Murders & Romance: A Psychic Detective Romantic Mystery (Isaac Taylor Mysteries Book 5) by Lashell Collins (ready player one ebook .TXT) 📗

downtown at Cleveland State. That’s roughly ten minutes from anywhere in Fairfax.”

“Proximity to the crime scenes doesn’t make them guilty, Ike.”

“No. It doesn’t.”

They drove on in silence, although Isaac’s mind worked over the disturbing details of the crime scenes. If this case was connected to Amber Camden’s rape, they were clearly looking for someone close to her. Only a loved one would go after her attackers so brutally.

They pulled up at the curb of a mid-century two-story in the residential neighborhood and got out.

“I’m going to let you take the lead on this one.”

Pete’s head jerked in Isaac’s direction.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Isaac fought the grin tugging at his lip.

“Because you’re my partner and you need the experience.”

Pete didn’t respond as they moved up the walkway.

“Is there a problem?”

“Not at all. Which brother is this?” Pete reached out and rang the bell.

Isaac looked at his notes.

“Jonathan Camden. He’s the younger of the two.”

It took a few moments for the door to open. When it did, a young man in his late twenties or early thirties with medium brown hair and blue eyes looked at them.

“Can I help you?”

Pete held up the badge that hung around his neck like bling whenever he was on duty.

“Jonathan Camden?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Detective Pete Vega. This is my partner, Detective Sergeant Ike Taylor. We’d like to speak with you about your sister, Amber.”

“Amber?” The man’s demeanor went from passive to engaged in the span of two seconds. “Is she okay? Has something happened?”

“She’s fine, Mr. Camden. But the three men who were tried and acquitted for raping her are all dead.”

Isaac stood by and observed. It wasn’t that long ago that he was in Pete’s shoes — a fairly new detective with something to prove to himself. But Pete was doing a great job.

“Wait.” Jonathan held up a hand. “Are you telling me the assholes responsible for putting my sister in that institution are dead?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. May we come in? Or would you prefer to do this on the porch in front of your neighbors?”

The man blinked and opened the door wider, gesturing for them to step inside.

“After you.”

Pete pointed inside, and then followed after Jonathan. Behind him, Isaac smiled to himself. Remembering not to turn his back on the subject being questioned was rule number one.

He followed them inside, where Jonathan showed them to the living room. He gestured toward the couch.

“Please, sit down. How can I help you?”

Jonathan sat down in a chair opposite the couch, leaving it for Isaac and Pete. Once seated, Pete leaned in.

“Mr. Camden, what can you tell us about your sister’s ordeal?”

Jonathan blew a huff of air through his lips.

“I don’t even know where to start. It was a nightmare for my family. My sister came home from a high school party and stepped into the room like Carrie after the bloody prom. We knew something had happened, but she wasn’t exactly up for talking about it.”

He ran a hand through his hair, and Isaac noted how much this man looked like his father.

“My mom insisted on taking her to the hospital. That’s where she finally told my mom what had happened. Those boys were arrested a few days later, for all the good it did. It’s like none of the authorities took Amber’s story seriously. And each of those boys, their parents had a lot of money and influence. They hired this shark of a lawyer who was hellbent on making my sister out to be some slut! They made a fool of her in court. Made her sound…”

He paused and fought hard not to get emotional.

“They made her sound cheap and dirty. And Amber was just so traumatized by it all that she broke down. She turned inward, where she felt safe, you know? She went inside herself where no one could hurt her again.”

Jonathan wiped his face with a gruff hand. Isaac took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a quick moment, silently pushing Jonathan’s grief and sorrow away. He mentally stacked a few more concrete bricks to the wall in his mind.

“Mr. Camden,” Pete continued. “Where were you during these times?”

Isaac handed over the piece of paper torn from his small notebook, and Pete passed it on.

Jonathan took the paper, but his gaze never left Pete’s.

“You want to know where I was? What? You think I had something to do with killing those animals?”

Isaac watched Pete level his gaze at Jonathan.

“I didn’t say that, Mr. Camden. But it’s our job to pinpoint the whereabouts of everyone close to Amber at the times of the three murders, yes.”

“So that you can get justice for those boys, right?”

Isaac felt more than saw the unease settle in on Pete’s shoulders, and he couldn’t blame him. They both knew where Jonathan was going.

“Well, where the hell is Amber’s justice, huh?”

Jonathan glared at them. He kept his voice at a respectable level, but Isaac could see the battle within him. This man wanted to yell and rage against them.

“Those assholes raped her! Then they publicly humiliated her and walked away like she was some piece of shit stuck to the bottom of their shoes. If someone killed them, good. They deserved it. What they don’t deserve is your justice!”

To his credit, Pete never batted an eye at Jonathan’s harsh words. He kept his cool and calmly repeated his question.

“Where were you during the times on that paper, Mr. Camden?”

Jonathan gritted his teeth and turned away, searching for peace perhaps. Then he looked down at the paper in his hand.

“These times are in the middle of the night. I was here, sleeping.”

“Can anyone corroborate that?”

“Well, I live alone.”

“So that’s a no.”

“No. No one but my dog. But I didn’t do this!”

“Do you have any idea who might have?”

Jonathan hesitated for only a split second.

“No.”

But it was enough for Isaac to pick up on. One glance at Pete and he knew his partner had picked up on it too. Pete leaned in closer.

“What was that, Mr. Camden?”

“I don’t know who