Midnight Howl

chapter 8

"We ran the DNA," said Heloise, "Matched up with some guy named Alex Cooper. He's in the interrogation room right now."

Aidan frowned at the report on his desk as the words turned into squiggles.

"Fine, I'll question him."

"Don't bother," Heloise tutted, "He said he won't talk till his lawyer's here."

"Where's his lawyer?"

"Late."

The elevator door opened and Heloise and Aidan looked at the throng of people that mileld out.

"I'm here for Alex Cooper," said a voice by the reception desk.

Aidan turned to look at a familiar figure lounging against the desk.

"Attorney Brayburn," said Aidan, "He's in Room 3."

Thomas looked at Aidan, raking his eyes along his figure with an air of supreme confidence.

"Detective Althorpe," said Thomas, his voice slick and obscene, holding his hand out to shake, "What a pleasure to see you again."

Aidan shook his hand with a firm grip and a glass cutting glare.

"I wish I could say the same," he replied, with a steely edge.

"Ouch," remarked Thomas as they walked towards the room, "You wound me, detective."

Aidan opened the door and let him in where a fair haired man was drumming his hands on the table.

"Where's Sarah?" The man said, as soon as Aidan came in through the door.

"Sarah?" Asked Aidan, frowning.

"My wife," said the man, his voice ripe with emotion, "They didn't tell me anything but it's gotta be her. She ran away. I haven't seen her for weeks."

His voice raised and trembled in anger as he hurled another sentence in Aidan's direction.

"You bastards probably killed her!"

"Woah," said Thomas, raising his hands placatingly, "Let's not say anything we can't take back."

The man took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"Your wife?" asked Aidan.

The man nodded and Aidan sighed.

"Excuse me one moment," he said and stepped out, putting his head against the wall and breathing out.

It had only been a minute before the door swung open.

"Is she dead?" asked Thomas.

Aidan nodded and took another deep breath. Then he walked back into the room and sat down.

"We don't know what's happened to your wife. However, a woman matching your wife's description was found in the forest with your DNA on her. If you'd like to accompany my colleague to formally identify the body, it would massively aid us with the investigation and catching this woman's killer."

The man blanched as Heloise came into the room. He followed her easily enough, his head downturned.

Aidan rested his head on the table and waited. The door swung open again and Thomas sat on the table.

"Twenty bucks says it's him," said Thomas, popping the words.

Aidan lifted his head up off the table to glare at him.

"What? It's always the husband. Unless it's the wife. You should know this, you're the cop."

"I hate this part of the job," he said, muffled into the table.