,” Payne said.

Austin looked up at the television. The newscast was showing a live shot of a female reporter standing outside the yellow police tape, the exposed front of the tent-covered Jaguar ten feet behind her.

“What’s going to happen with Camilla Rose?” he said. “I mean, right now? Next?”

Harris said, “She will be, as Mr. Benson was, taken to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy is required to determine exact cause of death.”

Austin, stone-faced, looked into the distance, then nodded slightly.