“Either way,” the chief said, “we don’t need these boys to dig.”

Caitlin pointed everyone back to the monitor, where David Amireau whispered with his lawyer. “So what’s the dog and pony show all about?”

Greenwood smiled. “Panic.”

*   *   *

The scene on the monitor felt straight out of a one-hour cop show. Caitlin didn’t mind this episode. The lead detective looked good in bed.

Greenwood stood, addressed the attorney. “Call us when your client wants to tell us something we don’t know, Richard.”

Amireau’s handcuffs rattled against the tabletop. “I didn’t kill Angela Chapman.”

Maverick hovered by the door. “Anyone say you did?”

The young man looked sick under the fluorescent light. “I know Frodo told you something.”

“He told us everything. We don’t need you.” Maverick walked out.

Richard, the lawyer, whispered to Amireau, who started talking. “She was high when we picked her up.”

Greenwood sat back down at the table. “Who was?”

“Chapman. Who else?”

“Not Paige Lauffer?”

If Amireau recognized the name, he didn’t give anything away.

“Angela. And not coke high. Like Molly or a roofie or something. She kept saying it wasn’t her idea.”

“So? You said she left your apartment on her own accord.”

“I was passed out, man. Blackout drunk. I wake up, Kieran’s got three trash bags full of shit. He says, ‘Help me clean up.’ I cleaned up.”

“Are you saying Kieran Michelson killed Angela Chapman?”

“All I ever wanted was to sell a little weed. Kieran wanted to be Scarface. Angela knew we were making coke. She knew about the growhouse. If anyone killed her, it had to be Kieran.”

“Bullshit,” Greenwood said. “You know exactly what Frodo buried, which makes you an accessory, unless you can prove something.”

“I’ve got the phones.”

Greenwood adjusted his tie. “What phones?”

“The burners we were using back then. K texted Frodo. I’ve still got that shit. I’ll give it to you.”

The lawyer tapped him. “You’ve got his attention, David. Stop now.”

Amireau didn’t. “I didn’t kill Angela, and I wouldn’t have helped anyone bury her. She was my friend.”

Greenwood let the moment hang for almost twenty seconds, then leaned in. “What do you want?”

The lawyer laid out the deal. Amireau would plead guilty to distribution and production, but any conspiracy charges would fall on Kieran’s shoulders, and if they found Chapman’s body, that was between Frodo and Kieran.

The detectives rejoined the team in the observation room, all smiles.

Chief Renton ended that. “No deals. Get Frodo to give up where they got the burners. We can get the text exchanges from the telecom companies.”

Greenwood started. “But Chief—”

“These frat boys made this department look like small-town hicks. If we can’t make the case without them, I’ll consider a deal, but for now, we work the farm. Anyone have a problem with that?”