Page 79 of Rookie Days

“Yeah. Spoken like a true cop.”

Edison was in boxer shorts with a bath towel around his neck when he opened the door. Hair wet from a recent shower, he did nothing to hide the suspicion in his dark brown eyes as he looked them up and down.

“Yes?” he grunted in greeting. “What do you want?”

“Mr. Edison.” Ellie flashed her badge. “I’m Detective James and this is Lieutenant Wesley. May we come in?”

“What for? I’m getting ready for work.”

“This won’t take long, I promise. We just need to ask you a few questions.”

“About?” the man snarled.

Clearly, he was not a morning person.

“We’re investigating the rape and murder of two women in Lewiston,” Ellie told him, loud enough for a female neighbor just coming out of her own apartment to hear. “It might be better to have this discussion inside.”

Begrudgingly, Edison let them in.

“You’ll have to be quick about it because I need to get to the office. What murders? What’s that got to do with me?”

Ellie noticed boxes in the corner, and the empty look of the apartment.

“Just moved in?” she asked.

“Moving out. Not a crime, is it?”

“Certainly not.”

“Then spit it out, Detective. I’m busy.”

Ellie briefly glanced at Quinn to see what she was making out of this. Her lieutenant stood slightly off to the side with both arms crossed over her chest and her eyes fixed on the guy. She was watching him with the silent focus of a tiger about to strike. Alright then. Enough polite conversation. Ellie could do in your face too, for sure. In fact, she preferred that approach.

“The victims were nurses from Lewiston General who were involved in the resuscitation attempts of your sister three years ago,” she said, and waited for his reaction.

Edison froze in place. His mouth dropped open in surprise, though whether it was at the news, or the mention of his sister’s name out of the blue, Ellie could not establish for sure. He did look stunned, definitely, though only for a brief moment before the emotion turned to anger.

“They got away with murder three years ago. Literally,” he snapped. “Am I glad they’re dead? Fuck, yeah!”

chapter 26

From the corner of her eye, Ellie saw Quinn take a step forward and move her right hand slowly to her weapon.

“Sir,” she said with a peaceful gesture of the hand. “Please, if you would just—”

“I’m not finished,” he barked. “Justice was served as far as I’m concerned. I don’t care what it sounds like, I’m not going to lie and tell you I’m sorry. But I had nothing to do with it. How dare you accuse me of rape and murder?”

“I’m not accusing you of anything,” Ellie said more firmly this time. ”As soon as we can confirm your whereabouts for the times of the murders, we’ll get out of your hair. Now, if—”

“Fuck it!”

He moved so fast that she could not stop him, but Quinn was closer and already on the move. She reached him just as he was about to plunge his hand in an open drawer, and pulled him back sharply.

“Not so fast.”

“Get your hands off me!” he fumed.

“Just step back,” Quinn instructed. “And calm down.”