Below the Bones (Widow's Island #5) - Kendra Elliot Page 0,14

once carried at her side and had a flash of panic at its missing weight. When she’d first returned to Widow’s, she’d had the same reaction a number of times. But now it’d been months since she’d reached for it.

The three of them were led to a small interview room. Two chairs on one side of a table and a single chair on the other. “Need another chair?” asked the guard.

“I’ll stand,” said Henry.

They’d discussed strategy that morning. Henry was to stay silent, and Mike wanted him to stand against a wall. “Just look focused. Don’t let your gaze stray from Lamb. I want him to feel that third set of eyes studying him. Don’t let anything he says get to you.” Mike had paused. “And especially don’t let anything he says to Cate get to you. Be ready for him to be an asshole to her.”

Henry’s lips had quirked. “Got it. I’m looking forward to the show.”

In the room, Cate wrinkled her nose. It smelled like a locker room. Old sweat and industrial cleaning agents. She took a seat and waited, ignoring that her heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest.

I’ve done this dozens of times. No big deal.

Mike sat beside her, his metal chair scraping the tile floor. “How do you think Lamb will be?” he asked Cate in a low voice.

“Curious. Cocky. His usual asshole self. Just eight years older.”

“Agreed.”

A guard opened the door and brought Lamb in.

He looks fifteen years older, not eight.

Lamb had been a tall muscular man. He still was tall, but he’d thinned down. He looked more wiry than muscular. No excess fat. More lines in his face. More gray in his hair.

Same damned ice-blue eyes.

His gaze shot straight to her, and Cate physically felt his pleasure at seeing her. He’d always commanded a room with his presence; he still did. The orange jumpsuit and manacles made no difference. He held her gaze as he sat and waited for the guard to fasten him to the table. His lips curved up as the guard stepped back. “Good to see you, Cate. I’m very surprised. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the pleasure.”

“You weren’t told that it would be Agent Scarn and myself?”

“No. All I was told was it was an FBI visit. You’ve made my day . . . my week.” His gaze went to Henry and he looked him up and down, dismissing him. He looked back to Cate. “You’ve changed your hair. And it’s longer.”

“So is yours.”

“What can I do for you today?” Lamb asked, as if he were taking their drink order.

“I thought it’d be good to catch up,” said Mike. “Maybe there’s something you’d like to share with us.”

“Like what?”

“Anything to do with your case. Think of anything new that we should know about?”

Lamb raised his chin a fraction. “You’re being very vague. If there’s something you want to ask me, ask it. Don’t dick around.”

Good. Let him think he has control of the interview.

“We found something on Widow’s Island that you might know about,” said Mike.

Lamb’s brows rose. “Cate’s hometown? Surely she would know more about something there than I would.”

Of course he’s figured out where I’m from.

Still creepy.

“Ever spend any time there?” asked Mike.

“I never have.”

“Know anyone that has?”

“Besides our Cate?” Lamb asked.

Our Cate?

Cate was proud she didn’t flinch.

“I’m sure I know lots of people who’ve been there. You’re being vague again, Special Agent Scarn.” He turned to Cate. “Maybe you should ask the questions.”

“We found three graves: three women, three lockets. All in a straight line.”

Lamb was motionless. But Cate saw the surprise in his eyes. A faint dilation of his pupils.

But is he surprised by the news or surprised that we know?

“I don’t know anything about those graves,” Lamb stated. “Maybe we could talk about politics? I know lots about that . . . have a lot of opinions that I’d be happy to share with you.”

“No,” said Cate and Mike together.

“You found all my women,” Lamb told them. “There are no more.”

My women.

She wanted to vomit.

“It seems like a very big coincidence, then,” Cate said. “Surely you have an opinion to share on that.”

His eyes seemed to brighten in intensity. “The reason I was surprised to see you, Cate, is because I heard you quit the bureau.”

He’s attempting to rattle me.

“Sounds like your sources aren’t very accurate,” said Cate, wondering how that news had reached his ears.

“Hmm.” His gaze went to Henry again. “Silent fellow, isn’t he?”

“If you

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