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Leah Nervous around people No damn wonder
He had seen his share of Philip Latimers in the world Fucked-up bullies who preyed on the vulnerable Manipulation began with guilt, then harsh words, physical abuse and, all too often, murder
He was sorry the guy had died in the car accident It would have been a pleasure to deal with him personally
He dialed dispatch and left word for the officer who’d responded to Leah’s attack to call back He wanted to talk An hour later, Alex’s phone rang
“Officer Boyle,” Alex said He reached across his desk and pulled over a legal-size pad for notes “What can you tell me about the Leah Carson Latio The attacker was a Nashville cop Philip Latimer”
“Shit That was a long tihed “The husband worked for the county as a patrol officer I even crossed paths with hiuy”
“When did the stalking start?”
“Right after they separated”
“According to her co”
“It was And she filed for a restraining order against him Of course we’d been notified, but when Latimer’s boss talked to him, he swore he’d back off And he did for a few days” Another sigh full of regrets “We shouldn’t have believed hi Great eye for detail Never had a victiround, as if he leaned back “I heard Latimer died in a car accident”
“That’s what his wife told me”
“So why the call?”
“His name came up in another case Apparently, he crossed paths with Deidre Jones a few years ago”
“The detective as stabbed?”
“Yeah”
“That doesn’t make sense Like I said, he’s dead”
“Did Latimer have any friends or faes?”
“There were some officers in his departood job of painting her as hysterical and unstable But when he stabbed her, well, there was little to argue All his support was immediately withdrawn after that”
“You sure he didn’t have any faithful followers?”
“None that hit my radar I can ask around Where’s Leah Latimer—I mean, Carson?”
“She’s back in Nashville Works as a vet”
“How’s she doing?”
“She’s doing well”
A heavy silence lingered “That’s good She was a mess after the attack Hell of a lot of rehab But froet on with her life”
He thought about her running through the park in the earlyrain One foot in front of the other “Is there anyone who knew her then that I could talk to? Anyone ould have known her or Philip during that time?”
“You’ve got my files I don’t remember names, but there was an adviser at school ent out of her way to help her”
Alex rustled through the case file “Dr Susan Miller was her adviser That her?”
“She’s the one Give her a call”
Alex hung up and dialed Dr Miller’s cell On the third ring, there was a breathless, “Hello”
“Dr Miller?”
“Yes”
“This is Agent Alex Morgan with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation”
“It’s after ten, Agent Morgan”
“I’m sorry for the late hour” He explained the reason for the call
“Leah Carson” In the background, he could hear pots and pans rattling and water running The water turned off and the pots stilled “She was one of my favorite students Smart Great with animals Is this about her ex-husband?”
“Yes”
“Why’re you asking? God, hein hell”
Fury had hihter “What was she like before the troubles?”