Terraformed Skies

by Anna Lewis

  Unfortunately, she needed to get this man to not only come back to the station, but to willingly submit a DNA sample to rule him out as a suspect.

  “You know what, Jason? I think that this is perfect. I need to question you anyway to rule out any DNA you might have left on the victim when you were covering his hands, and I also need to ask you some questions. Since you were the first person on the scene and you’re an educated witness, I really need some time to pick your brain.”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Perfect,” she said, shocked that it had been just that easy. “Then why don’t you come with us, and we’ll take you to the station so we can get all of this out of the way.”

  Jason didn’t even hesitate, shouldering his backpack and falling into step behind Lilly.

  That was much too easy

  ***

  “This is so exciting,” Jason said as they stepped out of the sedan and headed into the station.

  Adam smiled at Lilly, giving her a sly wink behind Jason’s back. Lilly sighed but didn’t return the gesture. They were going outside her comfort zone; treating a possible suspect with kid gloves like he was just a friend coming to the station for a visit. Lilly preferred the straightforward approach, but Adam was right. Jason was the only one cooperating and they didn’t want him to lawyer up like the rest of the team. If she had to treat him gently to get him in the interrogation room, so be it.

  But she didn’t have to like it.

  “If you’ll come this way,” Adam said, “I’ll get you something to drink while you wait.”

  “I’ll take a water.”

  Lilly left the room behind Adam, going into the viewing room to watch Jason while Adam fetched a water.

  She watched Jason closely, noting how calm he appeared in the stark room. His dark hair was perfectly styled, hazel eyes bright and friendly. Looking at him, Lilly would never guess that he could have anything to do with the murder of the man in the locker room, but she knew better than to judge a book by its cover. She’d been working homicides in one fashion or another for almost a decade. At thirty-three, she was one of the youngest people in her field, having starting in the ME’s office at the tender age of twenty-three.

  The detective closest to her age was Adam, who was thirty-five and had been in law enforcement since he graduated high school. He’d been promoted to detective shortly before his thirtieth birthday, assigned to a partner that was just a few years shy of retirement.

  Lilly’s career shift had come at just the right time. She and Adam had been partners since Lilly had left the ME’s office a few months before. Their relationship had its ups and downs, but for the most part, Lilly enjoyed Adam’s company. He was a bit of a pain, but compared to her other options for partners, she’d gotten lucky.

  Adam left the bottle of water in front of Jason, gave an explanation for having to leave and told Jason he would be back in a bit. Jason nodded, opening the water and taking a huge swig before setting it down again.

  He rummaged around in his backpack in the interrogation room as Adam slipped in through the door to join Lilly.

  “Anything good yet?” he asked.

  “No, but I can’t believe him right now. Does he have any shame?”

  Adam looked up at Jason and laughed out loud.

  “I did tell him to get comfortable.”

  “That didn’t mean that he could just put his feet up on the table and pull out a book. What kind of football player is he?”

  “The kind that’s only playing to pay his way through college.”

  Lilly reached for the intercom button, intent on giving Jason a piece of her mind. Adam reached out, stopping her before she could press the button.

  “Just give him some time. Let’s see what he does.”

  Lilly leaned closer to the one-way glass, squinting so that she could see the book’s title.

  “He’s reading a crime novel. Of all the—”

  “He said he was interested in a career change. It doesn’t really seem out of character for him to do that.”

  “I guess not. He’s finished with his water, let’s get this show on the road.”

  Lilly walked briskly out of the viewing room and pulled open the door of the interrogation room.

  “Jason, thank you for your patience. We have a few—”

  She stopped mid-sentence, putting her hands on her hips when Jason held up a finger to silence her. He quickly finished the page he was reading, using an old, worn-out bookmark to keep his place.

  “Sorry. I didn’t want to lose my spot. You were saying?”

  He shoved the book back in his bag and gave Lilly his full attention. She sat down across from him, ignoring Adam as he quietly left the room with the empty water bottle in an evidence bag.

  “I bet the groupies are all over you,” she started, her tone deceptively friendly.

  “They do that with all the players, but I don’t really care.”

  “Why? Do you get enough tail off the field?”

  Jason chuckled.

  “Are you serious? I’m not interested in those women. They’re a dime a dozen, spending thousands so that they all look the same. They have so much makeup on, you can’t even see them at all. I like a woman with a little more substance and a brain. A woman like you.”

  He leaned forward and smiled. Lilly’s heart skipped a beat. He was devilishly handsome. She rolled her eyes and continued. She wasn’t going to fall for his pitch, even if it was a good one.

  “Does that ever work?” Lilly asked.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never tried it. Did it work?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Then why did your pupils dilate?”

  “Because they’re allergic to bullshit.”

  “If you say so. But science says that—”

  “Enough with the brainiac spiel. I need to ask you some questions, and I don’t have time for the games. Let’s start from the beginning. Walk me through this morning and everything that happened before you found the body.”

