Page 14 of Last Seen Alive
The feeling was entirely mutual, but Amanda tamped down a sharp response. She pulled from the patience and tolerance she got from her mother. “Maybe I should have said they didn’t share anyfactualevidence with me. Would you be so kind as to do so?”
Graves listed off exactly what she’d just heard from Hudson and Ryan. Nothingfactualabout any of it.
“When is the autopsy scheduled on… Ms.Smith?” She’d use the name on the ID.
“You don’t need to concern yourself with that, Detective Steele, as it’s not your case.”
“Sure, but Logan Hunter is still an acquaintance of mine.”
“Huh, I would have pegged your relationship as much more than that.”
Amanda took a beat and let the sergeant’s remark roll off her. “Sure, we’re friends, and because of that I know he didn’t kill that woman.” The declaration was out, and while she’d been leery to take sides so adamantly last night, she felt sure that there was something hinky with this case. She certainly didn’t agree with the way it was being handled. The two guns, the different ID when Logan swore it was Claire… the unclear motive. None of it was being questioned.
“We like to think we know the people we are sleeping with. Trust me, I understand.”
Amanda wasn’t about to touch on the sergeant’sI understand. “Why are you so set against Mr.Hunter?”
“I assure you it’s nothing personal at all. I’m looking at the evidence, and with you being so close to the situation it would make sense if you can’t see clearly.”
“I can see perfectly.” Her redheaded temper was at the boiling point now. “I want to take this case.”
“No way is that going to happen. You should just be happy that I didn’t have you brought in last night too.”
Wow.Amanda took a few deep breaths. Nothing would be accomplished by verbally attacking Graves like a raving lunatic. “I went to talk to him this morning. You told the officers not to let me.”
“That’s right. You can’t be jeopardizing this case, Steele. It’s abhorrent enough that you suggested a suspect request a lawyer.”
“You made your stand on that clear last night.”
“Perhaps not clear enough. If you ever recommend a suspect lawyer up again, you’ll be turning in your badge.” Graves held eye contact and then shuffled some paperwork in front of her. “That’s all.”
Amanda got up and left. She was steaming mad. Threatened with losing her job twice in less than twelve hours. First, if she didn’t leave Logan’s at Graves’s request last night, and now if she ever suggested a suspect get a lawyer again. Where the hell did the woman get off? But she couldn’t keep Amanda from Logan forever, and she wasn’t without recourse. She could go right to the top and appeal to Chief Buchanan, but she would prefer to hear more of what Logan had to say before she did that. There were oddities in this case, and they couldn’t be ignored.
The ID was the burning mystery in Amanda’s mind. If the dead woman was Logan’s wife, which Amanda believed she was, that meant the ID was a fake. But why had she needed it? Logan had mentioned that the private investigators he’d hired to find her had failed at every turn. It was like she hadn’t wanted to be found. And why would that be? Had she been running from something—someone—that had finally caught up with her?
Amanda went back to her cubicle when she should have gone to her sister’s to pick up Zoe. But there was no way she could relax knowing what Logan was up against.
She googled Claire Hunter, keeping off the police database. Graves could see who her detectives pulled backgrounds on, and Amanda supposed if she were desperate enough, she could track search history too. Oh well, she’d take the risk.
No results.
Amanda keyed inDeb Smith. Nada.
Two women, possibly the same one, with no online presence. It was curious in the least. These days it took effort to exist without any online presence, and those who did usually had their reasons. Were Claire’s nefarious ones? Or did she want to be invisible because she was hiding from someone? Could fear explain her departure from Logan’s life? WhowasClaire Hunter? And was it her secrets that got her killed?
There was a shadow in the opening of her cubicle. Amanda looked up to see Natalie.
“Mr.Hunter’s lawyer has requested a meeting with you and his client.”
Amanda got off the internet, flicked her monitor off, and stood. “Lead the way.”
Natalie did just that and took Amanda to the same conference room in which she’d given her statement. Natalie got the door and shut it behind Amanda, staying outside in the hall.
“Amanda, thank God.” Logan let out a deep breath and raked a hand through his hair. He got to his feet and hugged her. She let him and put her arms around him too. She didn’t want their embrace to end because when it did, she knew the nightmarish reality would return with a thud. Still, it couldn’t be put off forever. She stepped back and looked at him.
He had dark shadows under his eyes, and they were bloodshot. She’d guess he hadn’t slept that well, if at all, last night.
Peter Wilson, the lawyer, dipped his head at her. “Detective Steele.”
