Rogue

by Izzy Gomez

  “We won’t keep you, then.” Al pulled his notebook from his pocket, readied his pen.

  Amanda let Al do the note taking. She’d observe Hank’s behavior, his body language. She was good at reading people and she’d been there the day Hank was born. She knew his ticks.

  Besides, Brown couldn't get too mad at her for just sitting there.

  “We just need to get a few preliminaries out of the way,” Al said pleasantly. “Where were you on Monday night? About nineish.”

  “You think I killed my mom? She’s my mother!” Hank looked indignant.

  “It's standard procedure," Al said mildly. "A lot of times, people are killed by someone they know. Sometimes even family. So we like to eliminate as many suspects as possible. Don't want to go chasing false leads.”

  She couldn’t afford to be biased, but of Karen’s family members, Hank was at the top of Amanda’s list.

  “Then maybe they should be questioning you.” Hank sneered at Amanda. “You hated her. You and Todd both.”

  “Amanda was working. Todd was at a medical conference in Bloomington.” Al’s tone remained even and reasonable even though Amanda knew he didn’t like Hank on general principle. Al took issue with anyone who hurt her. “Now we’re asking you.”

  “I was here.”

  Hank wrinkled his nose and blinked rapidly as he spoke. Blinking was classic body language when someone was lying. The nose wrinkle was Hank’s personal tell. Every time he’d played the sweet, wronged little brother and lied to get her and Todd in trouble, he’d blinked and wrinkled his nose.

  “Working late?” Al asked as he wrote.

  “I had a big meeting this morning. I’ve been preparing for it all week.” Hank’s jaw tightened as he glared first at Amanda, then Al.

  “Who else was here with you?”

  “I was alone. Everyone else went home.”

  “So no one can verify you were here?” Al asked.

  Hank’s lower jaw jutted out as it always did when he was backed into a corner. “No.”

  Al nodded slowly. Hank shifted and ran his palms up and down his thighs.

  Amanda bit back a smile. Some days she really loved her partner.

  She leaned forward, put her elbows on the edge of the desk. “Listen, Hank. You were closer to your mom than I was. Do you know anything that might help us find who did this? A friend she pissed off? A colleague?”

  Hank’s eyes – identical to Dad’s eyes and Todd’s – narrowed. “Which one of you is the good cop and which is the bad?”

  Al chuckled. “You watch too much TV. We don’t play those games.”

  Hank watched Al for a moment, then turned back to Amanda. “She was having an affair.”

  Chapter 6

  She should probably have more reaction to hearing the news for the first time. But Amanda's only thought was, Sounds about right. It fit for the Wicked Stepmother to have an affair. Dad may have put her first, before his own kids, but Karen never returned the loyalty. “For how long?”

  Hank shrugged as he sat back in his chair. He looked more at ease now that the spotlight was off him. “Few months. Maybe even a year. Emily knows more about it. You should ask her.”

  Al scribbled in his notebook. “Do you know who the guy was?”

  Hank’s computer made a pinging sound. Amanda glanced over to see he had a new email.

  She nodded toward it. “Need to get that?”

  Hank shook his head. “I wanna get out of here. Get over to Dad’s. He needs me.”

  Amanda couldn’t stop her eyebrows from rising.

  Hank’s jaw tensed again. “I know you think I’m a jerk. But she was my mother. I am actually upset she's dead. I've imagined pretty much all the terrible scenarios of what happened to her since Monday. You haven’t been exactly forthcoming about how she died, so that leaves it all up to me to guess. And unlike some of his children, I was there for Dad last night. While you went home and got a good night’s sleep, I stayed with him. I got him a drink when he needed to calm down. I sat in his room until he finally fell asleep. While you and your beloved brother went home to sleep. So fuck you, and fuck Todd. You can both go to hell.”

  How dare he?

  “You think I got one second of sleep last night?" Amanda grasped at her last remaining thread of control. Her insides churned with fury. "Besides being in serious pain because someone was nice enough to give me a black eye, I couldn’t shut my eyes without seeing her.”

