Pete stared at him. He groaned. “It was all ten years ago, David.”
“Look, Liam is a cop, a detective now-with the criminal investigation unit. Let him have the paperwork. Assign him to the murder as a cold-case file. Pete, give me something,” David said. “Hell, I’ve made a name for myself in the world. I’m moving on fine. But this haunts me still, every damned day of my life, Pete.”
David heard a noise behind him. He turned and Liam was there. His cousin was two years his junior, his hair was a lighter shade of brown but his eyes were the same color and he knew that most people realized quickly that they were related. David had never known his parents; they’d died together in an automobile accident when he was a year old. He’d lived with his grandparents, but Liam’s mother and father had treated him like their own.
“I can handle it,” Liam said. “Come on, Pete. You know I can take time to reopen the investigation. I can handle my cases, and I can handle an added-on cold case, as well. I’ll keep it low profile.”
“I don’t… Ah, it’s a waste of manpower!” Pete said.
“No. I won’t fail in any way on anything else, and if I do, you pull it back. Pete, what the hell can it hurt?” Liam demanded.
“You may be causing a truckload of trouble down here, you know,” he said.
“Why?” David asked flatly. “We’re looking for truth. Why would the truth disturb anyone?”
“Thing is, this fellow is probably long gone,” Pete said. “David, nothing else has happened. Nothing remotely similar has happened since.”
“How can it hurt? Look, let Liam reopen it as a cold case, and he’ll only use his spare time. We’ll keep it quiet. No other officers need to be involved.”
“Ah, hell, fellows, as long as it’s your time you intend to waste.” Pete wagged a finger at Liam. “Don’t you dare neglect a thing, you hear me?”
“Loud and clear,” Liam said.
“And you-don’t you go doing anything illegal!” Pete charged David.
“Never,” David said, and smiled.
“I’ll see about the files,” Liam said, and left.
“Thanks, Pete,” David told him.
He rose and left the office. He’d intended on getting to the truth, one way or the other. But it was better having the blessing of the local cops.
Heading out, he ran into Liam. His cousin started to speak, but David shook his head slightly and indicated the door.
Outside the station, Liam frowned handing David the files. “What was that all about?”
“I don’t care to talk in front of anyone else,” David told him.
“Why? If you’re on a hunt to solve a murder from the past, you’re going to need lots of help, and we’ll be questioning lots of people.”
“Liam, you’re the cop, yeah, and I’m grateful. I want to keep it low profile. No big announcements that we’re opening up the case again.”
“Okay…but actually reopening the case. Hell, you didn’t even tell me that you were thinking of doing this-didn’t warn me. I would have helped you talk to Pete. You’re a civilian. You know he couldn’t have given you any files.”
“Yeah, I know, which makes it good that you’re a cop-in the right division.”
Liam nodded and looked away. “I know you. You want to investigate on your own. It’s a wild-goose chase, and you’re worried about bringing in our cops. Why?”
“Because someone from this city killed Tanya, I’m sure of it. Cops down here, they all think that they know everyone, and they’ll be blinded to what they should be seeing. And I’m not sure that any of the members of the old-boy network will be happy to discover that I’m coming after one of their own.”
Katie walked down the stairs, trying to swallow down her disappointment.
She’d dreamed about owning the place for years. She’d been sad for a while after talking to Liam but now she was ready to go to battle again.
As she came down the stairs, she was surprised to smell coffee. The timer hadn’t been set to go off for another few minutes.
Bartholomew met her at the foot of the stairs. He looked grave, but as if he was trying not to smile, as well.
“I’m sorry, Katie. I heard you talking. And the bank is off-really, we both knew that it would be-and I’m sorry. But…”
“But what?”
“I did it!” he told her proudly. “I did it!”
“What did you do?”
“Can’t you smell it? Coffee! I-I-managed to push the button on the coffeemaker. Katie, I moved something. Something tangible.”
She wanted to be happy for him.
It was the start button on a coffeemaker!
But it was a start.
“That’s wonderful. Truly wonderful. And thank you. Coffee is excellent right now, and-”
“I think a good grog would have suited me better, but for you-yes, coffee. And it’s ready.”