  ***

  Lilly closed the door in the observation room, plopping down in the chair across from Adam and tossing her notepad across the flimsy table.

  “What do you think?” Adam asked.

  “I don’t know what to think. He’s either the coolest customer we’ve ever had, or he’s completely innocent.”

  “I’m leaning towards innocent,” Adam admitted. “I’ve seen you break tougher men in under two hours. This man lasted four hours and still hasn’t faltered even once. That’s inhuman.”

  “Maybe he just rehearsed his answers.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Neither do I.”

  Lilly sighed.

  “I was hoping this was going to be an open and shut case. After all, he was the one that found the body.”

  “But you know that cases are rarely open and shut, Lil.”

  “Stop calling me that.”

  “How about Brucey? Is that better?”

  “Only if you don’t value your own life.”

  Adam chuckled, putting on his sport coat and heading for the door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “It’s lunch time. We don’t have anything to do right now. Might as well get something to eat.”

  “What are we going to do with Jason?”

  “I guess we could take him with us. The man looks like he can eat.”

  Lilly looked through the window, admiring Jason’s ripped arms and broad chest. Adam was probably right; Jason would be a big eater.

  “That’s probably a good idea. He’s a talker, and he might share something that will help us down the road.”

  “Sounds like a win-win to me,” Adam said.

  Lilly pushed the intercom button and the speaker inside the interrogation room clicked on.

  “You hungry?” she asked him.

  “I can always eat,” he responded, not even flinching the suddenness of her voice in the quiet space.

  �
��Good. We’re getting barbecue. Do you like barbecue?”

  “Honey, I’m a Texan. We live and breathe barbecue.”

  “Don’t call me ‘honey’.”

  “Suit yourself, Darling.”

  Lilly grunted and let go of the intercom button. She shoved the door open and Adam followed closely on her heels and into the interrogation room.

  “Would it be wrong of me to rough him up a little, just for the fun of it?” she asked, her hand on the closed door.

  “Probably, but I think he would like it.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  Lilly yanked the door open and motioned to Jason that he should follow.

  “That defeats the entire purpose,” Adam said.

  “The purpose of what?” Jason asked.

  “Nothing,” Lilly answered.

  “Trust me man,” Adam said. “You don’t want to know.”

  ***

  They were back at the station in record time, and Lilly stormed off into the viewing room without waiting for the two men to catch up.

  “Jeez, what’s her problem?” Jason asked.

  She was already in the stairwell and they were still just a few feet from the car. She’d lit out of there so fast they were sure that she was halfway to the next county.

  “It’s not what, it’s who. I think you get under the lovely doctor’s skin.”

  “Doctor? I thought she was a detective.”

  “She is, but she started this journey as a Medical Examiner. She got tired of being trapped in a dark basement and wanted something more.”

  “Are you sure she didn’t just get tired of the dead bodies?”

  “Nope. You should see her in action. She attends all the autopsies of our cases, and she’s not too shy to tell Dr. Ward that he’s mucking things up. She a hellcat. Unless you’re interested in playing with fire, I would back off a little.”

  Jason nodded.

  “Well, that was easy,” Adam said. “I expected you to be a little more pig-headed about it.”

  “Normally I would, but Lilly is different, you know?”

  “Boy, do I ever.”

  “It’s not just the coroner thing.”

  “Medical Examiner.”

  “Is there a difference?”

  “I don’t know. But when Lilly Bruce corrects you, you learn to get it right or get your ass chewed again.”

  “Anyway, it’s not just the Medical Examiner thing. She’s feisty and intelligent. And that hair and those green eyes. She’s beautiful, but she’s too smart to care. I love that in a woman.”

  “I have to be honest; I’ve seen men try with her before. It hasn’t gone well.”

  “Well, someone has to win her over. It might as well be me, right?”

  “If you say so.”

  “You don’t like women like Lilly?”

  “She’s not my type,” Adam opened the door to the stairwell and held it for Jason.

  “Why, too smart?”

  “Nope. Too good of a shot.”

  “Oh. I guess I didn’t consider her being armed.”

  “As well as I know Lilly, I would say that that’s one thing that you never want to forget about her.”

  “So what’s next on the agenda?”

  “We’re done with you; you can go home.”

  “No way, man. This is the only time I’ve ever gotten to do something so cool. I want to observe. This is better than any college class.”

  “I’ll have to clear it with Lilly.”

  “If she can’t see through the glass, does it matter?”

  “It really does.”

  “Wait. Did I need to give DNA and fingerprints so that you can rule me out as a suspect?”

  “You already gave them.”

  Jason looked stunned for a moment, then a slow smile spread across his face.

  “The water bottle.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So I’m ruled out?”

  “DNA takes a lot longer than that, and the forensic guys are still working the scene. It will be at least a few days before you’re cleared. Maybe a few weeks. It depends on the backlog and whether or not we get an ID on our Dead Doe.”

