AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sure, sure, happy to do it.” Campbell watched him like a hawk. “Not too long ago, Lieutenant Wesley Vaughn—you met him before, didn’t you? At the fire that occurred at LeBlanc’s?”
“That name is familiar,” Beau allowed. He watched Campbell just as closely even as he wondered…Who the hell is Max Donway? Just spit out the info already.
“Max Donway was a guard at the McKinley prison.”
Beau did not change expression.
“Believe you were present there today, weren’t you? Terrible thing, that riot.”
“Terrible,” Beau echoed. He didn’t blink.
“Interesting story…”
He was waiting to hear one.
“Seems that Max Donway was one of the guards present in the room when Avalon Trahan had her first chat with Everett Thomas.”
Shit. That was actually interesting. “How do you know that?”
“Because I talked to DA Douglas Baptiste not ten minutes ago and he told me.”
Lynn’s gaze darted between Beau and Campbell.
“Max Donway didn’t show up for work today,” Campbell revealed. “Another interesting element to add to our mix, isn’t it? He’s not at work on the day a group of prisoners magically get out of their cells and kill Everett Thomas.”
“Don’t know that there was magic involved.” Beau could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall. “Don’t remember anyone yelling abracadabra at me.”
Campbell’s eyes narrowed.
“But how about we get back to Lieutenant Wesley Vaughn,” Beau said. Keeping the detective on track was an effort. “I believe you were about to tell me that he did something, ah, not too long ago, I believe it was?”
“He pulled Max Donway’s body from the fire at Slater Wade’s rental house.”
Beau still did not change his expression. Didn’t so much as let his breathing alter.
“Burns were over ninety percent of the prison guard’s body, and he was stone cold dead.”
“With that many burns, I’d actually think he was hell hot.” Mocking words even as his heart seemed to squeeze in his chest.
Campbell leapt right back to his feet. “You sonofabitch! A man is dead.” His eyes blazed. “And I think I’m staring straight at his killer. One remorseless bastard who likes to play with fire.”
Avalon marched past the check-in desk at the police station. Ophelia was supposed to be on her way. They’d talked twice on the phone, and Ophelia had assured her that she would be arriving any moment.
Hurry, please hurry. If Ophelia was really Beau’s lawyer, shouldn’t she be in interrogation with him? How could the cops even talk to Beau without her being present?
Avalon peered through the glass doors but saw no sign of Ophelia. Avalon spun around and collided with?—
The firefighter?
Tall, dark hair. In a blue firefighter’s t-shirt and some kind of blue cargo pants. Shadows lined Lieutenant Wesley Vaughn’s eyes. A smear of ash stained his left cheek.
“Sorry,” she murmured quickly. “I didn’t see you there.”
He swallowed. Nodded.
She started to step out of his way but stopped. “Is everything okay?” Because he looked like he’d seen a ghost.
“I like saving people. That’s why I do the job. To save. To help.” His voice came out so hoarse. As if he’d been screaming. Or battling a fire. “I don’t like pulling the dead from the rubble. They stay with you. You never, ever forget them.” A long exhale. “I-I was giving my statement to Detective Cunningham. I need to go.”
