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That seemed to infuriate Millard. He jumped to his feet and shouted, “Well, maybe Iamgoing to charge you, smartass.”

Andy rose too, though he managed not to shout his reply. “And another thing. If Quinn’s the psycho you think he is and he set out to kill Marcus, would he really stab him to death with an old letter opener? If this was premeditated, don’t you think he’d bring a more efficient weapon?”

Millard pressed his lips together.

“And what about DNA? Where’s the forensic evidence tying me or Quinn to the crime? I used that letter opener yesterday. My fingerprints should be all over it, but according to you, it was wiped clean.”

“I don’t know why you think that works in your favor.”

“Quinn would have worn gloves, and I wouldn’t try to get rid of fingerprints that weresupposedto be there.”

Millard shook his head. “None of that means a goddamn thing.”

“Okay, well, why wouldn’t Quinn try to hide the body? Or, if I’m supposed to be in on it with him, why wouldn’t we try to make it look like self-defense? Or an accident?”

“Maybeyou’renot involved,” Millard conceded, though at that volume it didn’t feel like much of a concession. “Maybe you didn’t know what he was up to, but IknowQuinn was involved. I can feel it.” He thumped his uniformed chest, although that could have indicated indigestion from all the coffee and doughnuts. “He’s in this up to his neck. Why else would we have found him searching Bok’s motel room? Answer me that. How could he know Bok wouldn’t be there?”

Yeah, that was a good question. And one Andy couldn’t answer. “I don’t know. He told me he was going to check on Marcus, make sure he was where he was supposed to be, while I filed the restraining order at the courthouse. He said if he couldn’t find Marcus, he’d let me know.”

Which he had not done. Instead, he’d broken into Marcus’s motel room.

Not good. Not reassuring.

Bok will not continue to be a threat to you. That, I can guarantee.

No.

Quinn had not killed Marcus. Andy would not—could not—believe that. Just like Millard, he felt it in his chest—althoughin Millard’s case, it was probably more about brass buttons than heart.

Andy said, “Only Quinn can answer that. Meanwhile, are you charging me? Or can I go see my uncle?”

Millard seemed to struggle with his feelings. He said finally, curtly, “You can go visit your uncle.”

As Andy turned to leave, Millard added, “But as far as I’m concerned, you’re not in the clear. You check in on Cutty, then get your butt back here. And your buddy, that asshole Quinn? He’s not going anywhere.”

Millard’s office door slammed shut behind Andy.

Every pair of eyes in the station seemed trained on him. Even the wanted posters on the bulletin board seemed to watch him suspiciously. He looked for, but did not see Ruthanne anywhere.

Great.

Now what?

He needed to check in on Uncle C. He needed to hire a lawyer.

He needed to find out what was happening to Quinn. Had Quinn been charged? Didhehave a lawyer? How did bail work? Would Quinn be granted bail? Quinn was only in this mess because of Andy, so it was Andy’s responsibility to do whatever he had to in order to get Quinn help.

After that, he needed to find a place to stay. Millard had already told him Time in a Bottle was being processed as a crime scene until further notice.

He needed…

One thing he didn’t need to worry about was getting down to the district courthouse to file a restraining order against Marcus. But that gave him no pleasure. Not even relief. Hewas still too shocked and horrified—and his own peril was too immediate—to feel much of anything.

He had wanted Marcus out of his life, but he hadn’t wanted him dead. He hadn’t loved him, hadn’t even liked him. He had been afraid of what Marcus might do, but he hadn’t yet reached the point of hating him. He could still remember how it had been between them at first. How charming Marcus had been. The romantic surprises and fun getaways. No one had wined and dined him like Marcus. No one had ever tried to sweep him off his feet before Marcus. When things had been going well for Marcus, Marcus had been terrific to be with.

When it was good, it was very good. And when it was bad…Andy had been afraid Marcus would kill him.

Marcus had not gone to Time in a Bottle last night for some benign reason.