Page 4 of No Room to Breathe
Devyn summoned all the soothing vibes she could.“We’re human.I believe it’s part of the connection we all share,” she replied.“What we know in our heart and see with our eyes doesn’t always align.Whatever you’re feeling, Mrs.Archer, is exactly what you need to feel.Please, give yourselves time.And if I can help in any way you only need to call.”
The Archers thanked her, then the detective, and walked out.Devyn followed, resisting the urge to rush.
“One moment, Ms.Norris?”Hoffman said.“I have a couple more questions.”
Caught like a fish on a hook, she aimed a reassuring smile toward the Archers before closing the door.And she prepared for the gauntlet.
“Sit down.”
“No, thank you.”
Hoffman didn’t insist or pull any kind of power play.“Ms.Norris.”
“Devyn.”
The detective tipped her head.“Devyn.If you’ve got all this information on where the body has been all these years, why don’t you know who did it?”
Devyn chose the simplest answer.“Because that’s your piece of the puzzle.Finding the killer is your job,” she said.“If I had anything more to share, a name or location, I would give it to you.”
Hoffman frowned, her eyes hot now.She planted a hand on her slim hip.“You’re playing games.With them.With me.”
There it was.The unpleasant assumption that she was somehow involved in a crime.Accusations would come next.Not her first rodeo.Devyn merely had to weather the storm.“I’m not, though I won’t try to convince you.”She gave into a weary sigh.It had been an emotionally arduous morning.“Mr.and Mrs.Archer came to me.I offered them the information I found.It was their choice to invest in the extra investigator and the cadaver dog.”
“How did you find that information?”Her knuckles paled as she gripped the back of the chair in front of her.“How did you find the body?”
“I use non-conventional sources.”She could hardly discuss the abyss with a cop who already doubted her.
Hoffman swore.“Where were you when Charlene Archer was abducted?”
Devyn was impressed once more by the woman’s compassion as the detective provided the dates and locations from memory.She’d come prepared and without a word, she pulled the signed affidavit with supporting documentation from her purse.“This confirms my home address and all of my appointments for the day of Charlene’s disappearance and the following week.”She didn’t bother pointing out that she was neither male nor an expert in forensics.Her theories were nothing more than faint background noise for Hoffman right now.“You’ll be able to find plenty of corroboration,” Devyn added.
“You’d better hope so.”Hoffman scanned the affidavit, flipped up to skim the rest of the material.“Why did you do this?”
The skepticism was suffocating.One more reason Devyn avoided the police.“What exactly do you think I did?”The pressure in her chest continued to build—a painful crushing sensation that she wouldn’t be free of until she was out of here.Maybe not until she was out of the city entirely.
With precise movements, Hoffman folded the affidavit in half lengthwise.“You prey on victims.The Archers are good people and you fed them lies.Took their money.I should arrest you for obstructing justice.”
Her heart hurt for the detective.Finding the body was the first step towards justice.“The Archers are wonderful people,” she agreed.“And they deserved answers about their daughter’s fate.I’m sorry you’ve had bad experiences with others, Detective Hoffman.The Archer family sought me out.Once I realized I could help, I didn’t take any money from them.”
“You met with them free of charge?”she asked, clearly startled.
“I did.”Devyn didn’t expect the detective to believe her.And she’d warned the Archers that they’d likely have to field calls about her involvement.“As any lies, that’s just a cheap shot coming from a painful part ofyourpast.”Devyn was done playing nicely.She didn’t need to use her gifts to push deep to find that detail.“The cadaver dog and the official recovery of the remains speaks for my contribution toward bringing a killer to justice.”
Obstruction was nonsense.An empty threat.So far, there hadn’t been any justice for Charlene.
“Fine,” Hoffman snapped.“Go on then.”She glanced down at the papers Devyn had provided.“Feel free to go all the way back to Indiana.”
“That is my plan.”With her hand on the door handle, she paused, sensing one last question a moment before Hoffman voiced it.
“How do you know I’ll catch him?”
Devyn sighed.“Because you care.Charlene was more than a case number to you.”Devyn pressed her lips together, holding in the whole truth.She could hardly explain it was because Marlene had assured her the killer would be found and held accountable for his crimes.
Marlene’s gift for prophecy was incredibly accurate.Whether it happened today or a year from now, Devyn believed her mentor’s words would prove true.
“Do you want me to let you know when we find him?”
Devyn wondered if Hoffman noticed her confident phrasing.“I’ll leave that up to you.You have my number.”And with that, she walked out.
