other detectives stood aside as Dean and his partner walked to Carter’s side. They shook hands with cordial smiles. “We haven’t formally met. This is my partner James Fletcher and I’m Dean—”
“ Brown. I know.”
Dean’s eyes narrowed.
“ You wanted to see me.”
James shifted onto the balls of his feet and nodded toward the hall.
“ How about a cup of coffee?” Dean offered. “Guaranteed to rot your gut and keep you awake for the next twelve hours.”
“ Sounds good.” Carter followed them out of the busy office and down another hall. They stopped at a coffee pot that looked as if it was last cleaned sometime back when Prince was singing about 1999. They filled a couple of Styrofoam cups. From there they found a secluded room Carter recognized as one where interrogations took place. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was there for some sort of official questioning. Thought he knew he’d done nothing wrong, these two did remove Eliza from his side a short time ago. He couldn’t be too careful.
The door behind them shut, and Carter wasted little time. “Do I need a lawyer?”
Dean glanced at James and James at Dean. “No,” James said as he pulled out a chair and offered it to him.
After sitting, Carter attempted the coffee. The bitter taste slid down his throat like a slug and threatened to come back up. Not only was it bad, it was cold.
“ You’re not here. Not officially, anyway.” Dean sat on the edge of the table and crossed his arms over his chest.
“ There are a dozen cops in the other room who saw me walk in. If this was supposed to be in private you should have informed me.”
“ Not private, just not official. If we met outside of the station and someone saw us, it would broach more speculation. My guess is the media loves to follow you around town with cameras shoved in your face.”
Carter couldn’t argue with that. “So why am I here?”
“ What is the nature of your relationship with Eliza Havens?”
He was surprised by the question and wasn’t about to answer it. “Why do you want to know?”
“ She’s important to us.”
“ Important how?” Did these cops forget they were talking to a lawyer? If there was anyone well practiced in the art of obtaining facts, it was him. Not to mention his ability to elude questions like the politician he was.
“ Are you dating her?” James asked from the other side of the table.
“ Are you an Uncle…a cousin?” Carter asked.
“ You’re not going to answer our questions, are you?”
“ Give me the reason behind this meeting and I’ll consider your questions.” He wouldn’t answer them, but he’d consider them.
“ Eliza is a stubborn woman.”
Carter chuckled. Understatement of the year. “And?”
“ We have reason to believe that she could be in danger. If we knew the nature of your attachment to her, we might be better equipped to help keep her safe.”
The smile attempting to break because of the “stubborn” comment disappeared when the word danger was uttered. “What kind of danger?”
Dean exchanged a look with James, but neither of them elaborated. From the firm set of Dean’s jaw, they weren’t going to either. “Someone needs to start trusting someone here. You guys called me…remember?”
James pushed away from the table. “It would be best for Eliza to disappear for a while.”
“ Disappear?” Carter didn’t like the sound of that.
“ Yeah. Only she isn’t seeing the wisdom of our years. If you’re close to her maybe you can convince her.”
Disappear? Danger? Carter was starting to find the clear dots on the page. The lines between said dots were muddy with more questions than answers. He needed more answers. The best way for him to secure those answers was to bluff and let these men think he knew more than he did. “You said yourself Eliza is a stubborn lady. You guys have obviously known her for a while.”
“ Longer than anyone,” Dean said behind his coffee
“ Brown. I know.”
Dean’s eyes narrowed.
“ You wanted to see me.”
James shifted onto the balls of his feet and nodded toward the hall.
“ How about a cup of coffee?” Dean offered. “Guaranteed to rot your gut and keep you awake for the next twelve hours.”
“ Sounds good.” Carter followed them out of the busy office and down another hall. They stopped at a coffee pot that looked as if it was last cleaned sometime back when Prince was singing about 1999. They filled a couple of Styrofoam cups. From there they found a secluded room Carter recognized as one where interrogations took place. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was there for some sort of official questioning. Thought he knew he’d done nothing wrong, these two did remove Eliza from his side a short time ago. He couldn’t be too careful.
The door behind them shut, and Carter wasted little time. “Do I need a lawyer?”
Dean glanced at James and James at Dean. “No,” James said as he pulled out a chair and offered it to him.
After sitting, Carter attempted the coffee. The bitter taste slid down his throat like a slug and threatened to come back up. Not only was it bad, it was cold.
“ You’re not here. Not officially, anyway.” Dean sat on the edge of the table and crossed his arms over his chest.
“ There are a dozen cops in the other room who saw me walk in. If this was supposed to be in private you should have informed me.”
“ Not private, just not official. If we met outside of the station and someone saw us, it would broach more speculation. My guess is the media loves to follow you around town with cameras shoved in your face.”
Carter couldn’t argue with that. “So why am I here?”
“ What is the nature of your relationship with Eliza Havens?”
He was surprised by the question and wasn’t about to answer it. “Why do you want to know?”
“ She’s important to us.”
“ Important how?” Did these cops forget they were talking to a lawyer? If there was anyone well practiced in the art of obtaining facts, it was him. Not to mention his ability to elude questions like the politician he was.
“ Are you dating her?” James asked from the other side of the table.
“ Are you an Uncle…a cousin?” Carter asked.
“ You’re not going to answer our questions, are you?”
“ Give me the reason behind this meeting and I’ll consider your questions.” He wouldn’t answer them, but he’d consider them.
“ Eliza is a stubborn woman.”
Carter chuckled. Understatement of the year. “And?”
“ We have reason to believe that she could be in danger. If we knew the nature of your attachment to her, we might be better equipped to help keep her safe.”
The smile attempting to break because of the “stubborn” comment disappeared when the word danger was uttered. “What kind of danger?”
Dean exchanged a look with James, but neither of them elaborated. From the firm set of Dean’s jaw, they weren’t going to either. “Someone needs to start trusting someone here. You guys called me…remember?”
James pushed away from the table. “It would be best for Eliza to disappear for a while.”
“ Disappear?” Carter didn’t like the sound of that.
“ Yeah. Only she isn’t seeing the wisdom of our years. If you’re close to her maybe you can convince her.”
Disappear? Danger? Carter was starting to find the clear dots on the page. The lines between said dots were muddy with more questions than answers. He needed more answers. The best way for him to secure those answers was to bluff and let these men think he knew more than he did. “You said yourself Eliza is a stubborn lady. You guys have obviously known her for a while.”
“ Longer than anyone,” Dean said behind his coffee
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