Page 21 of The Lost Bones
He shook her hand. “Sorry, I’ve got my son. The sitter cancelled.”
“Don’t worry about it. He can hang out around the lounge. A lot of vending machines there. Have you met Detective Mackenzie Price yet?”
Turner smiled. “Yes, yes, we just did. I’m Andrew. Robbie, will you be all right waiting in the lounge for me?”
Robbie nodded.
“It’s a building full of cops. Safest place to be,” Rivera said good-naturedly. “Let’s head to the conference room.”
Mackenzie pulled out a bag of Skittles from a drawer and offered it to the boy. “If your dad doesn’t mind.”
“Thank you.” Robbie almost blushed before being escorted away by a uniformed cop.
In the conference room, everyone got settled in. Rivera introduced Andrew to Sully and Nick. Peterson organized his notes, swallowing hard, like he wanted to make a good impression at the meeting. Mackenzie sat next to him and gave him a reassuring smile.
“Dr. Andrew Turner is one of the best profilers in the Pacific Northwest,” Rivera declared. “He’s been wanting to consult with the Lakemore PD for months, but it wasn’t on the cards until now.”
Mackenzie and Nick looked at each other skeptically. No one ever came to Lakemore without an agenda.
Andrew seemingly sensed the surprise and interjected, “I’ve been following a lot of your cases and how their outcomes are so closely linked to your town’s culture. The cross-section between crime and society is an interesting topic, and Lakemore is a prime example, making it a fascinating study.”
“Glad we can accommodate your academic pursuits,” Mackenzie mumbled under her breath, and Nick almost choked on his coffee. Fortunately, no one else had heard her.
“Dr. Turner, you’re aware of the case details?” Sully asked. “One of our own detectives is being targeted.”
Andrew looked at Mackenzie curiously. “Yes, indeed.”
“Do you think it could be someone I was responsible for imprisoning or something?” Mackenzie asked. “This is personal.”
“I don’t believe so.” He shook his head. “Whoever this is doesn’t hold a grudge against you or even despise you in any way.” He opened his copy of the case files and pushed forward pictures of the two messages—the one on the wall and the other in Sophie’s pocket. “You’re welcome, Mackenzie. I will always protect you, Mackenzie. This is someone with an obsession with you.”
Sully groaned. “Rotten luck, Mack.”
“It’s not luck.” Andrew’s eyes twinkled. “It’s the documentary. Detective Price is not only famous in Lakemore, but also a familiar face around all of Washington. People often become obsessed with celebrities, and even go on to display violent tendencies like breaking into their homes.”
“What doesI will always protect you, Mackenziemean?” Peterson asked. “The victim, Courtney Montenegro, was a former classmate of Detective Price.”
Mackenzie stiffened. She hadn’t told anyone that Courtney had bullied her. But Andrew picked up on her reaction, and a knowing smile curled his lips. “I think Detective Price can shed more light on her relationship with the victim. My guess is that it wasn’t a good one.”
All heads turned to Mackenzie expectantly.
She gritted her teeth. “She used to bully me.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Nick asked.
“Because it was in the fourth grade!” She rolled her eyes. “It’s ancient history. I forgot she even existed.”
Rivera pressed her lips into a thin line. “The killer did their research into you.”
“This is absurd. It’s not like Courtney was still a factor in my life.”
“This person is killing people, Mack.” Sully grabbed a cookie with his fat fist and munched on it, his stress-eating habit kicking in. “I don’t think we should expect them to be reasonable.”
“But why kill Sophie?” Nick wondered aloud. “Mack’s never even met her.”
Before anyone could venture a guess, the phone rang. Rivera put it on speaker. “Becky, you finished with the post?”
“Yes.” Becky’s voice filtered into the room. “Much like with Sophie Fields, there was no evidence of sexual assault. There was minor bruising on her arms and mastoid.”
