Page 57 of The Sinner's Son

“Mama. I’m okay.” Dane cried, too, as he carefully placed his hand on her head.

“You jackass,” Cayden rasped. “You scared us to death.” He came around to the other side of the bed, and Royce moved out of his way. Cay crashed into Dane’s chest hard enough to make the air whoosh from his lungs.

A genuine smile cracked Dane’s face. “Missed you too, Cay.”

Royce caught Dane’s attention and gestured that he was going to step out and give them privacy.

Dane nodded and mouthed, “Thank you.”

Sawyer was still in the ER waiting room, but he wasn’t alone.

Alec saw Royce first and rushed forward with a desperate expression on his face. “How is he?”

“They’re still evaluating Dane’s condition,” Royce said, “but so far, the consensus is that he’s dehydrated and a little banged up. They’ll know more soon.”

Sawyer hugged Royce tight, his relief a palpable thing. Families rarely got their loved ones back alive after an abduction, so they were incredibly lucky Cory hadn’t killed Dane. Perhaps Katie’s assumption was correct. Taking Dane was a spur-of-the-moment thing, but then he didn’t know what to do with him. He trusted Katie would get to the bottom of it soon, and he wanted to be there when she did.

Alec stood at the two-way mirror with rigid posture and his arms crossed over his chest. On the other side of the glass, Cory Sands sat alone in an interrogation room and seemingly returned his stare. “He can’t see or hear us?” Alec asked.

“No,” Sawyer said.

Alec had resisted Sawyer’s suggestions to go home and rest now that Dane was safe. But his sense of responsibility wouldn’t allow it, no matter what he or Royce said. Sawyer had assured Alec that Katie would leave Cory on ice for as long as necessary while she searched his house for every piece of evidence she could use to get a confession. He’d promised to call Alec in time so he could return to the precinct and observe the interrogation, but Alec had insisted on staying, choosing to catnap in the conference room where he worked. The fatigue had really done a number on Alec if he thought Cory possessed a supernatural skill that allowed him to see or hear through the glass.

But then Alec turned back to the mirror, and Cory’s mouth curved into a deranged smirk. It had to be a coincidence, right? “Don’t suppose you’d let me have a few minutes alone with him before Detective O’Connell gets here?” Alec asked.

“No,” Sawyer repeated.

Royce leaned close and whispered, “He’s growing on me.”

Sawyer elbowed him and bit back a snort. Of course, Royce would like Alec when he wanted to go rogue. “He won’t get away with what he’s done.”

“Should’ve never started this,” Alec said. “I’ve psychoanalyzed every part of my personality to make sure I was nothing like Andrew.” He lifted his arms and ran both hands through his hair. “I told myself a hundred times to forget about those trinkets before they consumed me. And who was I to think I could solve something the FBI couldn’t?”

“More like wouldn’t,” Royce said.

Alec dropped his hands and shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I never should’ve come here. Dane and his family didn’t deserve to get caught up in my bullshit.”

“Wait a minute,” Sawyer said, deciding it was time for some tough love. “If not for you, Monica Horton’s family would never have known what really happened to her. You were the one who found the connection with the photographer and the red Camaro. You were the one who made the FBI stand up and take notice. That’s no easy feat.”

“It’s hard as hell,” Royce chimed in.

“And now, they’re not only reviewing your evidence in Monica’s case. They’ve invited you to sit at the big kids’ table and have promised to help you match up the rest of the trinkets.” Sawyer looked at Royce. “Has the FBI ever asked you to assist them?”

Royce shook his head adamantly. “Stonewalled me at every turn.”

Alec’s mouth twitched at the corners. “Are you guys playing good cop and better cop to cheer me up?”

“Nah,” Royce said. “This is us being completely honest with you. Maybe you got a little overzealous sometimes in yourpursuit of justice, but your heart was in the right place. I can see that now.”

“Thanks,” Alec said. “I appreciate it.”

The door to the interview room opened, and the trio turned their attention to the glass as Katie and a police officer sat down at the table. The smirk slid off Cory’s face when he gave them his full attention. Katie noted the date and time and the participants in the room for the recording. She read Cory his rights again since a few hours had passed since his arrest. “Do you still wish to waive your right to counsel?”

“Yes.” Cory raised a cuffed hand as high as he could and waggled his fingers in the air. “Hi, Alec.”

“Mr. Bishop isn’t in the room,” Katie stated.

“Not in here,” Cory said. “In there. Watching. Listening. Like I did with him and his whore. People who live in houses on a public beach shouldn’t fuck in front of their wall of windows.”