Trickster [Aidan Hunter series book 1]

Chapter 7

We found the sketchy medic as he was leaving for the night.

Henry caught his shoulder. "Nick! Hey, remember me?"

"Detective Wood," Nick replied. "Why would I not? We're in the same department, aren't we?"

"Not likely. It's gotta be hard for you, right? Handling forensics and being a paramedic?"

I smirked when Nick glanced at me.

"I manage my time," he said.

"That's fantastic," I opened the image attachment from my phone and held it up in front of him. "Is this how you manage your time?"

The image was a photo of Toby handing him a black bag. Wyatt found it on Gary's phone. From the way Nick's face darkened at the photo, I knew we were on the right track.

"I didn't quite trust you, ever since you spoke to me at the crime scene," I said. "Quite clever, poisoning Gary's inhaler with mercury. Poor guy didn't even know what he was breathing in. He wouldn't suspect you, since you're his doctor. We wouldn't have suspected you either, if you didn't forget to steal his inhaler and his phone, and burned all the evidence that could lead to you. Then, you make Toby the murderer. You couldn't shoot Gary yourself, because you were too afraid to get caught, am I right?"

He put his backpack on the ground. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do," I added. "Gary followed Toby because he had some suspicions. Toby gave him the evidence. Then Gary followed him to you, and he took a photo of the two of you. He was on his way to the HQ with everything he had, when the poison took over and he collapsed."

"That's a big accusation."

I wagged a finger. "Here's what I think. I'm guessing the Trickster wasn't happy with what Toby had done and forced him to take the blame of this murder on himself. He somehow manipulated you into getting the evidence back, since you knew Gary well. And because Toby couldn't be trusted. Not after what he did."

Henry raised a brow at me. "Trickster?"

"I'll explain later," I muttered to him. Then paused, piecing the events together in my mind. "There's something I don't get. The Trickster could've just sent Toby to shoot Gary in the first place, instead of asking you. After all, that guy's nothing but a pawn. He's already killed a man too."

Nick half-smiled. "I don't know who you're talking about. What proof do you have of your accusations other than that photo? It could mean anything."

"What about this?" Henry held up the false autopsy report. He opened and read through it. "Died from a bullet to the lung. You don't say."

"Don't worry." I grinned. "I have something. It involved seeking the help of my rival, but hey, desperate times."

Robert arrived at that moment. "You couldn't have done this without my help."

"Yeah, yeah. Did you get it?"

He held up a flash drive and glanced at Nick. "Of course, I did. It was in his backpack."

Nick's jaw dropped. He grabbed his backpack and rummaged through it, before shooting Robert a glare.

I smiled at the flash drive. "To tell the truth, I'm so eager to know what's in this. I am quite intrigued."

"Tell me," Henry said, walking to him. "You were one of us. I didn't think you would betray your own team. How much did you get paid for pulling this off?"

"More than you think," Nick snarled.

His eyes darted between the three of us before he whipped a gun out and pointed it at Henry.