You want to do what?” Griffin’s captain nearly roared.
“Put Dr. Eason in a lineup for Sebastian,” Jason said.
“You have no grounds.”
“Sebastian identified Kyle as looking twenty years younger than the man he saw. That indicates his father,” Griffin said, praying they could convince their captain.
“He left his home last night, claiming participation in an emergency surgery, which he was not involved in.”
“Kyle told us his dad had someone looking into Skylar’s case after we showed up at their home.”
“And the motive?”
“Protect his son from a blackmailer,” Jason said.
“Protect any risk to his own reputation. If Kyle was caught, can you imagine the backlash on his father? He’s the chief of neurosurgery at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world. His son, guilty of cheating on his MCATs, lets it slip while in bed with a con woman, and then attempts to pay her off,” Griffin argued. “A man like Eason is going to keep close tabs on his son. He saw his son gathering funds behind his back and put it together. He could have used Kyle’s car when Kyle was out with Amanda. I bet you money, Kyle will say he’d left his phone home that night or he couldn’t find it. Then his dad thought he’d erased the texts he’d made with Skylar and slipped Kyle’s phone back someplace he’d find it.”
“This is all hearsay. I can’t put a prominent doctor in a lineup without substantial proof.”
“Fine. He’s in the hub waiting for Kyle to be released. Let’s move Sebastian to a cell. Walk him by Dr. Eason. See if Sebastian notices or recognizes him,” Griffin said.
Captain Mulroney inhaled, then exhaled. “You two better be right on this. But even if Sebastian IDs him, you’re still going to need a whole lot more to convince a judge to pursue a conviction.”
They’d have to build an entire case, but they had a good start.
As Jason led Sebastian through the hub, Parker followed to read Dr. Eason’s face, and Griffin led Kyle Eason from the other direction to watch Sebastian’s reaction upon seeing him.
Sebastian struggled against Jason’s hold, fighting and purporting his innocence—until his gaze swung in Dr. Eason’s direction. “That’s him.”
Jason halted and Dr. Eason froze.
“That’s the dude I saw at the hotel and dumping Skylar’s body.”
Dr. Eason’s face turned plum as he stood to his feet. “This is ridiculous.”
“It’s him. I’m telling you,” Sebastian said.
Jason handed Sebastian off to another officer. “Go ahead and put him in a holding cell for now.”
Dr. Eason sat back down, frantic relief washing over his face.
Jason stood over him. “You might want to tell your lawyer you’re about to be questioned in the murders of Skylar Pierce and Megan Kent.”
“You have nothing to hold me on.”
“An eyewitness just put you at the scene of the crime.”
“An eyewitness who is clearly trying to save his own hide. Besides,” he said, standing and getting into Jason’s face, “I have alibis.”
“For when?”
“When those women died.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Why is that interesting?”
“Because I never said when they were killed.”
Dr. Eason’s face paled. “I want my lawyer.”
“I bet you do.”
“McCray?” an officer said.
Griff turned. “Yeah.”
“Cadaver dogs just found a body in a garment bag out by Fort Howard.”
Griffin looked back at Dr. Eason. “What do you want to bet that’s Skylar Pierce?”
Parker pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing what this would do to Avery. Her friend’s body.
He stepped into the break room, where she was sipping a cup of coffee.
She looked up and immediately asked, “What’s wrong? Sebastian didn’t ID Dr. Eason?”
“He did, but . . .” He swallowed hard, aching to not cause the woman he loved any pain.
“They found Skylar’s body,” she said, taking the blow like a champ. “I knew it was only a matter of time.”
“I’m so sorry.” He stepped to her and enveloped her in his arms, not giving her any choice in the matter, and she folded into his embrace.
She rested her head in the crook of his neck. “So am I. Sky deserved better. Everyone does.”
“Why don’t you wait here? There’s no need for you to see her . . . in that state.” He tried to say it in the most delicate way, but after being dead several days, several warm ones . . . That wouldn’t be the way Avery would want to remember her friend.
“I appreciate your concern, but I need to be there for her.”
“We’ll get this guy.”
“We already have him,” Avery said, her brows furrowing.
“Sebastian’s ID is not enough.” Even his alibi comment wouldn’t do it as he hadn’t even been read his rights yet. It wouldn’t be admissible in court, and Dr. Eason would have the best defense attorney in the state. “We need physical evidence tying him to the crime to seal this away.”
“Then let’s go get it.”