is going to help me gather a few more things.” She looked at Reed. “I’ll be ready in five minutes.
Headley opened his mouth to speak but Garrity interrupted them as he walked out into the hall. “Ms. Nolan, before you leave, I’ll just need a few more pieces of information from you for the report.”
“Okay. I’ll get my things and then I’ll be right with you.” She glanced at Reed. “I’ll be ready to go after that.” She looked at Dr. Headley. “Thank you for coming, Chad. And for passing along my message at work.”
Liza walked back toward her bedroom and Chad Headley turned fully to Reed. He offered Reed a tense smile, but there was a muscle twitching in his jaw and hostility in his gaze as he sized up Reed. He’s angry. What was this? Some sort of pissing match?
“May I speak to you in private, Detective?”
Great, just what he wanted. “Sure.” He turned and walked to the alcove outside Liza’s office, stopping before they entered the room that needed to be dusted for fingerprints. He wondered if Headley’s fingerprints were here. He was obviously familiar with where Liza lived.
Back away, Davies, he told himself.
Headley looked over his shoulder and then back at Reed. He leaned in closer. “Listen, I feel obligated to mention something to you about Liza.”
Reed kept his expression neutral, but he was suddenly on guard. He knew instinctively he wasn’t going to like what this man said.
Headley looked behind him quickly again. “I wouldn’t say anything except . . . well, you mentioned she thought it was her father who she saw in her apartment tonight and . . .” He let out a sigh. “Liza has a history of conjuring dead people. She speaks to her sister. Pretends she’s alive. Has entire conversations with her. A sister who died fifteen years ago.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m just wondering if you’re sure there was really anyone in her apartment tonight.”
There was the sound of movement directly around the corner of the vestibule, and then Liza stepped into the arched doorway, her eyes wide with what looked to Reed like . . . betrayal. Her gaze went directly to Headley. “How could you?” she asked, her voice cracking.
“Liza.” He moved toward her, reached out his arm, but she stepped backward, away from him.
“I trusted you,” she said so quietly Reed almost didn’t hear the words. Shit. Shit. Shit. His head was spinning. What was this?
Headley reached for her again, but she held her hand up and he halted. “Don’t,” she said. She looked at Reed. “I’m ready.”
Headley blew out a breath and started to say something to her, but Reed spoke before he could. “I think it’s best if you leave her alone for tonight, Doctor.”
For a minute it looked like the man was about to argue as he glanced between Reed and Liza, but then his shoulders slumped and he nodded. “You’ll make sure she’s set up in a safe hotel room?”
“I promise.”
He looked at Liza. “Call me if you need anything.”
She looked away and with a sigh, Headley turned and left her apartment.
“Ready?” he asked Liza and when she nodded, he guided her into the hall, moving slowly so Headley had plenty of time to get to his vehicle and drive away before they emerged from Liza’s building. They walked to Reed’s SUV, parked right out front. She looked pale, slightly shell-shocked, and her hands trembled in her lap. He left her to her thoughts, going over his own questions in his head.
Liza has a history of conjuring dead people. She speaks to her sister. Pretends she’s alive. Has entire conversations with her. A sister who died fifteen years ago.
Reed didn’t know what to think.
There was no way she’d imagined her father tonight . . . was there? He glanced over at her, body held rigid, hair falling loose of her ponytail, tendrils framing her face. She was still wearing the leggings and sweatshirt she must have gone to bed in. She looked very young and very scared.
Liza. Who are you? What happened to you?
“I’m not crazy,” she whispered, her eyes darting in his direction, though her head stayed facing forward.
Reed let out a breath. “Liza, you don’t have to tell me about it, except if it plays a part in what happened tonight.”
She shook her head, looked down at her hands twisting in her lap. “I know my sister’s dead. I know that, Reed. I’m not deluded.” She did turn her head toward