Page 66 of Resist Me Not
“You’re just speculating.”
“Am I?” He puts his hand over the flash drive, tapping it like how the tell-tale heart must have sounded to its killer—but not for me.
If I act now, from here, the detective will have too much time to react, maybe even draw his gun. I can’t risk that. I need him closer.
“You are an accomplice if you don’t come clean, Doctor Hammond,” the detective continues. “You are just as at fault as he is if you continue to protect him and lie to me. This is your last chance. I only came to you first to give you that chance. Because I think you do believe in first do no harm and that you want to do the right thing.”
I wish I could see Walker’s face. I wish I could read whether he was crumbling.
That he does not immediately answer says something of his resolve, but it is not great either, because his hesitation makes him look guiltier.
“I can show you the evidence if you like,” the detective says. “It took a lot of digging to acquire it and right now only I know it exists. But be aware that I am submitting this into evidence tomorrow, and if I do that before you make a deal with me, I can’t protect you from suffering the same fallout as your boyfriend.”
I have to act. I have to act now, even if it means the gun going off.
Walker is going to panic.
“You made espresso, doctor? For me?”
“Um… y-yes? I needed something to wake up after the flight.”
“Strange…” The detective circles Walker, so I can finally see him again. He is panicking, one hand trembling at his side, asthe detective moves to where I set the espresso to cool. “You seemed surprised to see me, so I figured you had only just gotten my messages.”
“I, uh… well, um… like I said, with my fellowship starting tomorrow—”
“May I see your ID for a moment?”
“Why?”
“Just something I need to check.”
Walker complies, the habitual human reaction to always do what authority asks. He holds his ID out after removing it from his wallet. “What about it?”
The detective does not take the ID, only glances at it long enough to say, “Happy birthday. Whose wallet is this?” He nods down at the kitchen island.
Shit.
“Mine!” Walker lies, with far too much force like this entire interaction. “I needed a new one.”
“This doesn’t look brand-new to me. May I take a look?”
“No.” Again, too forceful, too panicked.
“And why not?” The detective circles further around the island to reach it. “I assume it’s empty if it’s new.”
It’s not empty because it’s mine and the detective knows it.
“Maybe I’m in the market for a new one myself—”
“It’smine.” Walker grabs it off the counter before the detective can. “And I already have sensitive things in here, so—”
“Mr. Fisher!” the detective calls out, ignoring Walker and turning away from him to move deeper into the apartment. Finally toward me. “Best if you come out now!”
Leaping from the laundry closet will not make this an easy scuffle. I am going to have to try to incapacitate him as quickly as possible. I ready myself as he nears me, blocking my view of Walker again. He seems about to check this closet first, and I am a trap ready to spring.
“This will all be easier for you both if—”
But the detective cuts off, body stiffening, eyes bulging, and for one brief moment, he clutches back behind him, only for his wide eyes to turn glassy as he drops.
