Barton murder case has been moved from tomorrow to today. You need to be at the courthouse at ten a.m.”
Jessie and Ryan exchanged deflated looks.
“Captain,” he pleaded, “it’s only eight thirty now. Let me start the process of taking over the case. Maybe we can conduct an interview with the roommate. At least let us get the ball rolling.”
“I can’t do all that. I’m not going to pull the Valley guys off the case. The politics of that are just too ugly. But I can offer a compromise. I’ll let Valley Bureau know that HSS wants to work in concurrence with them, to information share and pool resources. That will allow you access to witnesses and evidence.”
“But we need to access all that now, sir,” Jessie insisted, “while the trail is hot.”
“Hunt, will you please let me finish before you dictate procedure to me?”
“Sorry, Captain,” Jessie said, silently berating herself for alienating the man who could most help her out now.
“Hernandez, you put in the paperwork and note Hunt as the profiler on the case, which will permit witness interviews at the very least,” he said, then turned to Jessie. “Hunt, that should allow you to re-interview the roommate. Once the door is cracked open, Valley won’t be able to easily close it.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jessie said.
“Just don’t go overboard, Hunt,” Decker implored. “I know that’s not easy for you. But stick to interviews, work that can be justified under the ‘profiler’ job description. You’ll be solo for a while until Hernandez gets out of court. Without a cop to back you up, you need to tread more lightly. Are you familiar with that concept, Hunt?”
“Vaguely, sir,” Jessie said, smiling. “Thank you.”
“Please don’t make me regret this,” he said, almost begging.
Jessie answered as honestly as she could.
“I’ll do my best.”
CHAPTER NINE
Jessie was waiting in her hospital room when Lizzie woke up.
The girl looked around, clearly disoriented. Jessie got up and held a cup with a straw to her lips. She sucked down the water voraciously.
“Can you talk?” Jessie asked when Lizzie was through gulping.
“Where am I?” the girl asked hoarsely. “Who are you?”
“You’re in Valley Presbyterian Hospital,” Jessie told her patiently. “I’m Jessie Hunt with the Los Angeles Police Department. We met last night, though you were pretty drugged up at the time. Do you remember last night?”
At first Lizzie just looked confused. But then the memories seemed to flood back in. In an instant she grimaced and closed her eyes tight.
“I remember enough,” she said quietly.
“Do you remember talking to me?”
“Not really.”
“Okay, then let’s start fresh. I’m sorry, but the questions I have to ask you are going to be difficult. But in order to find out what happened to Michaela…”
“Mick,” Lizzie corrected. “She went by Mick.”
“In order to find out what happened to Mick, I’m going to be blunt and I need you to be honest, okay? Don’t try to protect her memory by keeping important details from me. Everything is going to come out eventually, so the sooner the better. Are we clear?”
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