“You can’t rush perfection,” one of the techs muttered.

Lopez rolled her eyes—and then her gaze settled on Piper. “We need to talk.”

Piper looked over her shoulder. No one was hiding back there. The detective meant her.

“You and me, Piper. Can you spare a few moments?”

Lopez’s voice wasn’t overly hostile. But Piper was still cautious. “Is this for another interrogation?”

“It’s for us to clear the air.”

Piper rose.

“Piper.”

She blinked. Eric had seemed completely consumed by his task a moment ago, but now he was on his feet and his attention was on her.

“Take a breath, Wilde,” Lopez instructed him. “I’m only escorting her down the hallway—in a police station—so that we can talk privately. She’ll have a detective at her side every moment.”

Yes, but was that a good or a bad thing? “Do I need a lawyer?”

“No.” Lopez’s full lips pressed together. “I’m just trying to apologize, okay?”

Eric was still on his feet. Still waiting. Piper waved him back down and stepped closer to the detective. “Why apologize? You were just doing your job.”

“Yeah.” Lopez winced. “But I enjoyed doing it a little too much. Overzealousness is a flaw I’m working on.” A shrug. “You coming with me?”

Piper nodded. She cast a quick glance at Eric. He was frowning, so she shooed him back to his job and followed Lopez out of the tech room. The hallway was empty. “Where’s Mark?”

“Your ex is cooling his heels in interrogation. It’s a technique I use.” They rounded the corner. Passed a uniformed cop. Lopez pointed to a closed door. “When you make the perps wait, it puts them on edge. When they are on the edge, it’s easier for me to come in from a point of control.”

Piper thought about how long she’d waited in interrogation. “You used that trick on me.”

“Guilty.” Another turn, this time, to the right, and Lopez opened a door that led to a small, slightly cramped office. Light poured through the blinds of the lone window in the tight space. “I know, I know, it’s not much, but I traded size for a view. I happen to like sunshine.” She waved Piper inside.

Piper glanced around, noting the files stacked haphazardly. The half-empty coffee mugs. And the framed photo of a young girl.

Lopez followed her gaze. “That’s my sister.” A smile tilted her lips, one that came and went far too quickly. “She was murdered on her eighth birthday.”

OhmyGod. “I’m so sorry.”