Free Black and Shadow by Caryn Moya Block

wanted this interview finished. The idiot officer thought he
could blow the drug lord connection wide open now that he’d found
the warning note in Fred’s apartment. Finding out Jessica lived in
New York City and came to New Mexico to clean out the apartment
didn’t sit well. They wanted her to confess to knowing something,
when she didn’t. Joe wanted to punch the guy.
    “Miss Black, are you sure you didn’t
know your brother was involved with drugs?” the man asked,
again.
    “My brother was not involved with drugs.
How many times do I have to tell you? Fred didn’t take drugs. He
wouldn’t do that. He was morally opposed to it.”
    “Then how did a bag of cocaine end up
in his apartment?”
    “I don’t know!” Jessica yelled. “Maybe
you should wonder why someone would toss my brother’s apartment and
leave drugs behind.”
    “Officer, I’m asking you to leave,”
Dr. Rick said coming into the room. “My patient needs rest and your
browbeating is detrimental to her health.”
     
    “Now look here, Doctor. I could charge
all of you with obstruction of justice. I want to know what Miss
Black knows about her brother’s contact with Thanatos.”
    Joe stood. “Miss Black has
told you over and over , she doesn’t know anything. Security will escort you out,
officer. You can forget coming back here without a warrant. Sarah,
escort our guest from the premises.” Sarah stood waiting at the
door.
    Officer Curtis looked from Joe to Dr.
Rick and then to Sarah. “Don’t leave town, Miss Black.” He shook
his head and left the room.
    Jessica laid her head on the pillow.
“Do you think he’ll bring a warrant?”
    “For what, sweetheart? Your arrest?
You weren’t anywhere near Fred’s apartment. They have nothing on
you and that jerk knows it.” Joe turned to the doctor. “Can you
give her something, Dr. Rick? She needs time to recover. Thanks for
coming to our rescue. I wanted to throw that ass out on his
ear.”
    “I’d rather not add any more meds to
the mix. If she’ll eat something and keep hydrated, I can remove
the IV now.” Dr. Rick pulled over a tray with bandages and tape. He
removed the device from Jessica’s arm.
    “Thank you, Dr. Rick,” Jessica said
quietly.
    Dr. Rick patted her hand. “Try and
relax. I’ll send a tray of food in.” He left the room, a worried
frown on his face.
    Jessica nodded and closed her eyes.
Joe felt a punch to his gut when a lone tear wandered down her
cheek. He brushed it off. “Hey, baby, it’s all right. None of us
think your brother did drugs. If anything, you’re right, those
drugs got planted as a ruse. It doesn’t make sense that someone
would search Fred’s apartment so thoroughly and then drugs were
found ‘hidden’ afterwards.”
    Jessica blinked her eyes open and gave
a weak smile. “Thanks, Joe. I appreciate you saying that, but
things aren’t adding up. My brother must have been connected to
this drug lord somehow. Otherwise the note doesn’t make sense. The
officer is right on that part. He’s not right thinking I know
anything about it.” Jessica shook her head. “What did Fred get
into? I know he didn’t take drugs. Maybe he wanted to help someone
get out of the drug ring. It wouldn’t be the first time he tried to
save someone.”
    “Don’t think about it now, honey. You
need to rest.” More than anything, Joe wanted to take her into his
arms and comfort her.
    “I can’t help it. The quicker we find
out what really happened, the sooner I can clear my brother’s name.
It looks to me like it wasn’t terrorists who killed my brother.
This drug lord killed him. Now we need to figure out why and go
after the bastard.”
    Joe nodded his head. It did look like
the drug lord might have been involved in Fred’s murder. What
worried him was the same drug lord warned Jessica to get out of
town.
     
    §
     
    Jessica poured over the file Joe
brought her. He had gone upstairs to handle a few things after
making sure she ate