“Are you serious? Where did you get hurt? Is Joey okay?”

“He’s fine. And I got slashed on the forehead. It’s no biggie. But scalp wounds bleed a lot.”

“I’ll see what I’ve got in the cupboard.”

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

1:45 a.m.

He had to admit, Riley made a good partner. That is, when she wasn’t doing her thing as the best Forensics Identification detective east of Montreal.

She matched Cooper’s long stride effortlessly as they walked down the hallway toward Harry Owen’s hotel suite. Her gaze scanned the carpeting, the walls, every piece of decorative furniture. He threw her an amused glance. “No one’s dead here.”

She grinned. “Not that you know of. It’s an occupational hazard. It’s amazing the stories hidden in carpet fibers.”

“You’ve just convinced me to never buy a shag carpet.”

They reached Harry Owen’s room. It was almost two in the morning. Would Harry Owen still be up?

Riley knocked on the door.

They waited, listening.

After a minute, the deadlock was flipped and the door opened. Harry Owen blinked. “Detective Ellis.”

Cooper and Riley kept their expressions impassive. But the smell of booze came off Harry Owen in waves.

“This is my partner Detective Riley.” That rolled off his tongue a little too easily. “Could we have a word, Mr. Owen?”

Harry made no move to let him in. His gaze travelled from Cooper’s face down to Riley’s. “It’s very late. I was just going to bed.” He swayed slightly in the doorway.

“We need two minutes.”

“Sorry, detectives. I have had a very long day.”

And then he closed the door on them.

“Shit,” Riley muttered.

There was nothing they could do unless they detained him.

And that wasn’t a decision they could make without Pearson’s approval. Not when the media would pounce all over it.

They’d be wearing it for the rest of their careers.

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

2:03 a.m.

There were many ways to end a life.

Harry had been conducting an inventory of his room service cart to find anything that could be used as a fatal weapon when Detectives Ellis and Riley showed up at the door. He had barely managed to keep it together. Did they know about the blackmail? Was that why they were there?

But, no. It seemed they were on a fishing expedition. And he wasn’t about to be hooked again. He was still trying to remove the one that his blackmailer had dug fatally into his family.