The officer looked from him to Laurel and then back. “I may have started a relationship with a woman on a killer’s radar, but at least I’m not sleeping with my partner or the FBI agent in charge of the entire case. Talk about a conflict of interest.”

Huck rolled to his feet, menace rushing through his blood.

Laurel stood. “All right. This interview is concluded. Until the case is over, stay away from Abigail, Officer Zello.”

“I can’t do that.” His eyes softened. “She needs protection, and since you won’t stay with her until this guy is caught, I will.”

“I’m more than happy to put her in a safe house,” Laurel countered.

Officer Zello snorted. “You can’t cage a beautiful bird like Abigail. She needs to work every day and keep that mind of hers engaged, and I’m going to keep her body safe. It’s the least I can do until this is over. But say the word and I’ll step aside so you can stay with her. Protect her.”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Laurel said carefully. “I don’t know you, and right now you’ve done nothing but make my job more difficult, but I feel that I should warn you. Abigail is manipulative and dangerous, and she’s using you.” The words weren’t kind, but the motive behind them was honorable. “Be very careful with her, Officer.”

He scoffed. “You truly don’t know your sister, and that’s a travesty, Agent Snow. You have no idea what kind of a brilliant and kind soul she is.” He snapped to attention and exited the room.

“Wow,” Huck said, exaggerating the word. “One night with Abigail Caine and he’s ready to defend her to the death.”

Laurel twirled her pencil with two fingers. “He’s a good alibi for her last night when Rachel was attacked, and that’s all she wants from him.” She dropped back into her seat. “She might not have drugged him, and we don’t have enough evidence to get a warrant for his blood.”

Huck looked down at her. “You’ve changed your mind? It wasn’t Abigail last night?”

“Oh, it was definitely Abigail. But she plied him with bottles of wine, had sex with him, and then left. That man was out cold for several hours, whether his substantial ego will admit it or not.” Laurel tightened her ponytail. “The mere fact that Abigail has an alibi proves to me that she did attack Rachel.” There was no way Abigail would be interested in Frank Zello. He’d been too easy to manipulate. “She managed to convince him that she’s a kindhearted damsel in distress.”

Huck snorted and retook his seat. “Good point. Even so, are you still sure Abigail was the attacker?”