Chapter 6 - THE WRONG COP
Detective Miller smiled when he saw us.
It looked normal.
Professional.
That made it worse.
“Mrs. Carter.”
He nodded toward Claire.
“Ms. Bennett.”
Then his eyes landed on Ryan.
“You.”
Ryan said nothing.
Miller looked around.
“What’s going on?”
Claire did not mention Ryan’s accusation.
Smart.
She simply said, “New evidence related to Daniel Carter’s death.”
Miller’s expression barely moved.
“What evidence?”
Claire held up the recorder.
“And a phone.”
“I’ll take those.”
“No.”
Miller blinked.
Claire smiled politely.
“I’m Daniel Carter’s estate attorney. Until we establish chain of custody with another officer present, nobody touches anything.”
One of the uniformed officers looked uncomfortable.
Miller’s smile disappeared.
“You called the police.”
“I did.”
“I am the police.”
Claire glanced toward his body camera.
“Then you won’t mind documenting everything.”
That was when I saw it.
Not fear.
Anger.
Small.
Controlled.
But there.
Miller reached toward the phone.
Madison suddenly moved in front of the desk.
“Don’t.”
“Madison,” I whispered.
Miller looked down at her.
“Sweetheart, I’m here to help.”
She shook her head.
“My dad didn’t like you.”
The entire room froze.
Miller’s face hardened.
“What?”
Madison looked at me.
“Daddy told Mr. Claire’s husband—”
“Claire doesn’t have a husband,” I whispered.
She frowned.
“I mean Daddy told somebody on the phone that Detective Miller kept asking about his files.”
Miller laughed.
“She’s eight.”
Claire said, “She’s also a potential witness.”
He stopped laughing.
Ryan leaned against the wall.
“You should check his bank records.”
Miller turned.
“Careful.”
“Why?”
“You’re already in enough trouble.”
Ryan gave him a strange smile.
“For once, I agree.”
Then he reached into his pocket.
Miller’s hand moved toward his gun.
“Keep your hands where I can see them.”
Ryan slowly held up a folded receipt.
“What is that?” Claire asked.
“Hotel bar receipt.”
He handed it to her.
“Trevor met Miller at the Regency the week Daniel died.”
Miller scoffed.
“You followed us?”
“No.”
Ryan looked toward me.
“Daniel did.”
My chest tightened.
“Daniel gave you this?”
“No.”
“He left it in my office with a note.”
“What note?”
Ryan swallowed.
“It said, ‘You’re being used.’”
I wanted to scream at him.
“How long have you had this?”
“Six days.”
“Six days?”
“I was scared.”
“My husband was dead!”
“I know!”
His voice cracked.
For the first time, Ryan looked less like a villain and more like a coward.
Sometimes that was worse.
Claire turned to the uniformed officers.
“I want a supervisor.”
Miller’s jaw flexed.
“This is getting ridiculous.”
The black phone buzzed again.
Another message.
Claire read it.
CHECK DANIEL’S CLOUD BACKUP. FOLDER NAME: MADDIE’S SCIENCE FAIR.
Miller moved.
Fast.
He grabbed the phone.
Claire shouted.
I grabbed his wrist.
Ryan slammed him against the desk.
One officer reached for Ryan.
The other shouted, “Everybody back!”
The phone hit the floor.
Its screen cracked.
And a new audio file began playing by itself.
Daniel’s voice filled the room.
“Miller, if you’re hearing this, I know you took Trevor’s money.”
Detective Miller went completely still.
May you like
Then Daniel added:
“And I have the video.”
