Apart from the brief rage that Cutter’s more extreme actions elicited, he tended to be quite restrained and never showed much emotion, and this time was no different.
Cutter looked back at Harvey, and the all-too look of loathing was blaring in his direction. Harvey would never tell Cutter he hated him, but he certainly seemed to be thinking it loudly, perhaps hoping to blow his head up through thoughts alone.
Harvey looked at the Director. “Gerry, you need to put Cutter on suspension – now.”
“What?!” roared Cutter leaping out of his chair. His gaze roved between the sneering Harvey and the now pronounced eye twitching of the Director.
The Director didn’t like the way Harvey familiarly used his first name or gave him an order. Internal Investigations was considered outside of normal jurisdiction within the SEA, and they reported directly to the Director’s boss, but most agents in II were smart enough to show their Director – the Investigative Team Director and the SEA’s other Directors some respect. Harvey was prone to act like just about everyone in the SEA was beneath him and showed them the same contempt that he would a smelly, out of date filet of fish.
The Director leaned back in his chair and looked between the smug expression of Harvey and the murderous one of Cutter. “Look, Harv,” the wolf sucked in an annoyed breath – he hated being called Harv, “I just think that it might be a bit of an overreaction. Cutter hasn’t, in this instance, done anything wrong.”
Harvey snorted. “He knew both victims.”
“No,” said the Director in a deceptively soft voice, “he didn’t.”
Harvey looked at him, perplexed and seeing the Director’s eyes narrow, Cutter soothed his beast a little and sat down. The Director’s ire, for a change, wasn’t aimed at him, and Cutter felt a momentary warmth for his superior and a little pleased that Harvey wasn’t getting his own way.
“Cutter,” continued the Director, “knew Clayton. As did numerous other agents and Directors working here. I had the pleasure of working with Clayton when I started my career in Ursa.”
He paused momentarily as sadness briefly flashed in his eyes, and Cutter felt camaraderie with the snake shifter that had never been present in any of their previous dealings.
The Director scooted forward in his chair and leaned on his desk, tenting his fingers. “Even you worked with Clayton back when you were in Ursa.”
“I’d hardly say we worked together,” scoffed Harvey.
The Director held up a hand for silence and Cutter was impressed that the now red-faced Harvey actually shushed.
“And as far as I’m aware Cutter doesn’t actually know our second victim.”
Harvey furrowed his brow. “But Sadie…”
“Is not our second victim,” the Director told him sternly. “Our second victim is her sister, Marie. Did you know her sister, Cutter?”
“I barely knew Sadie,” he grumbled.
“There, you see.”
“But…” protested Harvey, heatedly.
“No, Harv,” snapped the Director. “Enough for now. I agreed to this meeting with mixed feelings, and I don’t believe the situation warrants Cutter’s suspension. We suspect the two murders may be linked, and we suspect someone attempted to murder Sadie, but we don’t know that for sure, yet. For all we know, they are unrelated.”
Harvey looked like he had been slapped in the face and Cutter thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing that would have improved it would be if someone actually did slap him in the face.
For a second, Harvey looked pensive until his eyes lit up triumphantly. “We found notes with Cutter’s contact details on at both crime scenes.”
The Director gave him a well-rehearsed look of boredom. “So?”
“So?!” spluttered Harvey.
“I’m sure that anyone could find Cutter’s details if they wanted. I would guess that Clayton would want to visit his ex-partner and as for Marie and Sadie Beauchamp… I’m sure Diaz will figure
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