Page 50 of Condor’s Vow

Chapter 18

“FBI, open up.” Clay was again at the front door of Stephanie Clark’s home, but this felt different from last time. Clay looked at Sandstorm who was beside him as they heard sounds behind the door like the chain being removed. Stephanie Clark pulled open the door looking worse than the last time they’d seen her, and that had been when she was in a hospital bed and not long out of surgery.

“Stephanie, is Malone here?”

Clay kept his eyes on her and saw her nod once as if defeated. “Yes.” She pulled open the door and Clay followed her in, knowing Sandstorm had his back and the rest of the team could hear every word.

“Is he armed?”

Stephanie snorted. “No, Malone isn’t dangerous. He’s scared out of his mind, and it’s my fault.”

They moved into the main living space to find Malone Clark sat on the sofa looking haggard. His clothes were dirty, his hair sticking up in every direction, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

Sandstorm moved to put himself between Stephanie and her ex-husband, while Clay stepped up to Malone.

“Malone Clark, you’re under arrest for the murder of Serena Burke.” Clay pulled him to his feet and spun him, cuffing his hands behind his back, and checking him for weapons.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Yeah, of course not.”

“You need to listen to him. He didn’t do this, but he knows who did.” Stephanie Clark moved forward, but Sandstorm stopped her, and she glared at him.

“Take him in.” Clay followed as Hawk and Lyric helped Malone to the car. “Sandstorm, can you oversee things here if I go and question him with Lyric?”

“Yeah, of course. Whatever you need.”

Clay climbed in the front seat beside Lyric, leaving Hawk and Sandstorm to wait for the crime techs.

He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Malone looking around nervously and had a moment of doubt before shaking it off. Either way, this was a lead, and he’d take it.

Clay shut the door on the interview room, which was cold and sat opposite Malone, who was cuffed to a bar on the table. Lyric was leaning against the wall looking disinterested as he usually did, but Clay knew he was taking every single nuance of Malone’s behavior in and reading it.

“Malone, can you start by telling me why you set fire to the hospital?”

The man looked up and shook his head. “I didn’t.”

“Okay, let’s start with something easier. Why did you murder Serena Burke?”

He looked at his hand before raising his head. “I didn’t do any of it.”

Clay crossed his arms and leaned back. “You’re telling me that you didn’t set the fire, didn’t kill anyone, and never stole that car belonging to your employee? Come on. We have you on tape ranting to the news station about wanting the nurse.”

“I stole the car, but the rest wasn’t me.”

“Then who is it?” Malone glared at Clay and stayed quiet. “Fine stay here and think about it.”

Clay stood and went back out with Lyric behind him.

“Turn the air up and freeze the fucker. See if that helps him decide if he wants to co-operate.”

Clay and Lyric joined Omega and Rose, who had been watching on the screen.

“Thoughts?”

“He’s telling the truth about the recording. It isn’t him, or at least it is, but it’s a series of words strung together to make the threat. It’s good. Whoever did it knows what they’re doing.”

“Rose, any thoughts?”