offering them his hand. “We’re so glad you’re here, Detectives. This is such a shock. Terrible. I’ve just brewed a pot of coffee if either of you would like a cup,” Dr. . . . what was his name—he’d just heard it seconds ago and couldn’t for the life of him bring it to mind—asked.
Liza suddenly came back to herself, her body twitching as her expression smoothed and she stood. She wore a straight gray skirt that hugged her slim hips, a silky white blouse, and a choker of pearls at her throat. Her hair was smoothed back and gathered in a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She looked classy and professional, the sophisticated twin of the leather-clad free-spirit he’d met in a bar two weeks before. “Detectives,” she said, holding out her hand, her voice devoid of emotion, though her fingers trembled very slightly.
Reed made himself move. He stepped forward and took her hand, his mind flashing back to that same hand reaching down the waistband of his pants, grasping. Her eyes shot to their linked hands, a fresh wash of pink appearing on her cheeks, and somehow he knew the very same thought was crossing her mind. “Detective Reed Davies,” he said, haltingly.
“Elizabeth Nolan,” she murmured, breaking eye contact and pulling her hand back quickly.
“Detective Ransom Carlyle,” his partner said, stepping forward and shaking her hand. Her lips tipped slightly as she greeted him, but it didn’t touch her eyes. “I’ll take a cup of coffee,” he said to the male doctor. Headley, his name was Headley.
Reed’s mind was clearing, shock dissipating. Elizabeth Nolan was a doctor at Lakeside Hospital who’d just found the mutilated, dead body of her boss. For now, that was all. He needed to compartmentalize, not just for his own sake, but for hers, and for the man who’d suffered a terrible, violent crime and now lay in a corner nearby swarmed by a forensic team of techs. And yet he couldn’t stop staring at her. It felt like he’d just come face to face with a ghost. Or a dream.
Reed felt Ransom’s gaze on him. Heavy. Questioning. His partner of three years knew Reed well, so it wasn’t surprising he’d noticed something was going on that had nothing to do with the crime they were there to investigate. Reed pulled his gaze from Liza, dragging a chair toward him. It scraped loudly across the floor and Liza let out a small sound of surprise. It ended in a short, nervous laugh as she took a seat at the table.
Dr. Headley poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Ransom.
“Will you tell us how you found the victim, Dr. Nolan?” He opened his black leather folder, removing a pen he kept inside. Ransom was a note taker. Reed preferred to keep all his attention focused on the person he was questioning so he didn’t miss a flicker or an expression that might mean something, or let him know when his line of questioning was headed in a direction that would deliver the most information. Between the two of them, they covered all the bases. But right now, he really wished he had something to do other than stare directly at Elizabeth Nolan.
“I . . . I had just arrived at work.”
“What time?” Ransom asked.
“Seven a.m., ah, maybe a little before? There’s a camera on that back entrance that will pinpoint the exact time.” Her eyelids fluttered momentarily as though her own statement had caused her to recall something. Reed waited for her to go on, but she remained silent.
“Is Ms. Thorne the one we need to speak with to access the hospital security footage?”
Liza paused and then bobbed her head, swallowed. “The thing is, Re . . .” She blinked, looked down, fiddled with the napkin sitting next to the mug she’d been drinking from. “Detective Davies, there aren’t many security cameras on this floor as it’s mostly administrative." She glanced at Dr. Headley as though confirming what she’d said. He nodded, giving her an encouraging smile.
“There’s a camera facing the door next to the corner where you found Mr. Sadowski.”
“Yes, that’s the stairwell door I used to enter the hallway.” She glanced at Headley again and Reed felt irritation bubble in his chest. He did his best to tamp it down. “That back entrance is used solely by staff.” Liza fingered the edge of the napkin and Headley reached over, stilling her movement by placing his hand on top