an air bubble into her IV or something that he thought would be untraceable like that. Why don’t you try being an actual crime solver and go pull security footage from the hospital? Or you know, talk to the staff? When you see that I’m right, you should come and apologize to Joel.”
Joel wasn’t gonna hold his breath for an apology.
“Judith’s death puts a whole new light on the crimes for me. I think we’re looking for a medical professional.”
“Yeah…like Doctor Landry there—”
She continued, as if Richardson hadn’t spoken, “Someone who works at the hospital where Judith was being treated. Someone who could slip inside easily and would know how to kill a patient without arousing suspicion. With that much knowledge, we have to be looking for a nurse. A doctor. And considering the targeted nature of the attack on the three male victims, it does stand to reason that the perpetrator knows human anatomy. He knew which areas of the spine to target—
“All of this points to Landry.”
“Except for the fact that he has an airtight alibi.” Her chin lifted. “He has me.”
“You’re not saying anything,” Richardson snarled at Joel. “You gonna let her do all the talking for you? Can’t you defend yourself?”
Joel laughed. The reaction seemed to be the last thing that Richardson expected. Good. Joel faced him and Gordon. “You think that taunt will injure my pride? Chloe is more than welcome to defend me any time she wants. But sure, I can defend myself, too. I didn’t kill Donnie Adams. I haven’t killed anyone in New Orleans.”
“And you have an alibi for the night of Donnie’s murder? You were with her?” Richardson wasn’t giving up.
“You heard Chloe. She said I was with her.” How about that? Those words hadn’t been an actual lie. More like a twist of the truth. Joel recalled something that Marie had once told him about Chloe…
What she doesn’t say is often more important than what she does.
Damn. He’d started acting like Chloe did. Using her tricks.
Tricks she used on me from day one.
The anger was there, swirling inside him. The burn of betrayal. But he couldn’t let his control waver. Not yet. Not while they had an audience.
“I think we’re done now,” Joel said. “So how about you two…”
“Piss off,” Chloe told them politely.
Joel brought her hand to his lips. Pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I was going to say fuck off, but pissing off works, too.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“I know you’re angry.” Chloe stood beside the motorcycle. The light from the moon fell down onto her as she twisted her hands in front of her body. She was trying hard not to reach out to him. Mostly because she was afraid he’d reject her touch.
He didn’t get off the bike. He’d brought her home in silence. She’d felt the tension in his body. The anger that bubbled beneath the surface.
“Angry?” Joel seemed to taste the word. “Is that what I am?”
“Joel—”
“You lied, Chloe.”
Yes. More times than she could count. “I did it to protect you.” As if that would somehow make it better.
“You mean in the interrogation room? I’m not talking about when you stared straight at the FBI agent and lied about us having sex the night Donnie died. I’m talking about other times. Times you lied to me. All of the times…to me.”
“So am I,” she whispered miserably.
“What?”
“I was trying to protect you.” Over and over. “I know you don’t believe me or understand—”
“Because you’ve been keeping me in the dark!”
“Shortly after I met you, I realized Gordon was wrong about you, but if I just went straight up to you and told you that tosser was an idiot, you wouldn’t have believed me. I had to show you he was wrong.”
“Because Chloe knows best. Because Chloe has to be the puppet master who manipulates everyone around her.”
Chloe’s shoulders stiffened. “I’m sorry.”
“How did you get my psych file? Wait, when did you get it?”
“I received it about a month ago. As to how, I have a friend who is good at hacking. He got into Gordon’s system.”
Joel swore. “A month? A whole fucking month? Why?”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Too fucking late for that.” His voice was raw. Savage.
She flinched.
“Why? Why me, Chloe? Why the hell did you pull me into your web?”
“I originally wanted to see your file because I was doing research on people in the area…” Tell him. “Who might fit the profile of the killer.”
“The Bad Deeds Killer.”
She nodded. “I saw you the day