The elevator doors opened and Ronan escorted Cope inside. “Usually at a time like this, I’d remind Tennyson to try to read as much from our suspect as possible. Are you going to be able to do that for us?”
Cope nodded. “I need to calm myself down a little bit, but I should be fine.” Just as soon as he got the image of Jude’s funeral out of his head. He tapped the dark screen of his phone and smiled when he saw the picture of him and Jude with the kids on the beach in Florida. Cope knew any informationhe read from Courtney could help Ronan and Fitz find his missing husband. He needed to keep his eyes on the prize and concentrate on the situation at hand.
When the elevator doors pinged open, Cope was ready to go to work. He’d worked a case like this once or twice with Jude. The most important thing Jude taught him was to stay quiet and blend into the background. Don’t let the suspect know what he could do with his gifts, so that he’d be free to read them without being blocked out.
“There’s the window.” Fitz pointed to the back of the large, open room. “Let’s hope she’s still here.”
Cope crossed his fingers and reached out with his gift. “She is. Reading a child psych book and munching on a Twinkie. Guess it’s hard to study on an empty stomach.” What Cope was really thinking was how could Courtney eat at time like this, after she’d spied on Jude’s family, took pictures of the kids, and may well have something to do with Jude’s abduction.
“Excuse me, Miss Wilcox,” Fitzgibbon said, sounding every inch the captain he was.
Courtney’s head popped up. “Oh, Mr. Fitzgibbon. Mr. O’Mara. Did I forget something at your house?”
“It’sCaptainFitzgibbon andDetectiveO’Mara, and no, we’re not here because you left something behind. We’re here because you took something.” Fitz pulled out the chair to Courtney’s left, while Ronan did the same on the right, effectively blocking her in.
Cope was pretty damn sure if she managed to somehow get away from Fitz and Ronan, he’d be able to tackle the bitch like a linebacker on the New England Patriots.
“Took something?” Courtney asked, sounding appalled by the idea that she would have stolen anything. “Mr. Fitzgibbon, I sat in the living room with the kids all night long. The only time I left the room was to go to the bathroom and to put little Lizbet to bed. I didn’t steal anything.”
“I never said you stole anything,” Fitzgibbon said softly. Other library patrons were staring at Courtney. “I said youtooksomething.”
“What is it you think I took?” Courtney asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Cope thought she looked like a petulant teenager who’d been grounded. He knew this was what lay in store for him as Wolf and Lizbet got older, but the question was if Jude would be around to help soothe teenage angst or if Cope would be doing it all on his own.
“Pictures,” Ronan said simply.
“You’re out of your mind,” Courtney said, on an angry whisper. “I didn’t take any of your family photos.”
“Everly told me you took snapshots of the five kids sitting on their sleeping bags.” Ronan’s tone was calm, but Cope could see the embers of anger burning in his eyes.
Courtney opened her mouth, looking as if she were about to protest.
“Don’t,” Ronan said. “Just don’t. My daughter doesn’t lie.”
“It’s odd, don’t you think, that the night you come to babysit our kids, is the night Jerry Dunkirk runs into Jude again?” Fitz asked.
“It’s even odder still that Jude goes missing the next day,” Ronan added.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know who Jonny Dunspirk is.” Courtney reached across the table and began gathering her books. “If you don’t mind, I have exams to study for.”
“As a matter of fact, we do mind, and it’s Jerry Dunkirk.” Ronan offered a cold smile. “Which of course you know, because he’s your half-brother.”
Courtney’s mouth dropped open. “I want a lawyer.”
“You’re not under arrest.” Fitz offered her a bland smile.“Yet.”
“I suggest you start talking or I’ll arrest you for helping to abduct Jude.” Ronan sat back in his seat. He appeared to be watching for some kind of reaction in Courtney.
“I didn’t kidnap anyone. All I did was watch your kids. You’ve got nothing on me.” Courtney’s voice rose as she spoke not with anger, but with fear. Cope could feel it pouring off her like smoke off dry ice.
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Ronan wore a cat who ate the canary grin. “If you’re an accessory to a crime, you can be charged with the offense itself. Which means, that you’ll go before a judge on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. Judges don’t like it when crimes are committed against cops or their families. “Of course if we find Jude’s body, the charges will be upgraded to first-degree murder, which carries a mandatory life without parole sentence.”
Cope was stunned to hear Ronan say the word murder, but didn’t let it show. “Say goodbye to getting your degree and becoming a certified teacher working with kids.” There was nohint of emotion in Cope’s voice. He didn’t know how he managed it. Jude always told Cope he was stronger than he possibly knew. Maybe he was right, after all. How he wished Jude was there to say, “I told you so.”
“I didn’t do anything. None of this is my fault. I can’t go to jail. I can’t!” Panic warred with fear in the young woman’s eyes.
“Start talking,” Fitzgibbon said, his voice sounding like a growl.
