Page 39 of So Lethal

“I do. Is that how you heard about us?”

“Actually, no. Your firm was recommended by Detective Ferris of the San Jose Police Department.”

“Ah. Yes, we do a lot of work for them.”

“We heard about your work at the community center through their website,” Faith explained. “I understand that you hosted a career fair for the hearing impaired a few months ago.”

Rebecca’s brow furrowed again. “Yes, I did.”

“And the following week, you moderated a support group for the hearing impaired.”

“I… yes, the support group leader was out with the flu. May I ask what this is about?”

“Do you remember Monica Smith, James Porter, and Sarah Martinez?” Michael asked.

Rebecca looked between the two agents and then at Turk, who stood in between them, tail switching slowly back and forth. Her eyes narrowed further. “I remember Monica Smith from the career fair. She was a graphic designer and amateur artist. There was a woman named Sarah in the support group who was involved in an altercation with another member of the group. I don’t remember her last name, and I don’t remember a James Porter. Can I ask what this is about? I thought I was here to provide interpretation services for you.”

“We’ll talk about that in a moment,” Faith said. “I’ll answer your question, though. Monica Smith, James Porter, and Sarah Martinez were all murdered over the past several days. They were strangled to death by a rubber ligature, probably a tourniquet.”

Rebecca blinked. Her eyes widened. “I remember now. This was on the news. I didn’t pay attention to the names, but now I get it.” She took a deep breath and chuckled slightly. “Sorry. I thought I was in trouble for a second. I’ll help out anyway I can. I didn’t know them well, but if there’s anything I can do to help you guys catch the people who did this, I will.”

“I appreciate that,” Faith replied. “Can you tell me where you were last night?”

Rebecca’s smile faded. “Oh my God. You think I killed them?”

“We’re just asking where you were,” Faith demurred. “We’re not charging you with anything. We’re just going through standard questions we always ask people of interest.”

“Well… If this is an interrogation, I would prefer to have a lawyer present.”

Faith lifted her hands. “Like I said, we’re not charging you with anything right now. It’ll just help us clear your name from the list if you can confirm your whereabouts.”

“Why did you have me come out here? Why wouldn’t you come to the office?”

Rebecca's voice was loud, and her words clipped. She was getting nervous. It wasn't a sure sign of guilt, but that coupled with her evasion of the question definitely made Faith suspicious. "If you can provide an alibi for last night, then it'll be clear to me that you're not our killer. That's all I'm asking you to do."

“Okay,” Rebecca snapped, getting to her feet. “This is… I can’t believe this. I want a lawyer. You guys are literally assuming I’m the killer because I happened to be in the same place as these guys months before their murders?”

“You happen to be the only person so far who has had contact with all three of our victims,” Faith said. “You would have had contact information for Monica Smith and James Porter because of their involvement with the event. You wouldn’t need Sarah Martinez’s address because you knew that she would be at the South Bay Community Center every Tuesday night. It wouldn’t take much work to figure out that she parked on the tenth floor so she didn’t have to interact with other people when she left the session.”

Rebecca pointed a finger at Faith’s nose. “This conversation is over. Screw both of you. Damned power-tripping asshole cops.”

“Quite the temper you have,” Faith observed.

Rebecca threw her hands in the air and shook her head at the ceiling as though to ask Heaven, are you hearing this? She turned on her heel and took two steps toward the door when Michael said, “Hey, Rebecca, why did you leave the San Leandro School for the Deaf?”

Rebecca froze and stiffened. Faith lifted an eyebrow and leaned forward. “Rebecca?”

Her lips trembled. She lifted a hand toward the handle but stopped before she grabbed it.

“Would it help if I said that I already know?” Michael asked.

She lowered her hand and turned toward them. Her face was white as a sheet. “If you already know, then why are you asking me?”

She looked like she meant that to be forceful, but her voice was thin and trembling when she asked that question. Michael kept his own tone gentle but his expression firm. “I’d like to know if we can count on your honesty. Otherwise, we’ll proceed with charges and go through the process of gathering hard evidence.”

Faith controlled her reaction. Michael was bluffing—rather dangerously in Faith’s opinion. They didn’t have remotely enough to charge Rebecca with a crime. Michael was banking that Rebecca’s anxiety would cause her to want to talk to them and get this over with as soon as possible.

And his bluff paid off. Rebecca took a shuddering breath and said, “I was fired for assault—I got into a fight with another teacher.”

---