20
Mavis was filling the candy bowl on her reception desk when Liam reluctantly followed Cora inside the station. Ever since first arriving at the crime scene, he’d felt like there was a countdown clock and a swinging blade above his head. And after the confrontation with the distraught Margaret in the interrogation room, Liam knew it was just a matter of time before she crumbled and admitted to their affair. He should have been up-front about it from the beginning, but she’d been so devastated, and he’d been trying to save her from the backlash. But Boyd had sounded furious on the phone just now, and since Margaret had been called in for questioning again, Liam suspected Boyd knew about his affair with Margaret. Liam had tried texting her from the car, but she’d ignored him. She’d been ignoring him all week. He couldn’t blame her.
“Good afternoon,” Mavis sang out cheerfully. Her rosy-cheeked smile was contagious. Today she wore a heavy dose of fruity perfume and a sweatshirt with a birdhouse embroidered on the front. “Candy? It’s caramel creams.”
Even with one foot in a handbasket headed straight to hell, Liam couldn’t help but smile back at the receptionist. Mavis radiated warmth and good cheer. She reminded him of the village baker’s wife from his home back in Ireland.
Cora hurried past the front desk. “No, thank you.”
Liam snagged a piece of candy and winked, leaving Mavis to giggle-snort after him.
When they entered Boyd’s office, all sense of cheer vanished. Boyd’s face told Liam he was in trouble.
“Anything you want to tell me, O’Connor?” Boyd’s voice was razor-sharp.
Liam didn’t answer right away. He was trying to figure out how much Boyd knew. From the looks of it, a lot. How was he going to spin out of this one?
“Something you maybe forgot to mention?” Boyd pressed.
Cora’s head swiveled between them. “What’s going on here?”
Christ, here we go. “What do you want to know, Boyd?”
Boyd slammed his hand down on his desk, sending papers flying. “You will address me by my title like everyone else. I demand respect in this office, and though you’ve already demonstrated your lack of respect for this investigation, you will not forget that I’m your superior here.”
Liam held his tongue, but just barely. In the past, Boyd never would’ve spoken to him like that. They were on equal footing back then, and this new attitude did not sit well with Liam. He crossed a heel over one knee and relaxed into his chair. He knew his casual attitude would only incite Boyd further, but he was already in hot water. Might as well enjoy the swim. “Sorry... Captain.”
Boyd’s face grew so red, it almost turned purple. Liam got a sense of satisfaction from watching the man forcibly reel in his emotions. Boyd’s chest rose and fell, and a muscle throbbed in his temple, but instead of exploding in anger like Liam expected, he somehow managed to keep it together. “Tell me about Margaret Brady,” Boyd demanded.
Cora glanced at Liam in confusion. He could practically see the wheels spinning in her head.
“What did Margaret tell you?” Liam countered. Never reveal your hand too soon.
“Oh, no. You don’t get to ask the questions.” Boyd crossed his arms over his barrel chest and his voice rose until he was almost shouting. “I want to know why you neglected to mention you were having an affair with one of our prime suspects.”
Cora gasped at Liam. “You and Mrs. Brady?” The accusation and look of betrayal on her face was too much, and he had to look away.
“Yes,” Boyd answered. “According to the widow, they’ve been seeing each other for months.”
“But, how?” Cora asked. “You’ve only just moved here. When did you meet?”
“While she was at a conference in Raleigh a few months back,” Liam said wearily. “But it has no relevance to the murder. I’ve never even met her husband.” At least, not in this lifetime.
“According to Mrs. Brady, you two were on a date the night of the murder,” Boyd said. “She claims you decided to follow up dinner and drinks with a stay at a motel across town.” He turned to Cora. “Did you know about this?”
“No,” Cora said, clearly in shock. “I had no idea.” Her voice dripped with resentment. Liam could practically feel her eyes boring into the side of his head.
Boyd shot her a skeptical look. “Funny you wouldn’t know, McLeod, considering you live with him. You being cozy roommates, and all—”
“Just roommates,”she stated. “That’s all. And I’m beginning to realize I know nothing about him.” There was no mistaking the bitterness in her voice. “He hasn’t told me any of this.”
“Mrs. Brady broke when we told her about Isabelle Horvath,” Boyd continued. “She never even suspected her husband was cheating, probably because she had her own affair to worry about.” He stared Liam down. “Which brings us to you. Where were you on Saturday night during the time of the murder, O’Connor?”
“With Margaret,” Liam said. “We went to dinner at a place called Shag’s Diner. It wasn’t planned, we just ended up there.”
“You expect me to believe you took a rich man’s wife like Margaret Brady to a roach-infested dive like Shag’s Diner on a whim?”
Liam shrugged. “She wanted to go somewhere different.”