intelligence. I’m going to assume here that if you want to talk to me about something, you’ve already done your research and more than likely know about my past, what I eat, and my grade point average. With the resources available to you, I wouldn’t doubt if you even know what time of day I shit. So how about we stop playing games and you tell me what you want to know.”
Hutch’s lips curled into a smirk, and he nodded. “All right, no more bullshit,” he said and leaned back in his chair. “Tell me what you know about the Kimura murder.”
That was better. “I know he’s the most recent of a very, very proficient and smart serial killer. My estimates are Akira was his fifteenth victim, but there are a possible two, maybe three, others that fit. I’m about 80 percent certain. Care to prove or disprove my suspicions?”
“Three.” Noah nodded. He had figured as much. “Please, continue,” Hutch encouraged.
“This guy is like no other psycho I have studied. I mean, sure, he’s narcissistic as hell, but it’s almost like he has the right to be. He’s far superior in intelligence. He doesn’t make mistakes, ever. Even his first kill… umm….” Noah drummed his fingers against the table as he searched for the name, and then snapped them when it hit him. “Jared Martin. The cops royally fucked up that case, but I’ve seen the autopsy report and the crime scene photos. This guy is good.”
“I have to say, Mr. Walker. I am quite impressed.”
“Thank you,” Noah said with pride. “And you can call me Noah.”
“Okay, Noah,” Hutch commented while rubbing his hand over his stubbled jaw. “Any suspects?”
“Nope.” Noah sat back in his chair, looking expectant.
“Not a single one? You’ve obviously been doing your research, certainly someone looks suspicious.” Hutch looked at Noah pointedly.
“You have a suspect? Care to share?” Noah asked excitedly.
“Now who is insulting whose intelligence? You don’t actually think I’d share that info with you?”
“One could hope,” Noah mumbled.
“Nor would I take you off my suspect list based solely on your denial,” Hutch added.
“What? My denial? You think I’m a suspect? What do I have to do to convince you I didn’t do it?” Despite his earlier suspicions, Hutch was pretty sure Noah’s surprise was genuine.
“Prove it.”
Chapter 11
H UTCH ’ S INSTINCTS were telling him Noah wasn’t his man. He would have thought he’d have been more disappointed that his one suspect turned out to be a bust. As he sat across the table staring at Noah, however, he was anything but upset to find himself seemingly back at square one. Perhaps it was because Noah could be quite the asset in Hutch’s investigation, or maybe it was because he simply liked the man’s eagerness and easy smile. Noah reminded Hutch a lot of himself when he’d first entered the bureau. He’d been on a mission to rid the world of evilness, one criminal at a time. Damn, how time could jade a man.
“You know, I think I will have that cup of coffee,” Hutch announced as he went to his feet. “Can I get you anything, Noah?”
“I’ll have a cappuccino with a triple shot of espresso.” When Hutch raised his brow, Noah added, “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Noah started to pull out his wallet, but Hutch waved him off. “I got it.”
“Thank you, that’s very kind. Oh, and you might as well have your partner join us. It will save you from having to repeat everything,” Noah suggested.
“Right,” Hutch responded with a raised finger and a nod. “Be right back.”
Hutch made his way to the counter where a young girl smiled broadly at him. “Can I help you?”
“I’ll have a large black coffee and a cappuccino with a triple shot of espresso.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Triple espresso?” Granite commented as he stepped up next to Hutch. “That bad, huh?”
“Noah said he didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“And the
Hutch’s lips curled into a smirk, and he nodded. “All right, no more bullshit,” he said and leaned back in his chair. “Tell me what you know about the Kimura murder.”
That was better. “I know he’s the most recent of a very, very proficient and smart serial killer. My estimates are Akira was his fifteenth victim, but there are a possible two, maybe three, others that fit. I’m about 80 percent certain. Care to prove or disprove my suspicions?”
“Three.” Noah nodded. He had figured as much. “Please, continue,” Hutch encouraged.
“This guy is like no other psycho I have studied. I mean, sure, he’s narcissistic as hell, but it’s almost like he has the right to be. He’s far superior in intelligence. He doesn’t make mistakes, ever. Even his first kill… umm….” Noah drummed his fingers against the table as he searched for the name, and then snapped them when it hit him. “Jared Martin. The cops royally fucked up that case, but I’ve seen the autopsy report and the crime scene photos. This guy is good.”
“I have to say, Mr. Walker. I am quite impressed.”
“Thank you,” Noah said with pride. “And you can call me Noah.”
“Okay, Noah,” Hutch commented while rubbing his hand over his stubbled jaw. “Any suspects?”
“Nope.” Noah sat back in his chair, looking expectant.
“Not a single one? You’ve obviously been doing your research, certainly someone looks suspicious.” Hutch looked at Noah pointedly.
“You have a suspect? Care to share?” Noah asked excitedly.
“Now who is insulting whose intelligence? You don’t actually think I’d share that info with you?”
“One could hope,” Noah mumbled.
“Nor would I take you off my suspect list based solely on your denial,” Hutch added.
“What? My denial? You think I’m a suspect? What do I have to do to convince you I didn’t do it?” Despite his earlier suspicions, Hutch was pretty sure Noah’s surprise was genuine.
“Prove it.”
Chapter 11
H UTCH ’ S INSTINCTS were telling him Noah wasn’t his man. He would have thought he’d have been more disappointed that his one suspect turned out to be a bust. As he sat across the table staring at Noah, however, he was anything but upset to find himself seemingly back at square one. Perhaps it was because Noah could be quite the asset in Hutch’s investigation, or maybe it was because he simply liked the man’s eagerness and easy smile. Noah reminded Hutch a lot of himself when he’d first entered the bureau. He’d been on a mission to rid the world of evilness, one criminal at a time. Damn, how time could jade a man.
“You know, I think I will have that cup of coffee,” Hutch announced as he went to his feet. “Can I get you anything, Noah?”
“I’ll have a cappuccino with a triple shot of espresso.” When Hutch raised his brow, Noah added, “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Noah started to pull out his wallet, but Hutch waved him off. “I got it.”
“Thank you, that’s very kind. Oh, and you might as well have your partner join us. It will save you from having to repeat everything,” Noah suggested.
“Right,” Hutch responded with a raised finger and a nod. “Be right back.”
Hutch made his way to the counter where a young girl smiled broadly at him. “Can I help you?”
“I’ll have a large black coffee and a cappuccino with a triple shot of espresso.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Triple espresso?” Granite commented as he stepped up next to Hutch. “That bad, huh?”
“Noah said he didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“And the
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