Page 44 of The Smart Killer
“I doubt that’s true,” Porter muttered.
“You know what, man, I don’t care. If you’re going to arrest me. Just do it. I’m tired of trying to prove myself to people. I made a mistake, okay.”
“There are mistakes and decisions; don’t confuse the two, Alejandro.”
“It’s the same thing.”
Porter continued, “No, putting my foot in the wrong shoe is a mistake; choosing to spy on people's home feeds is a choice.”
The cuffs clinked behind him as he shifted in the seat to get comfortable. “Like I told the cops back then. The first time, I had just forgotten to take out my user profile from their account. When I went to remove it, I was curious. I clicked on a few linksand saw a few of the feeds. You know, people condemn me and call me a pervert, but if they knew what I saw behind closed doors, they would be slapping the cuffs on more people.”
“Like what?”
“Abuse, cheating, rage, drug use, you name it. A lot of it comes from upstanding folks in town. Those we place on a pedestal. The same people who turned me in. But oh, no, the cops didn’t want to listen to that.”
“And I bet that got you really mad, right?” Noah said.
“Of course it would.”
“Enough to want to get back at them.”
Alejandro went to respond. He opened his mouth and then closed it. “Maybe back then, not now. Time inside changes a person. I don’t ever want to go back there. Besides, I’ve changed. I’m doing better. I got a church now.”
“Ah, you found God,” Porter said.
Noah caught the sarcasm in Porter’s reply. He wanted to say something. To speak up on Alejandro’s behalf. They weren’t paid to take a side but to stay neutral. Politics. Religion. Those kinds of things were off the table once they clocked into their shift unless it called for the focus to be there.
“No.” He dipped his head. “He found me.” Alejandro took a deep breath.
“So, you don’t know anything about the recent deaths?”
“Deaths?”
“Homeowners. Lakeridge homeowners,” Noah clarified.
Alejandro’s gaze bounced between them. “No. I ignore the news.”
“You sure about that?” Porter added, turning in his seat toward him. Alejandro's demeanor shifted; a darkness overtook his eyes. Noah saw him clench his jaw.
“My partner is asking, when was the last time you were in High Peaks?”
“The day of my arrest.” He motioned with his head. “If you dig a little deeper into my files, I think you’ll find that one of the conditions is that I’m not allowed to go anywhere near those homes. They are spread out in High Peaks. Roads pass them. I would be breaking the rules.”
“Wasn’t a problem for you before,” Porter added. “Why should we believe it’s a problem now?”
“Screw you,” Alejandro said.
“All right. Calm down.” Noah glared at Porter before looking back at Alejandro. “Are you currently driving?”
“I am. My mother’s gold Chrysler minivan.”
“So, if we happen to come across it in High Peaks in our video canvassing, there would be a good reason?”
“I’m sure my mother could give one. She’s the only one that would be driving there if she has gone there at all.”
Noah knew that trying to place him in the vicinity would be a long shot since they didn’t have an exact time on each of the deaths besides the house fire. And because all Lakeridge homes were in gated communities, unless the perpetrator had found a way in or was already in the area, chances were slim that he was involved.
“Besides, why would I place myself in a situation that could send me back?”
