when you got back?”
“Nate was dead and they were saying I was the one who killed him.”
Something was definitely wrong with the whole scenario. “Did you?”
“No! Look I had nothing to gain from his death. This is a small community. If anything happened to Nate, I’d be their first suspect. Why the hell would I open myself up like that?”
“Murder is hardly rational.”
“I didn’t do it!”
Bruce slammed his hand down on the table, jumping to his feet and leaned over the table. The man was panting as he had his eyes locked on Taber.
“Commander, I’ve checked the records. There wasn’t a distress call on the logs for that night. Nor is there any computer sensor readings indicating you were anywhere but on the main level of the ship that night.”
“Fuck.” Bruce dropped his head to his chest and let out a frustrated hiss. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m being set up.”
“Who would want to do that?”
“I could rattle off a list half a fucking page long if you’d like. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve got a bit of a temper.”
“I want that list of names and make sure you haven’t missed any. Then we’ll see about getting you out of here.”
Taber turned to leave as Bruce straightened. “Wait, you believe me?”
“There was another murder tonight.”
“Are they connected? If so—”
“I’m well aware that it would assist in proving your innocence. For the moment, you’ll stay here. I suggest you get back into your cell, Commander.”
“Hey, thank you.”
Not bothering to respond, Taber waited for the outer security door to open, and marched outside. Fallon was waiting for him, standing with her back to the wall opposite Jenny’s desk. The two women weren’t speaking, weren’t looking at each other, but both looked at him as he emerged.
“Where is the evidence against the Commander being kept?”
Jenny stood but kept her eyes averted as she typed something into the computer.
“We have everything in the vault and a holo of all physical evidence in the computer. I can get it for you.”
Taber nodded. He tried to keep his gaze away from Fallon, knowing he wouldn’t be able to hide from her emotions. When Jenny handed him the chip with the holo information, Taber nodded once.
“Thank you. I will let you know if I require further information.”
“Yes, sir.”
58
Fallon turned and walked out the door before he’d barely turned around. As he left, he heard Jenny mutter bitch under her breath. It took him a minute to catch up with Fallon’s determined strides. She wasn’t heading toward the crew quarters but rather in the direction of her bar.
“Where are you going?” he asked once he fell into step behind her.
“I need a drink.”
“I thought you weren’t allowed to consume alcohol while on duty.”
She glared over at him but said nothing.
“You do realize your bar is still a crime scene?”
“Well since I don’t think you’re going to leave me alone anytime soon, I’m not worried about touching something you don’t want me to.”
Taber looked around the corridor quickly, but there were too many people around to do what he wanted to her. The privacy of the bar would give them an opportunity to talk uninterrupted. He needed that time alone with her, needed it to figure out what he was feeling. He hated confusion.
Once they finally reached their destination, Fallon stood and waited for Taber to release the security code. He could feel her anger and frustration coming off her as waves. He wished there was something he could do to make things right between them, but anything he thought of seemed insufficient. While entering the bar went against every investigation principle he knew, he also needed to help Fallon, had to keep her safe. Taber pressed the lock, which released the door, allowing them to enter.
He didn’t say anything, watching her walk around the tables and make her way straight to the bar. She took the longer way
“Nate was dead and they were saying I was the one who killed him.”
Something was definitely wrong with the whole scenario. “Did you?”
“No! Look I had nothing to gain from his death. This is a small community. If anything happened to Nate, I’d be their first suspect. Why the hell would I open myself up like that?”
“Murder is hardly rational.”
“I didn’t do it!”
Bruce slammed his hand down on the table, jumping to his feet and leaned over the table. The man was panting as he had his eyes locked on Taber.
“Commander, I’ve checked the records. There wasn’t a distress call on the logs for that night. Nor is there any computer sensor readings indicating you were anywhere but on the main level of the ship that night.”
“Fuck.” Bruce dropped his head to his chest and let out a frustrated hiss. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m being set up.”
“Who would want to do that?”
“I could rattle off a list half a fucking page long if you’d like. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve got a bit of a temper.”
“I want that list of names and make sure you haven’t missed any. Then we’ll see about getting you out of here.”
Taber turned to leave as Bruce straightened. “Wait, you believe me?”
“There was another murder tonight.”
“Are they connected? If so—”
“I’m well aware that it would assist in proving your innocence. For the moment, you’ll stay here. I suggest you get back into your cell, Commander.”
“Hey, thank you.”
Not bothering to respond, Taber waited for the outer security door to open, and marched outside. Fallon was waiting for him, standing with her back to the wall opposite Jenny’s desk. The two women weren’t speaking, weren’t looking at each other, but both looked at him as he emerged.
“Where is the evidence against the Commander being kept?”
Jenny stood but kept her eyes averted as she typed something into the computer.
“We have everything in the vault and a holo of all physical evidence in the computer. I can get it for you.”
Taber nodded. He tried to keep his gaze away from Fallon, knowing he wouldn’t be able to hide from her emotions. When Jenny handed him the chip with the holo information, Taber nodded once.
“Thank you. I will let you know if I require further information.”
“Yes, sir.”
58
Fallon turned and walked out the door before he’d barely turned around. As he left, he heard Jenny mutter bitch under her breath. It took him a minute to catch up with Fallon’s determined strides. She wasn’t heading toward the crew quarters but rather in the direction of her bar.
“Where are you going?” he asked once he fell into step behind her.
“I need a drink.”
“I thought you weren’t allowed to consume alcohol while on duty.”
She glared over at him but said nothing.
“You do realize your bar is still a crime scene?”
“Well since I don’t think you’re going to leave me alone anytime soon, I’m not worried about touching something you don’t want me to.”
Taber looked around the corridor quickly, but there were too many people around to do what he wanted to her. The privacy of the bar would give them an opportunity to talk uninterrupted. He needed that time alone with her, needed it to figure out what he was feeling. He hated confusion.
Once they finally reached their destination, Fallon stood and waited for Taber to release the security code. He could feel her anger and frustration coming off her as waves. He wished there was something he could do to make things right between them, but anything he thought of seemed insufficient. While entering the bar went against every investigation principle he knew, he also needed to help Fallon, had to keep her safe. Taber pressed the lock, which released the door, allowing them to enter.
He didn’t say anything, watching her walk around the tables and make her way straight to the bar. She took the longer way
Similar Books
