“Who paid you?” Spencer leaned forward, hoping for a name.
“Don’t know.”
“But you can describe them, right?”
Hannant shook his head, then winced. “Email. Money problems. Once I agreed, instructions sent to pick up car. Other details followed.”
“So you were told to threaten Katrina, then come to the station and confess?”
“Yes. Make her look bad. Flaky.” Hannant sucked in a breath. “If I came across as a good guy, she would look like a liar when she accused me of threatening her.”
“What?” Katrina sounded outraged. “Why would anyone want to make me look flaky?”
Why indeed? Spencer remembered Micheline Anderson’s smooth smile and her persuasive words. Not all actors are on the stage. It was looking more and more like Micheline and other members of the AAG were trying to make Katrina look bad to stop her, and the police, from searching for Eliza. It came back to the old question. Why?
He turned his attention back to Hannant. “How did you get paid?”
“Cash.” After his burst of lucidity, Hannant appeared to be struggling to manage to speak clearly again. “Left on a bench in Mustang Park. Agreed time.”
“If you did everything you were instructed to do, why were you beaten?”
Hannant twisted the facecloth in his hands. “More money.”
“You asked for more?” Spencer queried.
Miserably, Hannant gave a single nod. “I emailed. Told them I’d go back to you and tell the truth.”
Spencer sighed. “Bad guys don’t like to be blackmailed. Did you see who attacked you?”
“No. Two men. Faces covered.” He hitched in a breath. “Told me to leave town tonight. Next time...won’t walk away.”
Spencer glanced across at Katrina, who stared back at him with a mixture of anger and disbelief. Clearly, she was thinking the same as him. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to frighten her off. But who?
He withdrew his cell from his pocket. “You won’t be leaving town tonight, Aidan. You need medical attention, but, more importantly, a crime has been committed and I’m placing you under arrest.”
* * *
Katrina made it back to the training center with minutes to spare before her next class started. Because Spencer needed to stay at Hannant’s apartment, he arranged for another officer to give her a ride. It added to her stress that she hadn’t been able to talk to him about what had happened. Losing herself in work was a bonus.
“You look like a soda bottle that’s been shaken up and is about to pop its top,” Suzie told her cheerfully as they grabbed a bite of lunch.
“And you say the nicest things.” Katrina pulled a face at her.
“Rusty sent me a message. He said the intruder did a number on your place but they’re putting it right.”
Once again, Katrina felt a pang of gratitude for the big-hearted store owner and his brothers.
“That one’s a keeper,” she told Suzie.
Her assistant flapped a hand. “I sure like to keep him on his toes.” She winked. “And his elbows.”
“Oh, you are so naughty.”
They were still laughing when the bell on the front door rang. After a moment or two, Laurence peeped into the room with an apologetic look. “Sergeant Colton is here.”
“That guy can’t stay away.” Suzie gave Katrina a meaningful glance.
“He’s trying to find Eliza.” She felt a blush steal into her cheeks.