Delusions With Murder: A Rilynne Evans Mystery by Jenn Vakey

where Hartley was held.  The scent dogs had lost the track in the river, and they would not be able to pick it back up until the morning.  The lab tech had pulled quite a bit of evidence off of Hartley, but it would be at least the morning before anything came back.
    “We are going to have a long day tomorrow, so let’s call it a night,” Wilcome said as he sat down at his desk.  He seemed to want to say more, but in the end just buried his nose in his files.
    Rilynne stared at her desk for a few minutes before finally deciding to leave instead of sitting down for more work.  She slowly walked down the empty hallway, running over the day’s events in her head.  The perpetrator had lost Hartley, is that why he had gone back to his apartment?  Had he hoped to find something there that would help him find him, or had he missed out on the pleasure he would have received in killing him, and was hoping to regain some part of it in his apartment?
    “Headed home?” a voice called out, shocking her back into reality.  Ben had just rounded the corner behind her.  He had changed since she had seen him earlier in the day.  He was now wearing a nice pair of black dress pants with a dark blue long-sleeve button up shirt, with just the top button undone.  In his hand he held a blue silk tie and his jacket.  Even his hair was nicely combed.
    She thought for a few moments before answering.  “Actually, after today I could really use a drink.  You are all dressed up, hot date?”  Oddly enough, Rilynne did not know if she wanted an answer to the question as she turned towards the elevator.  Stop being silly, she quickly told herself, and pushed the button before looking back towards him.
    He seemed to be trying to read her face before answering, as if searching for something.  Rilynne quickly turned back around and pressed the button a few more times.  “You’re really in a hurry for that drink, huh?” he laughed as he walked up to stand next to her.  After a few moments he added, “and no, I had court earlier.  I just haven’t gotten around to changing out of this costume yet.  I feel like I’m going to a funeral.”
    “I don’t know,” Rilynne responded, still keeping her eyes firmly on the elevator doors.  “It’s not a bad look on you.”  She could see him glance over at her out of the corner of her eye, but she maintained her focus on the doors.  As soon as they slip open, she stepped into the elevator, still avoiding his gaze.  They rode down to the lobby in silence.  It was only after they stepped out onto the street that they spoke again.
    “It would be a shame for you to waste that look just on a day in court.  How about a quick drink?” Rilynne asked, looking up at the stars above.  It was a beautiful, cloud free night, which just didn’t seem right to Rilynne after the week’s events.  It would be much more fitting if it were gray and muggy outside.
    “Yeah, I could actually use one right now.  This attorney today really tried to tear me down on the stand.  You know, questioning every action I took.”
    “But he couldn’t find any oversights in your work, could he?”  She stepped into the street and headed for the bar at the end of the block.
    Ben dragged his knuckles across his chin as his gaze shifted to the stars above.  “No, he couldn’t find anything wrong with the science,” he finally replied.  Rilynne could tell there was more behind his words than he was saying, but she knew better than to push. 
    That was one thing Christopher had taught her.  If someone tried very hard to find their words when giving an answer, it often meant they don’t want to give a full one.  Pushing for it before someone was ready to share just leads to trouble.  She should know; after all, Rilynne kept more secrets than most people.  With Christopher, she had learned it the hard way.
    The bar was not too crowded tonight, which was surprising after the day they had had.  Other than