Page 37 of M for Murder

‘Because I didn’t have a search warrant, and I wasn’t going be able to get one because he hadn’t done anything wrong.’

‘So, if he hasn’t done anything wrong, why pick on the poor guy?’

‘Because I’ve got a hunch, okay?’ Hickok tried another key in the lock. This one turned and the drawer pulled open. At the click of the lock, he glanced up and grinned. Rebecca went to join him, perching herself on the edge of the desk.

‘So what’s this hunch, then?’

‘Jeez you ask a lot of questions.’

‘Then maybe you shouldn’t have brought me.’

Hickok looked at her and gave a frustrated sigh. ‘Look, the guy just didn’t seem to be acting right. He was too calm, too prepared. And he definitely knew more than he was letting on about Emma Keeley.’

‘We don’t know for sure that Emma Keeley is dead,’ Rebecca argued.

Hickok let out a sour laugh. ‘She’s dead. Don’t doubt it.’ He returned his attention to Parker’s desk and began rummaging through the various papers in the top drawer. ‘Jeez! How much crap does the guy keep in here?’

Rebecca shook her head. ‘Do you really think that if this Parker guy is a murderer, he’d be likely to keep evidence that could be used against him in the drawer of his classroom desk?’

‘Well, we have to start somewhere. We can hardly go breaking into his house.’

‘Really? I’m glad to see you have some morals.’

Hickok grinned at her. ‘Hey, I’m a nice guy, Angell. You just haven’t given me a chance.’ Closing the top drawer, he opened the bottom one. He pulled out a picture. A snapshot of a young woman. ‘Hey, nice-looking lady,’ he muttered in approval.

Rebecca recognised the face.

‘Here, let me see that.’ She took the picture from him and studied the young blonde-haired woman closely. ‘I know her; this is Kylan.’

‘Kylan?’

‘Yeah, she’s a friend of Vic’s.’

Hickok pulled a face. ‘Why would someone who looks like that want to hang around with someone like Boaz?’

Rebecca grinned. ‘She’s the sister of one of his ex-girlfriends. We ran into her a couple of days ago.’

‘So this Kylan knows Parker?’

‘Yeah… she’s his wife,’ Rebecca told him, casting her mind back to the conversation in the grocery store.

‘His wife? Hey, small world.’

Rebecca shook her head.

‘I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection before.’

‘Well don’t beat yourself up, Angell. You’re just a cop. It’s us guys in the suits that get paid to figure out the clever stuff.’

She glared at him. ‘You know what? I think I’d like you a lot more if you didn’t speak.’

Hickok glanced up and met her eyes. He gave a wry smile. ‘No, I don’t think so, Angell. I think you like me fine just the way I am.’

Rebecca felt herself redden. She broke away from his stare, wondering why it was that she got so easily embarrassed by his teasing comments. It wasn’t as though what he said was true. Was it?

She watched as he slowly emptied the contents of the bottom drawer onto the desktop, half hoping that he wouldn’t find what he was looking for, if only to see him proved wrong. That wasn’t the only reason. Whilst she had every sympathy for the victims and wanted their killer to be apprehended, it just didn’t seem right to violate this Parker guy’s rights when they had not a shred of evidence against him, except Hickok’s hunch.

A small pastel-pink envelope came out of the drawer. Lawrie was typed in black ink on the front. Hickok started to remove the letter inside. Rebecca widened her eyes, not believing what he was doing.