If It Walks Like A Killer (The Carolina Killer Files #1) by Kiersten Modglin

He’s my assistant and his wife’s pregnant and he’s been working very hard to impress me. Blaire doesn’t work for me. I couldn’t tell her to go home like I could Brian. Only Mason or Meachum could’ve. And besides that, I have no motive. She’s been a great friend to me. I can’t believe she’s gone.” He put his face into his hands. “Oh, and I called in because my daughter had a Parents’ Day at her school today. You can check into that if you’d like.”
    “Oh, we will.” The Chief jotted down a note. “See, we checked out your work history, according to your bosses you never miss work. Never. So, what? There were no Parents’ Days until now?”
    “I assume there have been some, yes.”
    “It’s convenient then, that you chose to go to this particular one, isn’t it?”
    Caide frowned. “I owed it to my daughter to go. I’ve been a pretty bad father lately. I’ve been working too much. My family and I were recently involved in a pretty bad car wreck and it’s put a lot more pressure on me to be more present. That’s why this particular Parents’ Day was so important. We may not have lived to see it. There’s no other reason. I’m trying to be better. The only thing I’m guilty of is being a bad father.” Caide felt a lump in his throat as he admitted one of his darkest fears.
    “Well, you’d better hope that’s true because we’ve gotten a hold of the security tapes from last night and since our examiners say the murder took place here, this should be a pretty open and shut case.”
    Caide knew then that he was going to be sick. “She was…you didn’t tell me…it happened here?”
    “It did. In that bathroom, right across the hall. Your friend was beaten to death. What kind of a sick bastard could do that?” He smirked, obviously getting a kick out of torturing Caide.
    With that, Caide grabbed his trash can, hurling up the contents of his stomach.
    When he was finished the Chief sat back in his chair looking smug. “So you sure you don’t have anything you need to tell me?”
    “She was my girlfriend, okay? That’s what you’ll see on the tape. We were in love. That’s what you’re going to see. That’s all you’ll see. Whoever did this, it wasn’t me, but I hope they burn.”
    How could this have happened? I should’ve stayed with her. I never should’ve left her alone. I should’ve checked out the noise or called the police. What have I done? That’s when it hit him: the noise.
    “Wait, someone else was here last night. Right before we left Blaire swore she heard someone upstairs.”
    “You didn’t think to call the police? Or at least check to be sure of who it was?”
    “We were scared. We worried that maybe they’d heard us. We didn’t want our affair to get back to my wife. We just wanted to get out of here. Her car was in the shop. That’s the only reason she stayed later than me, to call a cab. If I’d known she was in danger I would’ve stayed. Of course I would’ve stayed. Or I would’ve gotten her out of here. Around here these things don’t happen. I would’ve never guessed.”
    “If you’re telling the truth, the tape will tell. If you’re lying, if you came back in this building last night, if you did this to this poor girl, you’d better not leave town. We’ll have cops patrolling your neighborhood, you can count on that. I want no funny business. We’ll be in touch.”
    Caide nodded, swallowing hard. The cops left his office one by one. Caide knew the case against him was solid; the tape may be his only saving grace but using it in court, it would ruin his marriage, if not his life. He leaned over the trash can again, emptying the remaining contents of his stomach into the bin until there was nothing left in him, until the emptiness in his stomach matched the emptiness he felt in his heart.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Thirteen
     
     
    Rachael
     
    Rachael checked her watch. It was nearly seven and Caide still hadn’t