before their attacker had pushed them down. So even if Spangler had some drawing talent, gathering any usable intel from the victims hadn’t been possible.
But maybe Ms. Houze was different. They had to try.
Dr. Rosemont nodded at the older detective. “That’s fine. But under no circumstances are you all to barge in on her at once. My word is law around here, gentlemen. Remember that. Door open at all times and if Ms. Houze says she’s had enough, you’re to leave immediately.”
Jon and Zane both nodded at the doctor. Frank Spangler just gave her a patronizing smile. Her lips pursed.
“I’ll check with her and be right out.” The doctor knocked softly on the door and made her way inside.
Caroline Gill, the paramedic who had sent Jon the text alerting him of the new victim, joined them in the hallway.
“Hi, Jon. Hey, Zane,” Caroline said. She smiled at Jon. But her eyes, he realized, were only for Zane. The detective, on the other hand, didn’t really seem to notice the pretty paramedic.
He barely glanced at her from where he was looking over a file in his hand. “Hey, Caroline.”
“I’m just getting off work and waiting on my ride.”
“Where’s your car?” Jon asked her since Zane seemed oblivious that Caroline was here to see him.
“A friend from college is in town and is going to pick me up in a few minutes so we can go to dinner. She dropped me off for my shift this morning so I wouldn’t have to find parking.”
Wales nodded without even looking up from his file. Caroline’s face was a little crestfallen at his behavior.
“Hey, thanks for the text,” Jon said to her to change the subject.
Zane looked up sharply at that. He had probably wondered how Jon had gotten here so fast. Well, now he knew.
“Really?” Zane asked Caroline.
Caroline turned toward him and put her hands on her hips. “You know for a detective, Zane Wales, sometimes you’re pretty obtuse. So, yeah, really.”
Jon swallowed his chuckle.
Frank Spangler cleared his throat and began sorting through items in his briefcase, pulling out some drawing materials. “I doubt this victim will have kept her wits about her any more than any of the others. But here’s to hoping.”
Jon grimaced and heard Caroline’s gasp. Zane’s level of obtuse was nothing compared to Frank Spangler’s.
“You sure that’s the right attitude to go in there with?” Jon asked Spangler. “I’m pretty sure being told she should’ve kept her wits about her as she was being attacked is not the best way to start an interview.”
“Look, I was doing this job before you were in training pants.” Spangler sneered at Jon. “I’m not going to say that to her, of course. You just stay out and let me work.”
It didn’t matter if Spangler was going to say it or not. He thought it. That was bad enough.
But unless the older man did something illegal or to outright jeopardize the case, there wasn’t anything Jon could do. Corpus Christi had been forced to allow him here and give him access to all the information, but it was still their case. From experience, Jon knew that allowing them to handle as much as possible was best in the long run for both the department and the community.
But listening to Spangler’s idiocy still wasn’t easy. Caroline looked as though she was about to let Spangler have it when the doctor came out the door again.
“Ms. Houze has agreed to see you—one of you, like I said. I have suggested she limit the time you’re in there to fifteen minutes. She has family on their way. She needs them right now.”
“Yeah, well, I would think she would want us to catch the person who did this,” Spangler muttered.
“Fifteen minutes, Detective. Tops. I’ll be back then.” Dr. Rosemont made her way down the hall.
The older officer wasted no time going in, sketch pad and pencil in hand.
“That man is a Grade-A jerk,” Caroline snapped.
Jon couldn’t agree more.
Zane didn’t even disagree. “Fortunately he’s only a year from retiring. Plus he’s pretty good with composite drawing.” The detective shrugged.
They could hear Spangler inside talking to the victim. He’d at least started the conversation by offering appropriate condolences for what had happened. Jon was distracted from listening by the woman who had walked silently down the hall and was now speaking to Caroline.
Blond hair with gentle waves that fell past her shoulders. Slender—almost too slender. A little taller than average height, maybe five foot eight in her knee-length skirt and brown cowboy boots. As with cowboy hats, Jon had never been one for boots, but he could already feel his opinion changing about that. This woman’s brown, well-worn ones made it difficult for him to tear his attention from her legs.
Her legs were gorgeous. She was gorgeous.
This must be the friend from college the paramedic had mentioned. Caroline walked over with her to where he and Zane were standing.
“Zane, Jon, this is my friend Sherry Mitchell. She’s visiting Corpus Christi for a couple of weeks,” Caroline told them.
Jon shook Sherry’s hand and immediately noticed she was distracted. Her eyes kept darting to the room where Spangler was talking to the victim.
Maybe because it was starting to get a little louder in there.
“Look, I’m your best bet in us apprehending the man who raped you. Do you really want to rest more than you want to catch this guy?” Spangler’s voice could be heard clearly.
All the color seemed to seep out of Sherry’s face.
“Look, don’t cry, for heaven’s sake.” Spangler continued, his distaste obvious. “I’m a forensic artist. Just tell me what you saw.”
“I didn’t see anything.” Jasmine Houze’s voice was soft, slurred, probably from the swelling of her face. “I didn’t see him. He hit me and then...and then... I’m sorry.” Her crying became louder.
“Nothing?” Spangler demanded. “Nothing at all? Do you not want to catch him? Is that it?”
“Oh, my God,” Sherry whispered.
“I’m going in there,” Jon said to Zane. “I don’t care if Spangler is the ranking officer or not. This has to stop.”
“I’m right behind you,” Zane agreed.
“No.” It was Sherry who spoke. “That woman does not need more men barging in on her and fighting.”
Caroline nodded. “She’s right. I’ll go in. I, at least, have already met her, since Michael and I brought her in this morning. You guys
