“Yup. You see, for all of his shortcomings, Sheriff Stevens is actually quite excellent at this part of the job. I really do enjoy watching them squirm right before they break. It’s almost an art.”

“I might buy that. I mean, I enjoy the same thing too from time to time. But not this time. No, I think you are here for another reason.” I turn to look at Deputy Hudson, trying to get a read on him.

“Yeah? Please enlighten me then, Miss Fancy Lawyer, with the thing that I apparently don’t know myself.”

“You are here to cover your ass. Make sure that if something you don’t want being said is said in there that it isn’t a surprise to you. So you have time to plan a way out. Because I don’t know what you’re up to, but your boss is in there handling this; and the whole conversation is being recorded and could be viewed by you later at any time. So, I’ll ask again, what the fuck are you doing here?”

Marcus stares at me, tonguing the wad of tobacco in his gums. His eyes dart back and forth across my face. Now, he’s trying to read me. Trying to find any indication of what his next move should be. “Maybe you’re right. I can catch this anytime I please. And seeing as you have made it abundantly clear that you don’t appreciate my company, I guess I’ll be on my way.” He walks to the door and opens it. “You have a lovely day, Mrs. Morgan,” he quips with a smile plastered on his face.

I flip him the middle finger as a parting gift. I don’t have any idea what he is up to, but it reeks of suspicion. I’ll add him to my list of things to check out with this case.

When I return my attention to the interrogation room, Sheriff Stevens is getting up to leave. Jesse appears relieved. A moment later, Sheriff Stevens enters the viewing room.

“That went better than I expected,” he says leaning against the wall.

“Are you just going to let him go? Is that it?”

I’m still torn between the text-conversation with Anne, the odd interaction with Deputy Hudson, and the interrogation I witnessed between Sheriff Stevens and Jesse.

“No. We’ll still test him. We have cause, and he’s here and as long as he’s cooperative, we can. He seems to be, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

I nod, not completely satisfied with that answer but at this point, I’ll take what I can get.

“Well, what do you think?” I close my notebook and look at Sheriff Stevens giving him my full attention.