As You Were

13. Devil in the Details

As they spoke Jax could feel his phone start to vibrate in his pocket while Conley turned the bag over in his hands, wondering about it. He hadn't thought that I'd actually killed Evie, but now he was considering if I had. If not, he was having trouble discerning what the actual point would be for this visit. If anything Jax had only given himself up now—he could easily drag him in and incarcerate him, perfect leverage to drive me out of hiding. He could smell victory either way, and it wasn't something that he was going to let go of now that it was in his grasp. He turned from him, facing out of the window with gleeful smirk, wondering those very thoughts aloud.

Without another word Jax got up from where he was sitting and left the room quickly, before Conley could turn and notice. It wasn't like he was running, more just hurrying away. Hearing the door the detective looked now, confused, and he started forward too after a moment, tossing the baggie down on the table and going after him. Before he could open the door there was a loud knocking, and he wondered if he had returned. It was to his shock when he opened it to find three police officers looking in at him. Even with the look of embarrassment on their faces he was still unable to piece together just what it was that they were doing at his motel.

"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" Conley asked, reserved.

"I'm so sorry about this detective, but we've received orders that we are to conduct a search of these premises." The cop who was standing in front apologized.

"Preposterous, there's no merit."

"I'm sure it's all just been a misunderstanding, but I have to insist that you let us search the room, we do have a warrant." The cop continued.

"On what grounds, I've just told you there's nothing here." Now Conley was growing irritated.

"Please sir, let us do our job so that we can get this all cleared up."

"Fine, but I will be making a report in regards to the gross misconduct of this search." The detective stepped back and let them in. The first two cops stayed with him in the room, while the third went to look in the bathroom.

"What is this?" One of the officers held up the bag with the knife in it, looking curiously over at Conley.

"That's," he paused. What was he supposed to say? That was the alleged knife of Eli Brennan who might have used it to kill Yvette Fontaine? "I was given that by a young man, Jax Fontaine, he was just here." Conley's answer caused the two policemen to look at each other.

"In here." The third cop called from the bathroom, causing the three of them to converge into the small room to see what he had found. "I found this under the sink," he held up another baggie, this one containing hair and photographs.

"What is that?" Another of the cops asked.

"Those are pictures of that dead actress," he looked at Conley, shocked, "is that her hair?"

"What? No, her brother was just here, like I said," Conley stammered for the words, starting to put it together in his head now. "he just left, literally right before you knocked, there was no way you could've missed him."

"Detective Conley, we didn't see anybody— nobody came out of your room. We have a guy sitting in the patrol car outside, I'll call and see if anyone has left the building." The first cop reached down for his radio. When he had, and when their partner outside confirmed that no one had gone in or out, they beheld Conley with doubt.