six years, he had been haunted by a scene where his young son had found his desperate mother lying in a pool of blood after trying to take her own life. Now, he had a new scene, and it was more horrifying than he could ever have imagined. It flashed, strobe-like, in his head: TJ raising his gun, pointing it at Melissa, out of control, terrified …
Taber Grace slumped back in the seat, and started the engine. He couldn’t bear the noise of his own pain.
Replace the sound, replace the images.
He turned on the radio and got the tail end of a commercial break. Then the lead news story was introduced, but instead of taking him away from his problems, it seemed to draw them all together and mangle them: his no-show client, his job, his wife, his son …
Most private investigators would do no more than the job they were paid to do. Taber Grace was no different. But, for the first time, the contents of the client file beside him meant a whole lot more to him than someone else’s shit.
18
In the command center at the Sheriff’s Office, extra desks had been brought in from other offices, making it almost impossible to move around the room.
‘These desks are breeding,’ said Ren, squeezing through them to reach Gary’s at the back. He was sitting very still with his hands resting on the keys of his laptop. Ren leaned over the chest-height partition in front of him.
‘If you ever wanted to bring the lab to a standstill, you could bag all your fears and send them in.’ She went over to her desk and brought back anti-bacterial wipes. ‘Here,’ she said. ‘Don’t be a hero.’
Gary started wiping things down.
‘Just wondering,’ said Ren, ‘how long will the CARD team be here?’
Gary shrugged. ‘Just a couple days. Why?’
‘Just wondering.’ Ren pulled away, and glanced down at her white shirt. There was a line of dirt across it from the top of the partition.
‘Ew,’ she said. She could hear her cell phone ringing on her desk.
‘Pardon me,’ she said, running over to it. It was her brother, Matt.
‘Hey, Ren, I wanted to say thank you for the gifts you sent Ethan.’
‘My pleasure,’ said Ren.
Silence.
Ren started walking toward the interview room.
‘Are you sure you can afford them?’ said Matt.
Ren stopped walking. ‘Mm … what?’
‘Just … I know that things have been a little tight … and I was wondering … don’t get me wrong—’
‘Oh, I’m not getting you wrong,’ said Ren. ‘I think I’m getting you right.’
‘Don’t be like that,’ said Matt.
‘What’s your point?’ said Ren. ‘I shop, therefore, I’m manic?’
‘Just … shopping when you can’t afford it …’ said Matt.
‘Then there are a lot of bipolar people in the world,’ said Ren. ‘Many of them women with great shoes.’
‘Just … there’s no need to buy Ethan gifts, he’s only a baby—’
‘I can buy my only nephew whatever I like,’ said Ren. ‘Now you are calling me to complain about gifts? Who does that?’
‘I’m not complaining about gifts,’ said Matt. ‘I’m thanking you for them, and hoping that buying them didn’t put you under financial strain.’
Ren laughed. ‘They’re onesies from Target,’ said Ren. ‘I don’t think I’ll be on the streets …’
‘Onesies from Target, a snowsuit from Saks, two sweaters from Baby Gap, booties from Macy’s, two pillows from Pottery Barn Kids, a hat from somewhere …’
‘
Are you seriously reading labels?’ said Ren.
‘I’m just worried,’ said Matt.
‘Please don’t worry, Matt. Please. Get on with your life.’
‘I’m concerned your judgment is impaired … that’s what happens.’
‘Impaired judgment? How technical …’ said Ren.
Matt took in a deep breath. ‘OK, let’s forget all that. Tell me, how is your new man?’
‘Gorgeous, and sweet, and fun, and amazing. This could—’
‘Be IT?’ said Matt.
Ren paused. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Nothing,’ said Matt.
‘I can’t
Taber Grace slumped back in the seat, and started the engine. He couldn’t bear the noise of his own pain.
Replace the sound, replace the images.
He turned on the radio and got the tail end of a commercial break. Then the lead news story was introduced, but instead of taking him away from his problems, it seemed to draw them all together and mangle them: his no-show client, his job, his wife, his son …
Most private investigators would do no more than the job they were paid to do. Taber Grace was no different. But, for the first time, the contents of the client file beside him meant a whole lot more to him than someone else’s shit.
18
In the command center at the Sheriff’s Office, extra desks had been brought in from other offices, making it almost impossible to move around the room.
‘These desks are breeding,’ said Ren, squeezing through them to reach Gary’s at the back. He was sitting very still with his hands resting on the keys of his laptop. Ren leaned over the chest-height partition in front of him.
‘If you ever wanted to bring the lab to a standstill, you could bag all your fears and send them in.’ She went over to her desk and brought back anti-bacterial wipes. ‘Here,’ she said. ‘Don’t be a hero.’
Gary started wiping things down.
‘Just wondering,’ said Ren, ‘how long will the CARD team be here?’
Gary shrugged. ‘Just a couple days. Why?’
‘Just wondering.’ Ren pulled away, and glanced down at her white shirt. There was a line of dirt across it from the top of the partition.
‘Ew,’ she said. She could hear her cell phone ringing on her desk.
‘Pardon me,’ she said, running over to it. It was her brother, Matt.
‘Hey, Ren, I wanted to say thank you for the gifts you sent Ethan.’
‘My pleasure,’ said Ren.
Silence.
Ren started walking toward the interview room.
‘Are you sure you can afford them?’ said Matt.
Ren stopped walking. ‘Mm … what?’
‘Just … I know that things have been a little tight … and I was wondering … don’t get me wrong—’
‘Oh, I’m not getting you wrong,’ said Ren. ‘I think I’m getting you right.’
‘Don’t be like that,’ said Matt.
‘What’s your point?’ said Ren. ‘I shop, therefore, I’m manic?’
‘Just … shopping when you can’t afford it …’ said Matt.
‘Then there are a lot of bipolar people in the world,’ said Ren. ‘Many of them women with great shoes.’
‘Just … there’s no need to buy Ethan gifts, he’s only a baby—’
‘I can buy my only nephew whatever I like,’ said Ren. ‘Now you are calling me to complain about gifts? Who does that?’
‘I’m not complaining about gifts,’ said Matt. ‘I’m thanking you for them, and hoping that buying them didn’t put you under financial strain.’
Ren laughed. ‘They’re onesies from Target,’ said Ren. ‘I don’t think I’ll be on the streets …’
‘Onesies from Target, a snowsuit from Saks, two sweaters from Baby Gap, booties from Macy’s, two pillows from Pottery Barn Kids, a hat from somewhere …’
‘
Are you seriously reading labels?’ said Ren.
‘I’m just worried,’ said Matt.
‘Please don’t worry, Matt. Please. Get on with your life.’
‘I’m concerned your judgment is impaired … that’s what happens.’
‘Impaired judgment? How technical …’ said Ren.
Matt took in a deep breath. ‘OK, let’s forget all that. Tell me, how is your new man?’
‘Gorgeous, and sweet, and fun, and amazing. This could—’
‘Be IT?’ said Matt.
Ren paused. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Nothing,’ said Matt.
‘I can’t
Similar Books
