Blindsighted (Grant County #1) - Karin Slaughter Page 0,16

he grabbed her hands, holding them tight. She still fought him, screaming, spitting, kicking. Holding her hands was like grabbing a live wire. He kept a firm hand, taking the abuse, letting her get it all out until she crumpled into a ball on the floor. Jeffrey sat beside her, holding her while she sobbed. When he thought to look, Sara was nowhere to be found.

Jeffrey pulled a handkerchief out of his desk with one hand, holding the phone to his ear with the other. He put the cloth to his mouth, dabbing at the blood as a metallic version of Sara’s voice asked him to wait for the beep.

“Hey,” he said, taking away the cloth. “You there?” He waited a few seconds. “I want to make sure you’re okay, Sara.” More seconds passed. “If you don’t pick up, I’m going to come over.” He expected to get a response to this, but nothing came. He heard the machine run out and hung up the phone.

Frank knocked on his office door. “The kid’s in the bathroom,” he said, meaning Lena. Jeffrey knew Lena hated to be called a kid, but this was the only way Frank Wallace could think to show his partner that he cared.

Frank said, “She’s got a mean right, huh?”

“Yeah.” Jeffrey folded the handkerchief for a fresh corner. “She know I’m waiting for her?”

Frank offered, “I’ll make sure she doesn’t make any detours.”

“Good,” Jeffrey said, then, “Thanks.”

He saw Lena walking through the squad room, her chin tilted up defiantly. When she got to his office, she took her time shutting the door, then slumped into one of the two chairs across from him. She had the look of a teenager who had been called into the principal’s office.

“I’m sorry I hit you,” she mumbled.

“Yeah,” Jeffrey returned, holding up the handkerchief. “I got worse at the Auburn-Alabama game.” She did not respond, so he added, “And I was in the stands at the time.”

Lena propped her elbow on the armrest and leaned her head into her hand. “What leads do you have?” she asked. “Any suspects?”

“We’re running the computer right now,” he said. “We should have a list in the morning.”

She put her hand over her eyes. He folded the handkerchief, waiting for her to speak.

She whispered, “She was raped?”

“Yes.”

“How badly?”

“I don’t know.”

“She was cut,” Lena said. “This is some Jesus freak?”

His answer was the truth. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t seem to know a hell of a lot,” she finally said.

“You’re right,” he agreed. “I need to ask you some questions.”

Lena did not look up, but he saw her give a slight nod.

“Was she seeing anybody?”

Finally she looked up. “No.”

“Any old boyfriends?”

Something flickered in her eyes, and her answer didn’t come as quickly as the last. “No.”

“You sure about that?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Not even somebody from a few years back? Sibyl moved here, what, about six years ago?”

“That’s right,” Lena said, her voice hostile again. “She took a job at the college so she could be near me.”

“Was she living with someone?”

“What does that mean?”

Jeffrey dropped the handkerchief. “It means what it means, Lena. She was blind. I’m assuming she needed help getting around. Was she living with someone?”

Lena pursed her lips, as if debating whether or not to answer. “She was sharing a house on Cooper with Nan Thomas.”

“The librarian?” This would explain why Sara had seen her at the library.

Lena mumbled, “I guess I have to tell Nan about this, too.”

Jeffrey assumed Nan Thomas already knew. Secrets did not stay kept for very long in Grant. Still, he offered, “I can tell her.”

“No,” she said, giving him a scathing look. “I think it would be better coming from someone who knows her.”

The implication was clear to Jeffrey, but he chose not to confront her. Lena was looking for another fight, that much was obvious. “I’m sure she’s probably already heard something. She won’t know the details.”

“She won’t know about the rape, you mean?” Lena’s leg bobbed up and down in a nervous twitch. “I guess I shouldn’t tell her about the cross?”

“Probably not,” he answered. “We need to keep some of the details close in case somebody confesses.”

“I’d like to handle a false confession,” Lena mumbled, her leg still shaking.

“You shouldn’t be alone tonight,” he told her. “You want me to call your uncle?” He reached for the phone, but she stopped him with a no.

“I’m fine,” she said, standing. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Jeffrey stood, too, glad to conclude this. “I’ll call you as soon