Then Wilson stepped out of the elevator, looking more than a little harried.
“What the fuck is going’ on?” He glanced down at the two of them as he passed, his gaze lingering on Elizabeth’s cheek before he entered Quinn’s suite.
“Our food is probably cold.” Elizabeth was hungry.
“Aye. Bastards.”
After what seemed an eternity but was only an hour and a half, Elizabeth and Quinn were permitted to stand, and a young officer removed their handcuffs.
Wilson stepped out into the hallway, Patel behind him, the printouts of Jack’s cell phone records in his hands. “What are these?”
“You know what those are.” Elizabeth wouldn’t play games with him. “I acquired them with the help of their rightful owner. There’s nothing illegal going on here. Besides, I believe the warrant was for drugs.”
“It looks like someone took a fist to you.” Wilson’s gaze shifted accusingly to Quinn. “Any idea who it was?”
Quinn’s eyes went cold as slate. “A bastard tried to mug her yesterday when we were walking to the beach at Troon. She refused to let go of her handbag, so he swung and almost knocked her out. I’d have gone after him, but I was seein’ to her. We had a visit from a paramedic last night. The front desk can confirm that.”
“Why didn’t you report it to the police?”
Elizabeth let her irritation show. “Right now, I’m not your biggest fan. Besides, I was pretty sure you’d try to blame Quinn.”
An officer stepped out of Elizabeth’s room with the blister pack of narcotic tablets the paramedic had given her. “This is the only thing we’ve found.”
Thank God!
“Those are from the paramedic who treated me last night.”
Wilson took them, turned them over, handed them to Elizabeth. “We got a tip from a trusted informant that there were drugs here. Either you knew we were comin’ and got rid of the stuff, or our informant was wrong.”
Quinn got in his face, crowding him. “Your informant was full of shite.”
“As I’m sure you know, I’m a former counterterrorism analyst. Want my advice?” Elizabeth would give it to Wilson whether he wanted it or not. “Trace this tip carefully to its true source, and you’ll be looking Jack Murray’s killer in the face.”
* * *
Quinn watchedElizabeth’s words sink into Wilson’s thick skull. “I’ve worked with her for close to five years now. I’ve never known her to be wrong.”
“If I brought drug dogs in, what would they find?” Wilson asked.
“I don’t know.” Elizabeth shrugged. “That depends on who stayed in this room before us, doesn’t it? We’re not drug users or dealers. Want me to pee in a cup?”
Quinn bit his cheeks to keep from laughing.
Och, she had a mouth, his Lilibet.
“Possibly.” Wilson handed her back the pages she’d printed and instructed his team to move out.
Then PC Patel stepped out of Elizabeth’s room, looking particularly glum.
Elizabeth gave her a frosty smile. “No body cavity search for me today, I guess.”
Patel said nothing but threaded her way through the other officers and moved down the hallway.
“In case you’re wondering, size really does matter,” Elizabeth whispered to her as she passed.
Quinn couldn’t help but grin.
When the police had gone, they returned to Quinn’s suite. “Och, what a mess.”