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“I told you what I want from you. I want to know what your relationship was with Philip Welch.” North bared his teeth, and nobody reasonable could have called it a smile. “Remember?”
A disbelieving laugh. A shake of the head. But his hands were wrapped tight around the arms of his chair, visible in a brief moment when Brey rocked back in his seat. “I told you! He’d been in and out of the system. It was—it was a Big Brother program, for heaven’s sake. You want to know what we talked about? Like, did we talk about how he was going to kill those m—people? Did he tell me his plans to escape? Do I really have to answer that?”
“You’re asking a lot of questions, Mr. Brey,” Shaw said. “I don’t know if you noticed that.”
A hint of color came into Brey’s cheeks. “No, we didn’t talk about anything like that. It was what I told you, we talked about his life, about how he was going to turn things around. And I already told you how I know Phil and why I went to visit him.”
“Do you visit all the troubled teens you met through that program?” North traced an invisible line in the air. “A hundred miles between here and Wahredua. You keep that up, you won’t have time to get yourself elected again.”
“No, I don’t do that with every teen. Phil and I connected. I don’t know what you want me to say; I’ve never had to defend myself for volunteer work before.”
“Get some practice. It’ll pay off in that big political career you’re planning.”
“Where is Philip?” Shaw asked.
Brey’s gaze snapped toward him, and he shut down again. Then he said, “How should I know?”
“You know him,” Theo said. “You connected, isn’t that what you told us?”
“Where has he gone before?” Auggie asked.
“I don’t know; let me think. His grandmother’s, I suppose. Did you already talk to her?”
“Where else?”
“He had a girlfriend, Maleah.”
“Come on, Mr. Brey. I could have gotten this off his Instagram.”
“I don’t know.” Brey glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry to hear about those deaths, I really am. And if I hear anything, I’ll inform the authorities, of course.”
“Of course,” North said.
“What about the Cottonmouth Club?” Theo asked. “Would he go there?”
For a single moment, shock broke the wall of control. Then Brey shored his defenses up again, and he said, “Why would he go there?”
“You’re familiar with the place?” Shaw asked.
“Familiar isn’t the word I’d use. That cesspool is located in my district; I’ve heard stories.”
“What kind of stories?”
“Drugs. And yes, I know Phil was convicted for possession. I suppose it’s possible he went there, but to your point, Mr. McKinney, why would he drive a hundred miles? There are other places like the Cottonmouth Club, certainly ones closer to Wahredua.”
“You know what?” Auggie said. “I’m starting to think there aren’t.”
“Mr. Brey, where were you last night?” North asked.
More color came into Brey’s cheeks, and that stony silence met them again. “I was home. Alone, before you ask. I’m not married, and I don’t have anyone who can testify I was there.”
“Jeez, too bad.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say. I was home. I was alone. That’s the truth.”
North nodded slowly.
“And since I’d only planned on fifteen minutes for—” He shot Auggie a dirty look. “—a quick chat with a local PAC, I’ve got to wrap this up, gentlemen.” Before they could say anything, he stood. “You can see yourselves out.”