  “And if he’s important?”

  “Well, then the city attorney will fast-track everything and we’ll move to the head of the line.”

  “So we want it to be someone important?”

  “Yes and no.”

  “This is so exciting,” Jason exclaimed.

  “Try to keep yourself contained. We’re investigating a murder. This is real life, not a television show.”

  ***

  Lilly was in the viewing room, going over a file on her PDA when the two men walked into the room.

  “Who is that?” Adam asked.

  “Thomas Jaymes,” Jason said. “He’s the star quarterback.”

  “What is he doing here?” Adam asked.

  “Apparently the coach finally talked to someone on scene. Good old Tom never showed up for practice today. When the coach called him, he was drunk and blubbering about it wasn’t his fault.”

  “That sounds legit,” Adam said.

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Lilly said.

  “Sounds scared to me, but that’s just my thought.”

  Lilly shot Jason a look.

  “You can observe, but I need you to keep your thoughts to yourself. You’re not off the hook yet. You really shouldn’t be in here, but I see my partner isn’t immune to your charms.”

  Lilly gave Adam a withering look.

  “My lips are sealed. Unless you want to know why Tom didn’t play last season.”

  “No, I don’t want to know,” Lilly said gruffly, heading out the door to interview him.

  “That’s too bad. I would think the fact that he almost beat another player to death would interest you…” Jason trailed off, waiting for Lilly to take the bait.

  “It is interesting. And we’ll look into that. Until then, you sit here and watch. Not a peep out of you. Understand?”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” he said.

  “Don’t patronize me,” Lilly shot back.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  “Uh huh,” Lilly said.

  She was skeptical, but she had a job to do. Alex let him stay and observe, he was Alex’s problem now. Lilly was going to interview Thomas Jaymes and see what he had to say for himself.

  She opened the door and threw a photograph across the table. The glossy eight by ten spun for a moment before coming to a rest directly in front of Tom. Tom took one look at the picture and gagged.

  “Oh man, oh man,” he said, rocking back and forth, hands folded in his lap.

  “Know anything about this, Tom?”

  “I didn’t do it. You have to believe me.”

  He started mumbling incoherently and Lilly slammed her fist on the table in front of him.

  “Stop mumbling and answer me. Did you have anything to do with this?”

  Tom stopped rocking, looking at Lilly and shaking his head.

  “I don’t know, man. I don’t know.”

  He started rocking again.

  Lilly turned and left the room, letting the door slam behind her. She shoved open the other door, almost knocking Jason over when she did.

  “Whoa, slow down there.”

  “Sorry. Adam, we need to get him fingerprinted and tossed in the tank. He’s way too drunk.”

  Adam picked up a phone from the wall and dialed a short number. He spoke to the person on the other line and hung up.

  “They’re on their way,” he said.

  There was a commotion in the interrogation room, and all three looked up in time to see Tom emptying the contents of his stomach into the trashcan.

  “Glad I got out of their before that happened,” Lilly said.

  “Are you squeamish?” Jason teased.

  “Nope. Can’t stand drunk people, and alcohol smells bad enough the first time around.”

  They watched as Tom finished r
etching and laid across the table. He was asleep within seconds.

  “Someone should go see if he’s still breathing,” Adam said.

  “I can see him breathing from here. He’s fine. He’ll sleep it off in the tank and we’ll see if we can get anything viable from him.”

  Adam looked at his watch.

  “It’s almost quitting time. I’m going to knock off early. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have a date.”

  “Oh,” Lilly said. “In that case, have fun.”

  “I’ll try. It’s another first date, so it promises to be painfully awkward.”

  “Sounds about as fun as sticking a needle in your eye,” Lilly said.

  “It’s not quite that fun,” Adam said, grabbing his things and heading down the hall.

  He passed a small group of uniformed officers that had come in from the tank to pick up Tom. Adam pointed them in the right direction and was on his way.

  “So what do we do now?”

  Lilly spun around, her expression blank as if she’d forgotten that Jason was behind her.

  “We aren’t doing anything. I’m going downstairs to see if they’ve brought our victim in yet.”

  “I’d like to go with you.”

  “You’re really not authorized.”

  “What do I need to do to get authorized?”

  Lilly sighed. She reached out and grabbed a tag off a cork bulletin board behind the desk in the lobby.

  “Sign your name on the sheet there, along with your visitor number.”

  “That’s it?”

  “No, but it will do for now.”

  Jason’s grin spread from ear to ear as he signed the paper and clipped the tag to his shirt.

  “You have to dial it down.”

  “I know. Adam said the same thing. But this is a dream come true, and it’s hard to be blasé about it.”

  “That’s fine. Be excited on the inside, but you have to practice your solemn face. Someone died, and his unidentified, decomposed body is lying on a cold slab in a bright room. You have to practice an expression that is appropriate for that, understood?”