Free Deadly Relations by Alexa Grace Page B

Jennifer and Blake , watching Nicholas Connor through the one-way glass. Lane had been briefed and observed the man in the other room, who was biting his fingernail and pacing. Finally, Nicholas sat down.
    “ Think he’s been in there long enough?” asked Jennifer.
    After Lane and Blake nodded, Jennifer entered the interview room while Lane and Blake watched.
    Jennifer sat in the chair directly across from Nicholas. She felt his eyes on her, but didn’t look up until she retrieved a small writing pad and pen from her jacket.
    “ Hello, Nicholas. Sorry I kept you waiting. You wouldn’t believe all the things I have to take care of with this murder case. You heard about us finding Catherine’s body, right?”
    His eyes wide and face flushed, Nicholas nodded.
    Jennifer looked down at her pad for a second then asked, “According to my information, you were a no-show at the search organized to find Catherine last weekend? Is that right?”
    He nodded again.
    “ Now, maybe it’s just me, but I find it odd that a long-time boyfriend wasn’t there to help search for his girlfriend’s body. I mean if I’d been in a relationship with a guy that went missing, I’d be the first one at a search organized to find him.”
    “ I had plans I couldn’t get out of.” He was starting to sweat and wiped across his forehead with the back of his hand.
    “ What kind of plans?”
    “ I’d already committed to chaperoning the high school debate team at a meet in Terre Haute.”
    “ How many members of the high school debate team are female, Nicholas?”
    “ I don’t know. I guess eleven or so.” He replied sharply, acting as if she were asking a stupid question.
    “ I’m asking because I hear you have a thing for high school girls.” Jennifer asked, holding her temper in check.
    “ I thought we were here to talk about Catherine?” Nicholas was eager to change the subject.
    “ Did Catherine discover that you have a thing for high school girls? Is that why you two argued?” asked Jennifer.
    “ Who said we argued? We got along just fine.” Nicholas eyes were blinking at her, then suddenly he looked down. He was lying.
    “ That’s not what I hear, Nicholas. I have witnesses who say you and Catherine quarreled a great deal.” She chided.
    He just stared at her.
    “ Just a second. It seems like there was another question I wanted to make sure I asked you.” Jennifer flipped through her notepad until she found a page. She tapped on it with her fingernail. “So on the night Catherine disappeared, you say you were home alone watching the Pacers vs. Miami Heat game on ESPN?”
    “ That’s right.”
    “ Hmm, that’s where I get confused, Nicholas, There was no Pacer game on ESPN that night.”
    Nicholas glared at her.
    “ Another thing, when I talked to kid who delivered your pizza, he said when he arrived you were not alone.”
    “ He’s lying.” Nicholas spat.
    He was getting rattled, just like she wanted.
    “ Is he? If he’s lying, then he had a vivid imagination. He told us he saw a light-haired woman wearing a lot of makeup sitting on your sofa. “Catherine never wore a lot of makeup, did she? I wouldn’t describe her hair color as light, either. “
    “ He’s mistaken.” Nicholas said the words but wouldn’t meet her gaze.
    “ I’m thinking that you had a date that night. You ordered pizza. Maybe you found a good movie on TV and got cozy with your date on the sofa.”
    “ No, you’re wrong. I was alone.”
    “ Yeah, I think you were getting cozy with your date and Catherine caught you. She wondered if you were cheating, and now she was sure. Once Catherine arrived, your date left. That’s when you and Catherine had a fight. Maybe it was the worst fight you ever had. Things happen. The fight turns violent and before you know it, Catherine is dead. Is that how it happened, Nicholas?”
    He jumped out of his chair. “No! That didn’t happen!”
    “ Calm down and sit down,” Jennifer hissed.
    “