Page 49 of In the Line of Ire

"Youbeing here is everything," said Solomon.

That wasthe moment my heart swelled with joy until I exploded.

"You'returning purple," said Solomon. "Are you choking?"

"I'mfine!" I grinned.

Henarrowed his eyes. "Something happened in your head. I don't knowwhat but it looked painful. Where did you put that list from yourmom? She probably has some ideas to fix that."

Ilaughed, then asked, "You're not serious?"

Solomoncrooked a smile. "Not one bit."

"Good.No more work talk tonight. It's just you and me now."

Solomon's smile broadened.

~

I wasn'tdue at the mall until just after midday so when Solomon headed intothe agency offices, I decided to pay a visit to my oldest brother.I happened to bump into one of my cousins in the lobby and he tookme up to Garrett's office in the homicide department, whileinsisting that we both join him and his family for dinnersoon.

"Youdon't look too thrilled," I said.

"Aboutdinner with Liam? Sounds okay to me."

"What'seating you then?"

"I hadto let Colin Strickland go."

"AlisonShore's ex? What? Why didn't you tell me?" I dropped into the chairopposite his desk and waited for the explanation.

Heraised his eyebrows. "I'm telling you now."

"Let meguess. It's because he didn't do it."

Garrettsighed. "It doesn't look likely. As it turns out, he does have analibi. He was just too drunk to remember it."

"Rocksolid?"

"Seemsthat way. We're back to square one."

"Wherewas Colin when Alison got killed?" I asked, growing morecurious.

"At abar, getting drunk. When the answer suddenly popped back into hishead, we checked it out. He's on camera inside the bar during thetime window of the murder and outside the bar a couple of hourslater trying to get into a taxi."

"Tryingtoget in?"

"He attempted aDukes ofHazzardmove, and thought leaping throughthe window was his best option. The driver disagreed."

"Youspoke to the driver?"

"No, wewatched the tape of the driver taking off while most ofStrickland's body and legs trailed alongside it. Strickland fallsout, staggers back to the sidewalk and gets into an Uber fiveminutes later. Real pathetic scene."

"Soundsit."

"I don'tthink he has the brains to fake the tape footage so unless he turnsout to be some kind of evil genius rather than just a very sadcase, he's been cleared for her murder. The Uber driver confirmedit too."

"Did youget anything out of him about his ex-girlfriend?"

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