“That’s him,” Rina said, pointing to one of the photographs. “He was the one waiting in the car.”
Quarles slapped a hand on Brit’s back. His partner hadn’t backed down either. For every hour Brit worked, Quarles had stood beside him. Both of them were running on empty. Only fast food and bad coffee kept them on their feet. Sleep had been something he’d left behind. Brit picked up the photograph and looked at the back to see where the kid lived and went to school. It was ten A.M. The school would be the first place to hit. Wells High.
Brit gritted his teeth. With the whole damn district, why did the teen have to go there? The idea of running into Cali sent acid burning through another layer of his stomach.
But the only thing that would hurt more than seeing Cali right now would be not catching Keith’s killer. “Come on,” he said to Quarles, who was already on the phone calling for backup.
They didn’t meet resistance. Mrs. Jasmine called the boy to the office, and they escorted him out. Of course, the paperwork they’d slapped on her desk didn’t leave her any option.
On the way out, Brit stopped by the main office to tell someone to call the boy’s parents and let them know where they were taking him. When he turned to leave, he saw Tanya, standing on the other side of the hall. She started toward him, her attitude adding a bounce to her steps.
He considered ducking out. He’d already been privy to her smart mouth, and he didn’t care to hear it again, but some sort of masochist emotion kept his feet planted to the hall floor.
Her eyes shot daggers at him when she came to a halt. “The only thing that keeps me from ripping your heart out and feeding it to the roaches in the science lab is knowing that, sooner or later, you’re going to realize that you were wrong—and stupid. One of these days, you’ll know what you lost. Thank God, even people as sweet as Cali have limits and you crossed hers. And that, Mr. Little Dickhead, brings me a hell of a lot of pleasure.” She walked off, so damn sure of herself.
Brit turned and left with the same certainty to his gait. He was doing the right thing.
~
An hour later, Brit sat at his desk, waiting to hear if the kid’s lawyer and the DA hashed out a deal. Images of Cali kept flashing in his head. His chest hadn’t stopped hurting. He wasn’t sure it would.
Brit rolled a pencil on his desk, if he wasn’t hoping they might get some info on Keith’s killer, he’d go out and get dog drunk—drunk like his old man used to get. So drunk that he fell flat on his face and could sleep.
“You look miserable,” a feminine voice asked.
Brit looked up to see Shane Paxton pressing against the doorjamb. He should really learn to shut his door to keep the trash from blowing in. Biting back the harsh comments he’d like to toss at her, he answered. “Did we get anything from the kid?”
“I didn’t catch that case.” She moved in, seductively. “I’m here because I got news on the Humphrey case.”
Brit looked down at the pencil caught between his fingers and snapped it in two. “What do you have?”
She stopped at the edge of his desk and propped her hip on top. “You really are banging the witness, aren’t you?”
Brit pointed to the door with half a pencil. “Is that your news? You just came here to start shit? Take that up with Adams. Or Internal Affairs if you want, I don’t give a damn.”
She let out a deep breath. “I didn’t come here to throw stones. I came to tell you the news. I’ll admit I’m shocked, but your little teacher was right about everything.”
Brit leaned forward. “What?”
“Nolan Bright’s brother got snagged in Arkansas for drugs. He asked to cut a deal for giving them something on another murder and a Texas cop shooting. He pretty much gave the same story Humphrey told us. Humphrey’s only crime is robbery and being a sleazeball.”
All the ugly things he’d thrown at Cali started echoing in his head. Brit let out a bitter-tasting gulp of air, but he didn’t speak. Hell, what could he say? Cali had been right.
Was she telling the truth about her feelings for Stan, too?
Right then, he recalled Cali’s friend Tanya’s words. Sooner or later you’re going to realize that you were wrong—and stupid. One of these days, you’ll know what you lost.
Shane continued, “I suppose I was a little hard on her. I’m a tad upset that we didn’t make it.”
“Make it? We were about sex, Shane. That’s what you said you wanted. That’s what I wanted.”
“But it was good sex.”
Not that good. But he kept himself from saying it. What he’d had with Cali had been good. But he’d lost it. No, he hadn’t lost it. He’d thrown it away because…because he was as fucked up as his parents. “You should probably leave.”
“Is it just about sex with her, too? Or is it more? She’s such a vanilla-looking girl. Does she really do it for you?”