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“Are you insane?” Rena jumped from her queen-sized bed. “The answer is no! How can you even ask this of me, Jonathan?”
“I don’t like it any more than you do but sacrificing is a necessity for The Circle and this is one of those times.”
“You want to pass me on to that creep like I’m some whore.”
He groaned. “Rena—”
“I won’t do this.” She crossed her arms. “I’m not having sex with that man.”
“You’ll do what I say.” He backhand slapped her, knocking her on the bed.
“Ah.” She huffed and puffed, rubbing her cheek. “Jonathan.”
“You don’t say no to me.” He raised his hand again. “You want more?”
“No,” she begged, reaching out to him. “Jonathan, please. Please don’t make me do this.” She sobbed. “Please.”
He lowered his arm. “Nothing will stop me from having Deidra. Stop sniveling like a baby. It’s just sex, Rena. It won’t kill you to spend a little time with him. I need Strickland and you’ll make him happy.” He pulled her from the bed. “You hear me? You’ll give him the best fuck of his life and then you can forget him.” He went to the door. “Now fix yourself up.”
Shivering, she wiped away the tears and straightened her dress.
“After this you’ll remember to appreciate laying with me.”
“You’re doing this to punish me, aren’t you? Because I told Deidra the truth.”
Jonathan yelled out the door. “Tran?”
Tran brought Strickland inside the room.
“Is everything set?” Strickland gawked at Rena with lust in his eyes.
“She’s ready.” Jonathan ignored her pleading stare. “I warn you, Detective.” He stuck his finger in Strickland’s face. “If you are anything less than respectful of her—”
“I’ll be respectful.” He flashed a toothy grin at Rena as she sobbed into her hands.
Jonathan followed Tran out of the room never feeling so disgusted with himself as he did that moment.
****
“Are you saying your girlfriend is lying?” Connie stood in the interrogation room glaring at Hock Meadows. “She came to us claiming you’d been antsy and nervous whenever someone mentioned Lang Latimer’s murder.”
He leaned forward on the table, pushing his fingers into his black hair, messing up the chic comb-over. “I didn’t even know Lang.”
“You sure about that?” Dee stood across the table, holding her hip. “Your girlfriend heard you on the phone talking about the murder.”
“Is that a crime?” He laid his long fingers on the table, streaks of red running through his square cheeks. “This murder is the talk of the town. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s mentioned it.”
“You’re sweating an awful lot, Mr. Meadows.” Connie gestured to the neck sweat seeping the collar of his designer button-down shirt.
“Did you know Lang Latimer?” Dee noticed how his ears perked up and eyebrows flattened every time they mentioned her name. “If you did we’ll find out.”
“You can’t keep me here.” He rubbed his hooked nose, sliding his fingers across his hairless chin. “I’ve done nothing and you have no proof I did.”
“You’re an accountant at the Waterston Firm.” Dee whistled. “They’re one of the most successful accounting firms in the country. Impressive.”
His wide lips twisted into a ruthless scowl. “What are you getting at, Detective Quarter?”
“Oh, just saying...” She strolled around the table, sliding her fingers on the shiny surface. “I’m sure they’d move mountains to protect their reputation and all those big name clients they have.”
“I didn’t kill Lang Latimer.”
Dee stabbed her finger toward him. “If you didn’t do it, why are you keeping secrets?”
“Because...” He closed his eyes and laid his hands over his chiseled face. “I found her body. I’m the one who called the police.”
Dee froze. “What?”
“I’m sure you can check the nine-one-one tape, right?” He batted his lavender eyes. “I found Lang Latimer’s body, but I didn’t kill her.”
“If you’re the one who found her, why not just tell us?” Connie asked.
“I didn’t think I had to.” He pointed to his wide chest. “I did the right thing. I shouldn’t even be here.”
“What were you doing in The B-District?” Dee spread her arms wide. “You don’t look like a man who’d be in that neighborhood. You frequent shady bars, sex clubs, and drug-filled apartments, Mr. Meadows?”
“No.” He jiggled his foot. “I was passing through.”
She stood erect, straightening her gun belt. “No one passes through The B-District.”
“I can go any damn place I want and I don’t have to explain that to either of you.” He jumped out the seat. “You can’t keep me here unless you got proof I did something wrong.”
“Just can’t see why you’re so nervous,” Dee said. “If you only discovered her body.”
“I got to get back to work.” He checked his watch as he walked to the door.
“Mr. Meadows?”
He left before Connie could finish her statement.
“He’s lying.” Dee leaned over the table, replaying what just happened in her mind. “There’s more to his story. You think they had an affair?”
“They had something.” Connie stood, grabbing her bottled water off the table. “We’ll find out what.”