Page 27 of Her Baby, Her Badge

“It looks like you,” Dutton volunteered, earning him a glare.

Wilson exploded with profanities and went on for several seconds. “This proves you’re lousy at your job, Sheriff Granger.” He tapped his badge. “I’m a cop, not a killer.”

Again, Grace managed to look unfazed by that. “Is that you in the sketch?” she asked. “And would you be willing to stand in a lineup so I can eliminate you as a suspect?”

If looks could have killed, Grace would have been dead. “No and no,” Wilson stated through clenched teeth. “It’s not me and I won’t be in a lineup that you’ve arranged to try to set me up.” He put his hands on his hips and his glare turned mocking. “You’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this theory. I didn’t know you could be so petty.”

“I need to eliminate you as a suspect,” Grace returned, sounding not petty but like the solid cop she was.

“This eliminates me.” Wilson tapped his badge again and started pacing. Not that he could go far in the small office, but he attempted it, all the while continuing to mutter profanities.

Grace jotted down a time and date on a note and slid it across the desk for Wilson to see. Dutton could see it was the info Jamie had given them. “I also need to know if you have an alibi for then.”

That definitely didn’t improve Wilson’s mood, but he whipped out his phone as if he’d declared war. He opened an app and scrolled through it. “I was at work that day. If you don’t believe me, you can call my dispatcher and ask for the duty rosters.”

“Did you leave work at any time?” Grace pressed.

Wilson attempted an answer, but his anger got the best of him, and he had to take a moment to settle. “Probably. That was two months ago, so I can’t say for certain, but I normally go out for lunch.” He stopped and surprised Dutton by not cursing, but sighing. “I didn’t kill two cops,” he insisted. “And I didn’t put on a fake beard and steal a knife.”

Grace didn’t say anything. She just sat there, waiting, with her eyes drilling into Wilson.

The man sighed again. “I’m going to give you some leeway here because you’re pregnant and hormonal,” Wilson said.

Again, Grace didn’t respond with venom. Though that’s what Dutton wanted to do. He suspected she did, too, but Grace merely sat and waited for Wilson to continue.

“I’m going to give you leeway,” he repeated. “Because we’re all on edge about these murders. Hell, my fiancée is a cop. I’m scared for her. Scared that the next time I kiss her goodbye before work, that’ll be the last time I see her. And then I come in here and you show me that.” He flung his index finger at the tablet. “It’s disgusting you think I could do any of this.”

“Yet I had to ask because this is part of the job,” Grace reminded him. She didn’t add more. Again, she just waited, and she didn’t have to wait long before Wilson pointed to the sketch again.

“The real killer wants you to think that’s me so you’ll go on a wild-goose chase and waste time. Time he or she will use to kill again.She,” he said with emphasis, staring at Grace.

For a moment, Dutton thought Wilson was about to accuse Grace of being the killer, but then he added something that had Dutton’s stomach twisting.

“Is Cassie a suspect?” Wilson pressed.

Grace didn’t alter her expression one bit. “Why do you ask that?”

“Because she sure as hell should be.” Wilson shifted his attention to Dutton now. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

“So you’re saying because Cassie is upset with our breakup that she’s gone on a killing spree?” Dutton countered. Though that very idea had occurred to him, especially since Ike had admitted that Cassie could have stolen the knife.

Wilson hesitated. Then he huffed. “I’m just saying that I hope Sheriff Granger is looking at this from all angles. That’s what good cops do.”

“Which is why she wanted to question you about the sketch,” Dutton quickly pointed out.

Oh, Wilson didn’t care for that, but he seemed to put a choke hold on spouting out any more profanities. “I like Cassie,” Wilson said. “I think she’s probably not the killer, but she has motive in spades. And I don’t want that motive spilling over to my fiancée just so a scorned woman can cover her tracks.”

“I don’t want that, either,” Grace assured him, and now she stood. “Trust me when I say the stakes are the highest for Dutton and me. It isn’t just our lives at risk, but also our child’s. I’llinvestigate anyone who might be the killer or anyone helping them.”

Wilson stared at her a long time as if looking for a way to punch holes in what she’d just said. He didn’t try that, though. “Call me the second you get lab results back on that blood you took from Elaine’s fiancé,” he demanded. And with that, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Grace stood there a moment before she blew out a long breath. Dutton saw the tremble in her hand then, but didn’t go to her. Though that’s exactly what he wanted to do.

“So much anger in him,” she muttered. “And, yes, I believe he’s capable of murder because he hates the two of us that much.”

Dutton wished he could disagree with that, but he couldn’t. As far as he was concerned, Wilson, Cassie and Brian were all suspects.

Grace winced a little and slid her hand over her stomach. “The baby kicked during that entire conversation.”

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