Here was where the conversation would start to get tough, but Izzy knew no way around it. At this point, she figured the truth would get out anyway and spread further than she could imagine because of events she had no control over. “They think I’m a suspect because the sergeant assaulted me.”

“Izzy, I had no idea.” Alicia took her hand. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Izzy bit her bottom lip as she considered how much detail to provide. “I never reported it. I know I should have, but at the time, I was so freaked out, ashamed, and totally naïve.”

Alicia shook her head. “No way. Don’t you dare put this on yourself. If he assaulted you, that’s completely on him. Where did this happen? When did this happen? Was I still at Arlington PD?”

Izzy steeled herself as she recounted the story once again. It was becoming all too familiar. Memories that she’d boxed up and put away were now coming to the light of day. “That’s how it all played out. Now you understand why I had to leave Arlington PD. There was no way I could work there with him after that. Just the thought of him even now makes me ill. He violated me and took away my choice, my power. I’m trying my best not to be a victim. I have moved on with my life. But, of course, there’s no way I would have killed him, even if I would have liked to.”

Alicia nodded. “You have every right to feel that way. What can I help you with now?”

“Here’s the thing. Arlington PD zeroed in on me because evidently the sergeant had some type of shrine to me in his house.”

Alicia raised an eyebrow. “That’s creepy. Thank goodness you’re okay.”

“Yeah. The thinking right now is that he might have been killed in self-defense, but I’m not ruling anything out. I know you worked there for quite a few years. I’m hoping to see if you have any intel on potential enemies the sergeant might’ve had, or anything else you think might be helpful.” Izzy paused, reluctant to ask but figuring she needed to. “And I also want to know if you had any negative experiences with him. I want to see if I was a one-off or if there’s a pattern I can establish.”