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“Love and hate,” Deke said, raising two crossed fingers, “are both powerful emotions”
Tyler stood “I’ my lawyer”
Alex studied him “We haven’t made any accusations”
Tyler shook his head “I’ed spouse That puts me at the top of the list I knoorks Throw me under the bus and tell everyone you’ve closed the case”
Alex took a deliberate step into Tyler’s space His voice was low, but his words were as cutting as broken glass “Sheriff Radcliff, I go by the evidence and only the evidence I don’t care about statistics or the easy way out If you’re innocent, then we’re square and you won’t seetoto nail you to the wall”
“I was in law before you got out of high school Take your best shot”
Alex’s even white teeth flashed into a very unfriendly smile “I will”
Alex thought back to the numbers in Deidre’s personal phone, found in her purse Leah Sister Husband Work And the name Tracy Donovan
He pulled up in front of a brick office building located north of the city Straight lines, neatly triles; it wasn’t a surprise when he glanced at the sign out front, which read Hall Engineering
He parked and ht toward the desk of a receptionist She had frosted blond hair, pale skin, and dark brows that lanced up at Alex, her expression clicking from bored to interested in a blink
“Can I help you?” She tugged a phone headset from her ears and rose
“I’ineer”
“Can I tell her who’s here?”
Alex pulled his badge froan, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation”
Her eyes widened “Sure Be right back”
She vanished around a corner, leaving him a moment to pace the carpeted lobby Within seconds, whispered conversations buzzed as the receptionist wove her way through the maze of cubicles
A tall woman with short, dark hair appeared in the reception area She wore no makeup, a black pantsuit with a white shirt, and very sensible flat black shoes
“Agent Morgan?” Her voice was crisp and sharp, like the lines of the building
“Yes, ma’am”
“What’s this about?”
“Deidre Jones Is there somewhere private we can talk?”
A frorinkled an already stoic face “There’s a conference rooht here” Her strides were efficient, no wasted movement, and she twisted the door handle with a sharp flick of the wrist She flipped on the lights in the room and held the door open for him until he entered, then quietly closed the door behind him
Alex waited until she sat before taking a seat across from her “Thank you for your time”
“What’s going on with Deidre?”
“When’s the last time you saw her?”
The frown deepened “It’s been a fewon?”
He tapped an index finger on the polished wood table “She was found dead in her apart”
Tracy’s ertips to her mouth “Dead? That doesn’t make any sense at all What happened?”
“She was murdered”
Tracy leaned back in her chair and squeezed the bridge of her nose “You’ve got to have made a mistake Deidre could take care of herself”
“I agree She was a top-notch detective One of the best”
“Who would kill her?”
“That’s what I’ about her? I’ve spoken to people orked with her over the past few years, but no one knew much about her personal life”
Tears glistened, and Tracy had to clear her throat a couple of times before she could speak “We’ve been best friends since first grade Our mothers were friends”
“As I understand it, her parents are dead and she has a sister Is that right?”
“Yeah Her sister’s name is Joy Joy Martin”
“She’s scheduled to arrive in town this evening”
“Joy and Deidre didn’t get along and hadn’t spoken in a couple of years”
“Was there bad blood?”