Murder in Misery (Spook Squad) - By Ashley K. Broome Page 0,68

glance before she gestured them in.

“I’d offer coffee or something but you guys beat my alarm clock.” Keegan showed them to the living room and immediately their eyes focused on the shirt she had given up with and threw out of the kitchen in a rage. “So what can I help you with?”

“We need to get your version of events on last night’s failed arrest that resulted in the death of three officers and caused injuries to several others.” Detective Gros was blunt and didn’t bother sugar coating what they were after.

“Where would you like me to start?” Keegan asked as she pulled the throw that she used the other night to cover Matt with and wrapped it around her shoulders. She closed her eyes against the earthy scent that she breathed in.

“When everything started to crumble,” Detective Conway prompted. “The suspect, Bryton Anderson had exited the house he had been staying in. What happened then?”

Keegan rubbed a hand over her forehead before she started. Her eyes glued to the floor in front of her. “When the suspect exited the building he charged for the closest group of officers. That happened to be the alpha team.”

“Who was leading that team?” Detective Gros interrupted her.

“Detective Hollis led that team,” Keegan closed her eyes as she answered. “The officers scattered once one of them were physically harmed. I don’t remember who it was that was first hurt but as soon as I heard the screams everyone else heard them and they scattered for some sort of protection.”

“But you didn’t?” Keegan looked over towards the bulldog, her eyes flashing in anger.

“No, as a member of SIU we are trained not to back down and search for cover like mundane officers. My men and I broke off from the scattering tactical groups and headed towards Mr. Anderson. Melinda shifted into her second form and Gary was next to her the entire time, keeping her calm and waiting for my instructions.”

“But you never gave any instructions did you Detective Morne?” Detective Conway retorted. His voice was unforgiving.

“No,” Keegan confirmed, “I didn’t. Leeroy knew that if he combined his energy with mine there was a possibility that we could stop Mr. Anderson before anyone else got hurt and we would not have to use deadly force against him.”

“How did that work out?” Keegan could feel the satisfaction Gros got from asking her that. He knew exactly how combining their energies worked out. It didn’t.

“It didn’t. I wasn’t fast enough or strong enough to stop and enraged alpha.” Keegan licked her lips and focused in on the man sitting across from her. “Instead when Mr. Anderson charged at me in his shifted form I did the only thing I could in order to remain alive when I realized I didn’t have enough time to not harm the suspect.”

“You killed him.”

“I shot him,” Keegan corrected. “He was still alive when he attacked Detective Hollis. It took several more gun shots for him at actually die. So if it was my bullet that killed him, I don’t know. I was more concerned with keeping Detective Hollis alive.”

“Well,” Both of the men stood up tucking there notebooks and a recorder into their pockets. “Several officers of homicide were required to be tested for infection because of their exposure to both Mr. Anderson’s blood and detective Hollis’s wounds. But it will please you to know that your actions weren’t for naught. Detective Hollis made it through surgery and appears to be healing up well.”

Keegan felt her throat begin to close and her eyes began to sting with unshed tears. She didn’t bother leading the men to the door, they knew the way just fine. Instead she curled up on the couch and rested her head against the blanket and the arm of the couch.

After three days of forced time off, Keegan returned to the precinct. The entire homicide and SIU offices were a quiet buzz of activity. Unoccupied desks were covered in get well cards, gag gifts and the three officers who didn’t make it – their desks were left as they were. Eyes followed Keegan as she strode down towards SIU. She ignored the curious eyes and trudged down the stairs. Sarah was sitting so still at her desk Keegan thought the ME had fallen asleep.

Her head popped up as soon as she heard the clicking of Keegan’s boots against the linoleum floor. She stood up and wrapped her arms around Keegan crushing the air from the detective’s lungs. “I