Chapter 37

“You’re intentionally trying to hurt me,” he grumbles. “You’re lashing out because you don’t wanna go to the mayor’s tonight.”

I flatten my lips and stare straight at the home that must’ve cost millions, easily.Severalmillions. “Seems we both have to do things we don’t want to do today. Josey’s boyfriend?”

“Ex. And although we still have to confirm his alibi, I’m saying he’s not our guy. They broke up, but it all sounds pretty legit. They’d been together a long time, they were going in different directions, and they were both excited for what was coming next for them. They agreed to remain friends and hoped that, once things settled down in a few years, they could revisit the idea of meeting up again.”

“Sounds sweet…” I shrug. “Ish. Not sure I’d agree to the same. Either we’re in, or we’re out. I’m not interested in setting my relationship on a shelf until later.”

He chuckles. “Agreed. We tried it… Don’t recommend.”

Don’t recommend. At all.

“I suppose the difference is they’re still kids. They’ve never lived together, and they got that obsessive, wanna-be-with-you-every-second-of-the-day stuff outta the way a long time ago. She was getting ready to dive headfirst into an intense college degree that would keep her busy for a decade, at least, and he was gearing up for the military. They wanted to be mature and realistic about how that distance would look for them, but the dude—Caleb—seems genuinely fuckin’ distraught about all this.”

“And his alibi?”

“Tight as a nun’s backside. He waswithhis parents at a careers information evening thing. They were there from around three in the afternoon till well after dinnertime. He and Josey had texted a little earlier in the day: it was polite and came with the slight detachment of no longer being an official couple, but the familiarity of having been a couple for their entire teenage years. He mentioned where he was going and that he probably wouldn’t be able to chat for the rest of the day. They quickly touched on how she was due at the Carpenters at five-thirty, then she wished him luck with the careers thing, and that was that. It was friendly, but not chitchatty. We’ll pull CCTV from the careers expo to make sure he was where he says he was, but it’s a pretty ballsy alibi to claim if he can’t back it up.”

“Right.” Considering, I drop my chin and nibble on my bottom lip. “That clears his parents, too.”

“Mmhm. And since we’re going, Josey’s father is a violent offender with a rap sheet and a possible grudge to settle against his daughter.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because the last time he saw her, she humiliated him in public and told him to beat it.”

“Ouch.” As Harrison brings us to a stop in front of Justin’s house, I remain exactly where I am and consider it apt that we discuss Josey’s dad in the same moment I think of the paternal figures in my life. Steve: the comfort. Justin: the disciplinarian. Even Harrison, although he can’t be much older than me: the protector and slightly intolerant. “What happened?”

“He beat it, as far as we can tell. He’s a deadbeat who dropped in and out of her life over the years. Lots of promises, never delivered. Last time he tried to swing through again, she told him to fuck off.”

“And he has a violent history?” I grit my teeth. “How’s his alibi looking?”

“Watertight. He’s spending time at Folsom, and the warden’s got ears and eyes on his communications. It’s notimpossiblethat he paid someone to hurt her, but I’m not feeling it. This was closer to home.”

“It was personal. Her killer went looking for her, came prepared, avoided confrontation, and had no qualms about dumping her body. Twice. First, by pushing her from the driver’s seat, and again when they left the car and walked away.”

“Right. So we’re looking for a coward. They didn’t wanna duke it out with her. They didn’t even wanna look her in the eyes when it went down, and they sure as shit didn’t value her as a human being, considering the way they treated her once it was done. Josey went and pissed someone off. It could’ve been unintentional. Maybe she didn’t even realize she’d done it. It has a lover’s quarrel written all over it. Or rejected guy at a bar.”

“Or ‘that bitch stole my boyfriend’,” I murmur. “Women can be killers too, Archer.”

He exhales a pained chuckle, while right here in front of me, Harrison shakes his head and climbs out of the car. He comes to my door, but he doesn’t open it yet.It would be in poor taste to discuss such matters where the mayor can hear me.

“You’re still acting out,” Archer grumbles unhappily. “Saying these things because you don’t wanna go to dinner. Are you at Justin’s yet?”

“Yes. But I’m procrastinating by staying in the car and discussing work with my husband. What else did you find out today?”

“That you’d spend the next three hours on the phone if you could, not because youwantto speak to me, but because you especiallydon’twant to go inside.”

“Yeah, but?—”

“Skedaddle. Banks is coming out now, so I’m just ten minutes behind you.”

“But Archer?—”

“I’ll drop Detective Dipshit off, then I’ll run inside and have a fast shower at home. Ten minutes, babe, then I’ll be right ther?—”

“No shower!” I snatch up the dumb bottle of wine and hug it exactly where I hugged my shoe, and because Harrison issooogood at his job, he opens my door and pretends his smirk has nothing to do with my hardships or the dinners I don’t want to attend. “I expect youherein ten minutes, Detective. Not at our house. Not in our shower. Not trudging upthe stairs because you’re tired, and not sneaking into the kitchen because whatever Steve and Mary cooked smells better.Here.”

“Let’s go,” Drake barks on the other side of the line, followed by the heavy slam of a car door. “Stop wasting my time. I’ve got places to be.”