Page 74 of Dirty Looks

The drive to the Lidles’ was somber, though my skin tingled with anticipation at the arrest of Peter and Tiffany Bancroft. It felt good to get the bad guy, and I could admit I wanted them to go down hard. Part of me hoped they resisted arrest just a little bit.

I could see police units parked at the entrance to the neighborhood, and there was another unit parked a few houses down.

Jack parked once again in front of the big family home of the middle Lidle brother, and Martinez was right behind him. There was an electric energy surrounding us as we made our way to the door and rang the bell.

Everett Lidle answered the door, his eyes red rimmed and his clothes disheveled.

“I just can’t do any more today,” he said. “I’m sorry. We just can’t. Whatever questions or information…I’m at the breaking point. My wife is already past the breaking point. Please give us some space.”

“I’m sorry, Everett,” Jack said. “But we’ve got some important information for you about the case.”

There was a spark of hope in his eyes. “You’ve got something? You found him?”

“Yes,” Jack said. “Can we come in?”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, stepping back to let them in. “Peter and Tiffany are here too. They wanted to help, but they were just about to leave. We just need to be together as a family. Me and Jenny and the girls.”

“Perfectly understandable,” Peter said, helping his wife put on her jacket. “Just know that we’re only a phone call away.”

“We know,” Everett said. “And we appreciate it. Just give us a couple of days. Jack just came by to let me know they’ve made progress on the case. They’ve found Evie’s killer.”

“Thank God,” Tiffany said, shuddering. “I can’t imagine a monster like that being out among regular people.”

“Can’t you?” Jack asked menacingly.

She laughed and put her hand to her sweater set, this one in yellow today. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Detective Martinez,” Jack said.

“I’m going to need you to roll up your sleeves and show me your arms, Peter,” Martinez said.

“I beg your pardon?” Peter asked, looking at Tiffany and smiling as if they were sharing some kind of joke that no one else was in on. “I think everyone is short on sleep. You guys aren’t making any sense.”

“We can do it the easy or the hard way,” Martinez said. “I’ve got an arrest warrant for both of you. And believe me, I’d love to do this the hard way after the last couple of days. Now roll up your sleeves or I’ll do it for you.”

What remaining color that had been in Everett’s face drained and he swayed violently. “I don’t understand. What are you saying?”

“Sleeves,” Martinez said again. “Now.”

A look so full of hatred passed across Peter’s eyes I almost took a step back. But he stood there and looked at us defiantly and unbuttoned the cuffs of his dress shirt. And then he pulled up the sleeves. There were deep groove marks that cut into his skin—nail marks—Evie Lidle’s nail marks.

An inhuman sound came from Everett Lidle and he launched himself at Peter, knocking him to the ground, his fists making contact with every inch of flesh he could find as he pummeled relentlessly.

Martinez and Jack both waited longer than usual to wade in and separate the two men. Martinez got hold of Everett and lifted him to his feet.

“You were my friend!” Everett screamed, charging toward Peter again.

Jack had Peter on his stomach with his knee in his back and his hands in cuffs before I could blink. And then he jerked Peter to his feet. His nose was obviously broken and his face was covered in blood.

Everett’s screams had turned to sobs as the betrayal set in, and Martinez just held him in a loose embrace, letting him yell and cry at a man he thought he could trust.

Jack took out another set of cuffs and stared at Tiffany. “Turn around.”

The look in his eyes must have been enough to convince her not to try anything, because she turned and willingly put her hands behind her back.

“I know my rights,” Peter said. “You need to take me to a doctor. I need medical attention.”

“Shut up,” Jack said. “You have the right to remain silent…”

---