  Al put a hand on Amanda’s shoulder but she shook it off. “You wanna know how she died? Fine. She was cut and stabbed multiple times. Her body was mutilated and bloody, then discarded in the mud.”

  Hank shut his eyes, his face twisted in horror. But she refused to spare him. “We haven’t talked to the ME yet, but I’d guess she bled to death. Or maybe--”

  "Enough." Al's voice held a quiet warning. She'd crossed a line.

  Shit.

  She hadn’t realized she’d gotten up from her chair until she found herself leaning across the desk toward Hank. She sat and took slow, deep breaths to calm the rage inside her, refusing to look at the shock she knew was on Hank’s face. She forced herself to think of something else to eradicate the image of Karen’s mutilated corpse from her head.

  The way her cat, Plato, curled on her chest as she watched infomercials all night. The way her other cat, Aristotle, snuggled on her feet and kept them warm.

  The way Greg Cole’s eyes sparkled when he told her she had a beautiful smile.

  Warmth spread through her chest as she imagined his own lazy smile.

  Before her thoughts ran away in yet another unprofessional direction, Amanda wrestled her mind back to Hank’s cubicle. “I understand you’re upset about your mom. Believe it or not, I am too. Whatever else happened between us, she was still family. So please, can we put all the bullshit sibling rivalry on hold for a little while? Dad needs us. And I need to find who did this.”

  Hank unballed his fists and slumped back in his chair. “Yeah. I want to know who did this too.”

  Was it you?

  Sure, he was acting the part. Angry, grieving, righteous. But she knew better than anyone about Hank’s acting skills. She doubted he had a genuine bone in his body. Except genuine selfishness.

  He had no real alibi. He and Karen weren't close. Did it run deeper than she realized? Or did he have some twisted notion of defending Dad’s honor because she’d cheated?

  After an uncomfortable silence, Al said, “Do you know who she was having the affair with?"

  Hank pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. “Someone she works–worked–with. I’m sure Emily knows his name.”

  They sat in silence for a long, tense moment. Amanda tried to read Hank’s body language. Exhaustion and the remnants of anger.

  So they had that in common.

  “Are we done? Because I want to finish up my work and get out of here.”

  Al tucked his notebook and pen back into the inside pocket of his blazer. “We’re done. I’m guessing Amanda knows where to find you if we have follow-up questions?”

  Amanda nodded as she rose. “Todd left me a message this morning,” she said to Hank. “He’s going to get dinner for all of us at Dad’s tomorrow night. And we can figure out...arrangements. I should have a better idea by then when they’ll release her body.”

  Hank didn’t look at her. “Fine.”

  She should say more. But what? So she followed her partner out of the cubicle.

  “Hey, Amanda?”

  She turned to find Hank looking at her, his expression guarded.

  “I’m sorry about your eye.”

  For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. She hadn’t expected that. It was almost...nice.

  Finally she shrugged. “It’ll heal.”

  Amanda didn’t talk most of the ride to Dad’s house. She blanked her mind and tried not to think about the things Hank said. She needed a few minutes of escape. Then she could go back to the ugly reality her life
had become in the past twelve hours.

  “So it sounds like we need to talk to your sister.” Al swung the car down the interstate exit. As usual, he hit the brakes a second too late and they jerked to a stop at the bottom of the ramp.

  "No. You need to talk to my sister. I need to keep my mouth shut because I shouldn't be with you." She'd nearly begged him to take her back to the station before he got them both chewed a new one by the Captain but he'd ignored her. One of these days, his hostility toward their boss was going to bite him in the ass; she didn't want her ass bitten along with it.

  Al grunted in dismissal. “You think your dad knows about the affair?”

  “Doubtful.” And she couldn’t wait to be the one to tell him. One of these days he was going to forget she was his daughter and decide to shoot the messenger.

  Al shot her a look she figured was sympathy. With him, she never could tell.

  “I can do it if you want.”

  “No. But thanks.”

  Silence returned. This time her mind refused to go blank.

  “Your brother sure is a piece of work.”

  It was Amanda’s turn to grunt out a humorless sound. “He came out that way.”

