Page 29 of D for Dead

Hickok scowled at him.

‘Shut up talking like an idiot, Rivers. When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it. Why don’t you get back to writing your essay?’

The younger agent’s face turned scarlet. ‘You can’t speak to me like that,’ he spluttered.

‘Sure I can.’

‘You haven’t changed,’ Rebecca muttered. ‘Obnoxious as ever.’

Hickok grinned at her and opened his mouth to retort. Exasperated by the route the meeting was taking, Jake stepped in.

‘Our investigation has shifted to the dead kids. Maybe we should focus our attention on that,’ he suggested, shooting a warning look at Rebecca to cool it. He didn’t know what had happened between his partner and Hickok in the past, but it needed to stay there.

‘Yeah?’ Hickok looked interested. ‘What have you got?’

‘Kasey Miller had a jealous ex. Shawn Randall. He’d gotten into a couple of fights with Ben and didn’t accept the relationship with Kasey was over. He claims to have been out in the campus bar, drinking alone. So far we have no witnesses to verify that.’

‘You think he could be our guy?’

‘Possibly. According to other students he has a bad temper and he has the motivation, but nothing ties him to Amy.’

‘Maybe her book was selected at random.’

‘And her stalker?’

‘Could be an unrelated incident,’ Hickok mused. ‘Or paranoia. Or perhaps she is making it up for attention. The ex-boyfriend is our priority right now.’

‘So you’re going to discount any connection?’

‘For the moment.’

‘You’re making a mistake,’ Jake disagreed, peeved by Hickok’s high-handed manner. Amy was involved somehow. He’d bet his salary on it.

‘Well I guess we could send Rivers over to check up on her.’ Hickok glanced at the younger agent’s pile of notes and smirked. ‘He’d probably like that. They could compare novels.’

Rivers immediately rose to the bait, dropping his pen in anger and glaring at his partner.

‘I’m warning you, Joel. Stop–’ He was interrupted by a knocking at the door.

It opened and Vic Boaz stuck his head in. He immediately clocked Hickok and a scowl formed on his face.

‘What are you doing back here?’

Hickok’s smirk widened to a grin.

‘Officer Boaz. Long time no see. How’s the family?’

Boaz muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

Jake knew the officer had worked with Hickok and Rebecca on the Alphabet Murders, which had been perpetrated by Boaz’s older brother, Rodney Boone. He didn’t particularly like Boaz, having found him to be a lazy cop looking for an easy ride through the job, but Jake figured that had to have stung.

Low blow, Hickok.

Ignoring Hickok and dismissing Rivers, Boaz focused his attention on Rebecca and Jake.

‘We’ve had a call come in; figured you should know. A body has been found, out in the woods by Beaver Creek.’

‘How is this relevant to us?’ Hickok demanded. ‘We’re in the middle of another murder investigation here.’