Free The Whispering Room by Amanda Stevens

was the lead on Johnny’s case. He’s a determined guy. If there was something to find, he would have found it.”
    â€œNot if the crime scene was swept before he got there,” she said.
    â€œWell, hell. Why didn’t I think of that?”
    She responded with an irritated glower.
    Mitchell sighed. “Okay, humor me, here. Swept by who? Elvis?” He shook his head. “Doyou hear what you’re saying? Do you know how you sound?”
    She knew exactly how she sounded, but she wasn’t backing down. This had been eating at her for months. “You were the one who brought it up.”
    â€œI was hoping if we talked it through, you’d get how ridiculous this all sounds. If you keep going on like this…” His mouth tightened.
    â€œWhat?”
    He hesitated. “Okay, I didn’t want to get into this, but maybe it needs to be said. You want to know why some of the other cops have a hard time looking you in the eye these days? Why they’re not so crazy to work with you anymore?”
    â€œUh, because they’re a bunch of macho asstards?”
    He ignored that. “It’s because ever since the shooting, you’ve made it clear you think something about the investigation wasn’t kosher. You’ve been letting some none-too-subtle insinuations slip out about a cover-up. Hell, for all I know, you think I’m in on it, too. Whatever it is.”
    â€œYou know I don’t think that.”
    â€œThe God’s honest truth? I don’t know what to think anymore. I don’t have the slightest idea where your head is these days. Kathy said you’d called the house at least a dozen times last week looking for Nathan.”
    â€œThat’s an exaggeration. I called twice.”
    Nathan Mallet had worked cases with Johnny in the year before his death. They weren’t officially partners, but Nathan would know better than anyone if Johnny had been involved in something dangerous.
    But the shooting had shaken him up. He’d been a mess at the funeral and afterward he wouldn’t return Evangeline’s phone calls. Now it seemed he’d dropped off the face of the earth. His wife, Kathy, claimed she hadn’t seen him in weeks.
    â€œI just don’t understand why he won’t talk to me,” Evangeline said.
    â€œNo big mystery there. From what I hear, he’s down in New Iberia working on one of his old man’s shrimp boats. I talked to his sister not too long ago, and she said the last time she saw him, he looked terrible. She thinks he may be on dope. Crystal meth, most likely. That shit is everywhere these days.”
    â€œAnd you don’t find that kind of behavior at all suspect? He hasn’t been the same since Johnny died, and you know it.”
    â€œYou try losing a partner and see how it affects you.”
    â€œHe and Johnny weren’t partners.”
    â€œNeither are we,” Mitchell said. “Not officially anyway. But I’d hate like hell for something to happen to you. Even if you do exasperate the crap out of me at times.”
    â€œThanks,” she said dryly. “What I can’t get over is how Nathan left. He didn’t even resign. He just dropped out of sight.”
    â€œLike that’s unusual around here. We’re the Big Easy, remember?”
    She shrugged.
    â€œBesides, Nathan’s always been a flake. Comes from being raised by a drunk. His old man was always half-stoned, even at work. I’m not surprised Nathan has some of the same reliability issues. They say addiction runs in families, don’t they?”
    â€œYeah, that’s what they say.”
    Evangeline decided to let the matter drop, but she still had her own theory regarding Nathan Mallet. His behavior sounded to her like the manifestation of a guilty conscience. Why else would he go to such pains to avoid her?
    â€œI wish you’d just let this go,” Mitchell grumbled.
    â€œI will.