  “We can check the building’s security tapes. See what time he left.”

  Amanda nodded. She hadn’t thought of that. She’d been too busy going off on Hank.

  Al pulled up in front of Dad’s house and parked behind Emily’s black Mercedes SUV. “Nice car,” he mumbled.

  “Nothing but the best for Emily.” Amanda got out of the car and stared at the front door. She hadn’t wanted to talk to Hank, but it was nothing compared to the dread knotted in her chest. The base of her skull throbbed and her stomach churned with nausea.

  Dammit. She dug inside, trying to find her professional detachment. She needed it more than ever.

  Surprised to find the front door locked, Amanda rang the bell.

  “We’re not interested in talking to you,” Emily’s voice called through the door. “We’ll release a statement from the family later.”

  Al reached over Amanda’s head and knocked. “Police. Open the door, ma’am.”

  Amanda shot him a glare. What the hell was he doing?

  He grinned back.

  “Em, it’s Amanda. Let me in.”

  Amanda heard the thunk of the deadbolt, then the door pulled open. Emily pushed open the screen with one arm, her toddler balanced in the other. Always fashionably thin, today she looked gaunt. Her usually impeccable brown hair fell limp and messy around her shoulders.

  Two-year-old Madison scowled at Amanda, then at Al. Her pink lower lip pushed out in a pout.

  Emily jostled the girl. “Say hi to Aunt Amanda.”

  Madison deepened her scowl then turned her face into Emily’s neck.

  Emily shook her head. “She just woke up. I suppose you’re here to talk to Dad.” Her eyes flicked to Al.

  Al extended his hand. “Detective Al Voegler. Your sister’s partner. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Amanda couldn’t help a small trickle of satisfaction that he hadn’t offered the same condolences to Hank. She wasn’t Emily’s biggest fan, but at least there was no animosity.

  “I wish I could say it’s nice to meet you.” Emily led them into the kitchen. She set Madison on the floor. “Go play with your sister.”

  Madison immediately shrieked and latched onto her mother’s leg. Emily sighed and lifted the toddler.

  No wonder Amanda didn’t feel a burning need to have kids. Her nieces were holy terrors. And Emily thought they were the most precious angels to walk the earth.

  “How’s Dad?” Amanda leaned on the breakfast bar.

  Emily pulled three glasses and a sippy cup from the cabinet. She filled the glasses with water and pushed two across the counter to Amanda and Al. Always the Martha Stewart hostess. “He’s fine,” she said brightly from inside the refrigerator.

  Amanda watched as Emily poured apple juice into the sippy cup and handed it to Madison. The girl plugged it into her mouth and gulped.

  Emily’s normally perfect posture deflated. “No, that’s not true. He’s awful.”

  Dad must be beyond consolable if Emily could admit life wasn’t happy and wonderful. Which was what Amanda had feared.

  “Maybe we should talk to you first.” Amanda took a long drink of her water. She hadn’t realized she was thirsty, but the cool liquid felt so good she finished the glass in four gulps. She went to the sink for a refill.

  “That’s probably a good idea. Let me quickly see if I can get Madison to play with Daisy. I’m sure there are things I don’t want her to hear.” Emily headed toward the family room. Amanda could hear the TV blaring an obnoxious kids’ song.

  “Nice house.” Al looked around at the top-of-the-line appliances and shiny granite countertops.

  Amanda nodded, not revealing the severity of her kitchen envy. Dad and Karen remodeled a few years ago, making it into a cook’s dream. It put her tiny, outdated kitchen to shame. Not once had Karen never let Amanda use it.

  “Didn’t realize you’d grown up in the lap of luxury.”

  Amanda made a face at Al’s mocking smile. “Too bad money doesn’t buy nice stepmoms and siblings who are also your best friend.” She rolled her eyes. “Hank didn’t come with an exchange policy.”

  Al chuckled as Emily came back into the room. “OK, you have me for ten minutes.”

  “You can predict how long she’ll leave you alone?” Amanda asked. Kids were a complete mystery.

  “Dora’s over in ten minutes. She doesn’t like Bubble Guppies.”

