Free Close: A New Adult Thriller by M.H. Young Page B

of things I didn’t have to explain to Becky. She understood in a way that John, or Kishani couldn’t.
    My hour was almost up. I panicked a little as I realized that I only had five minutes left. “Can I ask you something?” I said. “Have you had anyone else turn up who, y’know, has run into Bentley? Only Drew, I mean Detective Brody, said that he didn’t think this was the first time he’d done this.”
    I watched as Becky’s jaw tightened. “I can’t talk about other victims and what they might have said.” She stopped and seemed to study me for a moment. “Did Detective Brody tell you to ask me?”
    I had stumbled into dangerous territory. She must have noticed me calling him Drew, and now she thought he had put me up to probing her for information.
    “No, he didn’t.” I couldn’t tell if she believed me or not. She seemed skeptical.
    “I just thought that if more than one person came forward that there might be more chance of a jury believing me. Or maybe he’d take a plea and I wouldn’t have to testify.”
    “I understand,” Becky said softly. “And I’d help if I could. But confidentiality is important. Whatever you or anyone else decides to share when you’re here has to stay private.”
    I knew by the way she said it that there had been others.
    Outside, in the blazing sunshine, I called Kish, and told her that I’d meet her later.
    “You okay?” Kish asked.
    “Yes, I’m fine. I just have a couple of things I need to do,” I lied.
    I had one thing I had to do. I had to see Drew.

 
    Twenty-Three
     
    “Detective Brody’s not working today. Can someone else help you?” the lady behind the desk asked me.
    I was standing at the reception desk inside the lobby of the main police building on East Figueroa. “I don’t think so.”
    I didn’t want to tell her that I would just go outside call Drew. Even though he had given me his number before anything had happened between us, I know how much trouble he’d be in if anyone suspected there was more between us than just a police officer looking after the victim of a crime.
    I was just about to leave when I heard a voice behind me. “You looking for Detective Brody?”
    I turned to see Vasquez, the older female detective who had conducted my interview with Drew. She seemed to study me.
    “It’s okay, I’m going to come back tomorrow.”
    “No need,” she said. “Come on through. I’ll bring you up to speed on what’s happening.”
    “It’s really fine.”
    “It’s no trouble,” she said. I could have argued, but it might have seemed more suspicious. She led me through a side door and down the corridor I’d been down before. The smell of the place, bleach mixed cheap deodorant, was becoming familiar.
    “So?” she said. “Was there anything in particular?”
    I shrugged. “No, I just wanted to know if you were going to, y’know, arrest him?”
    I could feel my face getting red. I was a terrible liar. Plus, Vasquez had a way of making me feel that she never quite believed anything I said. It was probably just a police thing. I imagined people lied to them a lot, and that meant they were naturally suspicious.
    She led me into a smaller side room. I sat down and she perched on the edge of the table next to me.
    “I’m gathering evidence and talking to the DA’s office. We don’t want to rush into an arrest that we won’t be able to stand up. But I’m doing my best. I promise you that.”
    “That’s good, I guess.”
    She stood up. “I’ll walk you back out. As soon as I have more news, I’ll call you.”
    She kept saying I. She hadn’t mentioned Drew once. It put me on edge. “What about Detective Brody?”
    “Oh, that was the other thing I wanted to mention. He’s no longer working this case.” She hesitated. I could her eyes searching my face.
    “Why?” I asked her, trying not to sound confused and panicky and doing a bad job.
    She shrugged, casual, but her eyes were far from it. “I have no idea.