Noah couldn’t help but follow both police officers’ movements. He wasn’t sure if he did it to try to understand what they were searching for with their questions, to study them like he did for his own show, or simply because he needed to focus onsomething. It didn’t matter. “I didn’t mean it that way. She asked me about certain things, and I was honest.”
"Monica told us you were jealous," Amy said with a narrowed stare. "That if she even looked at another man, you'd get angry."
"That's not true."
"She said you had a temper. That you were always yelling and throwing things.” Amy moved her arm and hand as if she were tossing a ball across the room.
"I never threw anything at her," Noah said. "I never raised my voice at her." The words he chose were a distinction and he knew it. And he knew they would pick up on that. But he also knew lying would get him in trouble.
Brian leaned back and this time, he purposely flipped open the folder.
It was impossible not to look.
Noah winced.
"But she's seen your temper, right?” Brian asked.
Noah shifted his gaze toward Baxter, as if he would be able to save him from answering this question. "I've gotten frustrated over work," he said. "In front of Monica, I kicked a garbage can. Threw some papers at a door. Called my phone an asshole—which I’ve done so often at work that some of my crew call me Mr. Phone-Ass. But that's the extent of it."
Amy leaned in closer. "What if we told you we have a recording of you threatening her?"
Baxter's hand came down flat on the table. "Then we'd like a copy. AI voice replication is sophisticated enough now that independent verification isn't optional. We'd want that confirmed before any conversation about its contents are entertained or used against my client.”
Brian and Amy glanced at each other but said nothing. Amy straightened and stepped back.
Noah knew if that recording had been real and solid, they wouldn’t be regrouping, they’d be attacking. At least, that’s what he’d be doing.
"Where were you last Friday after work?" Brian asked.
"I went home.”
“To your place in Seattle?” Amy asked.
“No. My home on Whidbey Island. I always spend the weekends out there.”
“Were you at your place all night? Did you go anywhere? Were you with anyone?” Amy asked.
Noah hadn’t wanted to put Ziggy in the line of fire, but he didn’t have a choice. “I went to Ziggy Bowie's house."
"All night?" Brian asked.
"Yes."
"Can anyone corroborate that?" Amy asked. "Besides your current girlfriend."
Noah glanced between the two detectives and Baxter. He and Ziggy hadn’t told anyone but her family and a few other people who needed to know about their relationship. It wasn’t anyone else’s business. It was interesting that they knew. Or thought they knew. Which meant Noah could ignore the statement, but he wasn’t going to. "Jaggar Bowie came over for a few hours. Later, Ziggy's sister Darcie and her husband Reid came over as well."
“Are you talking about the Jag Bowie, as in the Langley Police Chief?”
“I am.” Noah nodded.
Amy and Brian stole a glance at each other again.
"We'll need to speak with Chief Bowie," Noah said.
"He's in the lobby.” Baxter jerked a thumb toward the door. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“Excuse us.” Both detectives were out the door in less than ten seconds. Noah looked at the two-way mirror and thoughtabout whoever was standing on the other side of it right now, watching, forming opinions that would follow him regardless of what happened in this room.