  Yo whatta huh? Amanda nodded as if she understood.

  “First, because we have to ask, but it doesn’t mean we think you did it, where were you Monday night?” Al asked.

  “At home, desperately trying to get Daisy to bed,” Emily said. “Tim can back me up. And if you’re planning to ask him, I can back him up.”

  Normally they might be suspicious of a husband and wife vouching for each other, but it was all too believable they’d been wrestling Daisy to bed. Besides, Amanda highly doubted tiny Emily or her scrawny husband could have kidnapped Karen or moved her deadweight body.

  Amanda nodded as Al wrote on his notepad. She knew the next question he'd ask, but she dreaded hearing the answers. She wanted to go home and hide in bed for a week. Maybe a month. A year would be fine. Long enough for the whole mess to be behind her.

  She took a deep breath as Al said, “Your brother told us Karen was involved with another man.”

  Emily’s face tightened. “Yes.” Her clipped tone said she didn’t approve.

  “Hank didn’t know much, so he said we should ask you for more details.” Amanda rolled her glass between her hands, unable to meet Emily’s eyes. It was too weird talking about Karen’s sex life. Especially when it was adulterous.

  Emily wrapped her arms over her chest and sagged back against the counter. “She said it wasn’t a big deal. A way to relieve stress. I asked her why Dad couldn’t do that and she said he wasn’t interested anymore.”

  A shudder ran through Amanda. She did not want to think about her father and sex in the same sentence.

  How many times had she heard an affair wasn’t a “big deal.” If it wasn’t a big deal, why were people willing to risk their marriages?

  “He’s a law professor. Younger.” Emily’s bark of laughter was humorless. “She liked his stamina. More than I wanted to know.”

  More than Amanda wanted to know too. Uncomfortable images flashed through her mind and she shoved them away.

  “Do you know his name?” Al asked.

  “Derek.”

  Al jotted it down. “Last name?”

  Emily shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

  “We can look it up. Do you know how long they’d been together?” Al's voice was gentler than usual. Amanda appreciated him being sympathetic to her sister. He wasn’t unkind to other witnesses, but she could tell he was making a
n extra effort with Emily.

  “She told me about him last spring.” Emily pushed away from the counter, went to the dishwasher. She opened it and started putting away the clean dishes. “It sounded like it was pretty new when she told me.”

  “But she wasn’t planning to leave Dad so she could be with him?” She shouldn't be asking questions, but she was asking this as the daughter, not the cop.

  No one should have to ask these questions about their own family. Maybe it was better Brown would take her off the case. And maybe she'd pummel Al later for putting her in this position.

  “No. Like I said, it was just sex for her.” Emily didn’t look at them as she spoke. She’d found something in the cabinet that required her intense inspection.

  “Maybe it was more than sex for him. Maybe he didn’t like it that she didn’t want to leave,” Al murmured to Amanda, quiet enough Emily couldn’t hear.

  “She has–had–things good with Dad,” Emily said. “They both make good money and have a nice house. They went on nice vacations. She didn’t see any reason to give that up for a young guy, just starting out.” Emily sounded disgusted.

  Amanda shared that opinion. “So why not give up the boy-toy?”

  Behind her, she heard a sharp intake of breath. They all turned to see Dad standing in the doorway, wide-eyed, expression frozen.

  Chapter 7

  Amanda reached out toward him. “Dad…”

  Emily straightened. “Daddy, I’m...”

  His face lost all expression. “Rocky. Walk.”

  The beagle trotted eagerly into the room and stood at the side door. Without another glance at them, Dad yanked open the door, waited for Rocky to join him and slammed it shut behind him.

  Al looked from one woman to the other, settling on Amanda. "Should you…" He gestured to the door where Dad had disappeared.

  "No," Amanda said. She didn't know her dad well, but she knew when he wanted to be alone.

  Thick silence fell over the room. Amanda realized her hands were trembling. She tensed to keep them still.

  The harsh heavy metal song programmed as Al’s cell phone ringtone cut through the quiet. Emily yelped and pressed her hand to her mouth.