“Fine.” He stood up, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Do what you want. You’re going to anyway. But we both know I’m right and you’d feel a lot better if you took a few days off and got some rest.”

“I’d feel a lot better if I spent some time on my case so I can kick this deadbeat dad’s ass in court.”

*   *   *

Antonio stepped out of the interview room and closed the door behind him.

“He’s in there?” Brandon asked.

“Yeah. Picked him up at his apartment. He said he was on his way to the gym.”

“Is he dressed for it?”

“No. But he had a backpack with him, so maybe that’s not bullshit.”

“And how’d the pat-down go?”

“Wallet, cell phone, car keys,” Antonio recited. “He’s still got everything on him.”

“How is he acting?”

Antonio shrugged. “Pissed. Claims I’m wasting his day off. But I guess not too pissed because he agreed to follow me here. His pickup truck is parked downstairs.”

“Good. So he knows he’s here voluntarily?”

“Yeah.”

Brandon nodded. “Okay, watch for my signal.”

“Roger that.”

Antonio stepped away, and Brandon opened the door. The windowless room contained a small table and a pair of plastic chairs. In the chair closest to the door sat Jason Mandrapilias. Antonio was right—he wasn’t dressed for a workout. He had on worn sneakers, yeah, but also jeans and a tight gray T-shirt that showed off his torso. Clearly, the man spent a lot of time lifting weights.

Brandon pulled out the chair across the table from him and sat, tossing down a thick manila file.

“Thanks for coming in,” Brandon said.

Jason crossed his arms, making his biceps bulge, and Brandon pictured him in that hallway with Leigh. He was big enough to fit Leigh’s description. But her attack might not even be connected to this case. And Jason was supposedly working last night when the assault happened.

Brandon watched his eyes closely. “You know why we asked you here, Jason?”

“No.”

“Really? I’m surprised. Pruitt says you’re smart.”

He bristled at the mention of his probation officer.

“He also says you missed your drug test this morning.”

Jason’s jaw tightened.

“I would have thought you’d remember that. Especially after a pair of cops paid you a visit at your job yesterday.”

Jason glanced at the camera mounted in the corner. Maybe he thought Pruitt was watching from another room. He wasn’t, but Brandon didn’t mind him thinking that.

Brandon leaned back in his chair. “You worried about the test?”

His slight shrug told Brandon everything he needed to know. “Why would I be worried about it?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

Jason glanced at the camera again, then looked at Brandon.

“What do you want me to do? Piss in a cup?”