Alicia looked down and clasped her hands in her lap. “Nothing like what happened to you happened to me, but the sergeant was definitely highly inappropriate multiple times. Trying to ask me out or making comments about my body or what I was wearing. Sometimes I just blew it off as part of the world women have to face in male-dominated law enforcement. Like you, I never said anything about it to anyone. And now, hearing your story, I’m so sorry I kept quiet. Maybe if I had spoken up, he wouldn’t have been in his position by the time he attacked you.”

Izzy’s mind felt jumbled as she put together this new information. “There’s no way you could have known. And look at me—I didn’t tell anyone either. I don’t hold it against you. But the fact that something did happen to you makes me believe we are only the tip of the iceberg.”

“And that means there are probably other women he assaulted or harassed. Maybe one of them is the killer, right?”

Izzy took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m not looking to get any other woman in trouble, but I am trying to protect myself from prosecution. There are elements of this case that don’t look good for me, so I want to defend myself the best way I can. We can at least bring up alternative theories and put some doubt in the detectives’ minds. Even those questions and doubts would be helpful. Are you willing to talk to the detectives about what happened to you with the sergeant? I know it’s a lot to ask, and I hate to do it, but I’m kind of in a desperate situation.”

“Of course I’ll help you. I stayed silent years ago when I shouldn’t have, but I can do better now. I will do better. I’m happy to help you in any way that I can.”

Izzy’s heart warmed, and she looked into her friend’s eyes. She wondered why they hadn’t been closer while they were on the force, but they’d overlapped for such a short time period, and then Alicia had left. Which reminded Izzy of a lingering question. “Why did you leave Arlington PD?”

“When I was offered the chance to be an instructor at Quantico, it was an amazing opportunity and far too good to pass up. It really had nothing to do with what was going on at the force. At least, I didn’t think it did, but now that you’re bringing all this up, it makes me wonder whether subconsciously the culture there was part of my decision-making process.” Alicia sighed and looked at her. “I’m really so, so sorry about what happened. I wonder if I had stuck around if there’d have been anything I could’ve done for you.”