Free The Betrayal of Lies by Debra Burroughs Page B

quipped with a grin. “Just a word of warning, my dear.”
    Stella had worked for the Paradise Valley Police Department for more than twenty years. She was a petite woman with graying hair falling in gentle waves a few inches above her shoulders, and she had the clearest blue eyes Emily had ever seen. They seemed to look right through you. That woman had a big heart and a sharp tongue to match her rapier wit.
    “I’ve got it covered,” Emily replied, moving to the security door. “I’m not exactly chopped liver, you know.”
    Stella laughed as she buzzed Emily through. As Emily wandered down the hallway, she could hear Colin’s and Maggie’s voices wafting toward her.
    “Good morning,” Emily said, standing in the doorway, doing her best to wear a friendly smile.
    “Emily,” Maggie greeted flatly from her seat across the desk from Colin.
    Emily realized that Maggie had every right to be annoyed with her, so she tried to ignore the irritation in her voice.
    Colin stood. “I was just about to escort Maggie into the interrogation room.”
    Emily had hoped to keep Maggie’s questioning low-key and casual, but knowing Colin, he would want to keep it professional and arms-length. The interrogation room had a video camera, so everything would be recorded and above board. He was right to do it that way, she knew, but it was hard seeing her friend treated as a suspected criminal before they had any real proof.
    Colin ushered Maggie to the interrogation room and Emily stepped into the observation area.
    “Have a seat,” Colin said, gesturing toward the chair across the table.
    Maggie slowly sunk down onto it. She fixed her gaze on Colin. “Do I need a lawyer?”
    “If you want one,” Colin replied, taking a seat too. “You’re not a suspect yet, I just have some questions. Hopefully you can clear a few things up for us so we can move forward to finding Elise.”
    “Of course, I want that too.”
    Emily watched as Maggie crossed her arms and sat back.
    “What do you want to know?”
    “Let’s start with why your blood was found at the crime scene?”
    “My blood?” Maggie’s voice rose and her brows wrinkled into a frown. “How could that be?”
    “I was hoping you could tell me.” Colin leaned forward, resting his elbows on the edge of the table, his gaze riveted on her.
    “How do you know it’s my blood?”
    “We got a match—turns out your blood and prints were already in the national law enforcement system,” Colin said. “You’ve been arrested before? Care to elaborate?”
    Emily noticed Maggie’s cheeks flush as her gaze fell to her hands, fidgeting in her lap. “Not really.”
    Although Emily was anxious to know what she’d been arrested for, it was obvious Maggie was self-conscious about going into the details. Hopefully Colin would let it go for now. They could find out easily enough without pressing Maggie further, making her squirm, and forcing her to talk about it. Emily made a mental note to check on it later.
    “Think back, Maggie,” Colin suggested. “When was the last time you were at Elise’s house?”
    “Well, let’s see…I did a workout with her the day she disappeared. I told Emily that at dinner last night.”
    “Did Elise normally work out at home? I thought she went to the health club.”
    “Jake Mitchell went to her house twice a week to do workouts with her, and I was called to fill in for him last Wednesday.”
    Emily wondered how long he had been giving Elise more than just exercise instruction.
    “So what happened that day that caused you to spill blood there?” Colin asked. “Did you get in a fight with her?”
    “A fight? Lord, no.” Maggie let out a nervous giggle.
    “Did she struggle with you when you kidnapped her?” he asked.
    Emily gasped at Colin’s direct blow, while she watched Maggie’s brilliant blue eyes grow large at the accusation.
    “What?” Maggie almost shouted. “You think I forced her to leave with me? That I’m part of this