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But why?

What was so goddamn important?

“You have two minutes and not a minute more.” I pulled out my phone and held it up, waving it around. “I already have Peter’s number up and waiting.”

Karl nodded and then carefully reached his hand toward his jacket pocket, fishing out what I suspected was a court subpoena—or at least that’s what it looked like. It was hard to tell from where I was standing, so I had to squint.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Ben brought this to me a few days before we’d ever finalized the divorce. Kate’s parents have been trying to overthrow the department’s decision against me for months now. They’ve hired a private investigator and are trying to have charges brought up against me for vehicular manslaughter, amongst other things.”

I let out a scoff, shaking my head as I processed the information.

So that’s why he was here.

All because of his dead mistress.

Kate.

“I already know what you’re going to say,” he started before I could ever get a word out. “And you’re right, I have no goddamn business coming here asking you for anything after everything I’ve done. I know I hurt you, Charlotte, and I’m sorry. I can’t take any of it back, but what I need you to understand is that none of this shit—the stalking, the violence—none of it had to happen if you’d have just talked to me and listened. Nobody fucking else will and you’re literally the only person I can trust.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Kate and I were being followed, Charlotte. I don’t know for how long, but somebody knew we were seeing each other. I was receiving threats because of it.”

His words had me inhaling a sharp, trembling breath.

Just what kind of game was he trying to play here?

“I don’t have any evidence. I got rid of everything months ago because I thought it was all a bluff at first. But it wasn’t. As time went on, Kate started receiving them too.”

Karl paused, gulping loudly as he licked his lips.

“She wanted us to run away together, and had I not still been so madly in love with you at the time, I probably would have. But what everyone doesn’t know is that I ended things with her, Charlotte. I’d chosen you. I broke up with her the night of the accident.”

“Your point, Karl?” I asked through gritted teeth, really not in the mood to play this bullshit mind game with him anymore.

“My point is that I think what happened wasn’t an accident. When I picked up Kate that night, my truck was fine. I took her out to dinner and then broke the news as I was taking her home. She was a wreck. I tried to calm her down, but then the next thing I knew, my brakes weren’t working. We flew straight through the intersection, and then, BAM, it was too late—there was literally nothing I could do. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital and finding out Kate was dead.”

“Are you done now? Your two minutes ended thirty seconds ago.”

The last bit of hope inside of him died as his shoulders slumped, his features falling in what obviously had to be a torturous act of defeat. “You don’t believe me.”

“Sorry,” I said with a careless head shake. “I don’t.”

“Just think about it for a second—”

“I don’t have to do anything, Karl. You said what you needed to say, and now you need to leave. Any concerns you have about your case need to be taken up with Ben.”

“You don’t understand,” he screamed when I made to turn away, halting me in my tracks and forcing me to tap the CALL button, praying Peter would answer. “Ben won’t listen to me! Nobody fucking will!”

I was glad I listened to my instincts, because no sooner than I took off running for the house, Karl came charging after me, demanding I stop and listen to him. Once I made it inside the house and had my alarm set, I cautiously peeked out the window to find him heading back to his car, furiously kicking the gravel as he went.

twenty

Phoenix

Ifinished gathering my wallet, keys, and then rose to my feet, anxious to get down to the lab as soon as possible. Harley Ford must’ve struck the fear of God into the forensic squad because it was a little after 7pm and I’d just received the call I’d been waiting for. With any luck, we’d have some answers and would hopefully be one step closer to putting this son of a bitch behind bars.