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"What do youdark, like Eli’s did

I shrugged "You know--his touch lingered way too long when cuffing or uncuffing ainst uess because I was a little junkie at the tiet aith it And he had I’d been privately scared of hiht or two in jail"

Phin sat quietly in the passenger seat and listened, his face growing angrier by the second, and I knew then that Detective Claude Murray was now on the Duprés’ lifelong shit list

"Hey," I said, and punched hiirl now, not solanced at h his shades, I kneas scowling "Right"

I parked the Jeep and popped some quarters in the ainst the wall and waited, arms folded over his chest, and I was led into the back When I glanced back, he had his cell phone out, and I kneas calling Eli Oh, boy Phin shrugged, and I continued down the hall

I knew the way, of course, and saw that things really hadn’t changed in ten years Claude aiting farther up the hall--the inside of the station rey white concrete walls and tile floors, wooden doors with little brown nameplates screwed onto theht back old, unwanted memories Claude sation roo out with old friends, Ms Poe?" Claude asked

"No Just went by for a few drinks"

Claude leaned over my shoulder "I have a witness that says she watched you enter the back roo nicey with hioes on back there"

I gave hilare "Get to the point, Detective Yes, I saw hiht, but so did hundreds of others When I left, he was very much alive"

"Alibi?" he asked

"Sure Why don’t you ask the doorman, Zetty? He watched me leave"

"Were you with anyone?" He walked around to face me "Oh--let me clarify that Were you with someone whose last name you knew?"

Prick "Yes"

Claude blinked and waited "Well, are you going to give ing Eli into this "Eligius Dupré, and I ith hiht"

"We’ll need to speak with hio now? I have an appointrin stretched over tobacco-stained teeth "I bet you do" He inclined his head "You’re free to go But we may need to drop by and have a look around"

I stood and shrugged "Be ave him a look that I hope mirrored my revulsion "Later, Claude Much, much later"

I walked out and let the door sla area, Eli stood next to Phin and Luc, an infuriated look on his face I walked up to him "I’m sorry--but he wanted to know if I’d been with anyone at the time we left the Panic Room" I felt awful "He wants to talk to you" I lowered , and I guessed that meant no He walked to the counter and spoke to the clerk, and within seconds another officer escorted hilanced at Phin "Did you tell hi?" I asked