Read Faces of Evil [4] Rage for Free Online

gaze swept over her as if he needed to ensure she was in one piece. Or maybe he was remembering those frantic minutes in his SUV last night before all hell had broken loose.
    Lieutenant Grayson and his attorney rose, joining Burnett and yanking Jess back to attention. She didn’t recognize the attorney and Grayson looked as if he’d barely tacked himself back together for this meeting.
    “Gentlemen, this is Deputy Chief Jess Harris, head of our SPU and the lady we’ve been talking about for the past fifteen minutes .” Burnett underscored the last with a pointed look at her.
    Jess paused at the chair directly across the table from Grayson. “I apologize for keeping you waiting, Lieutenant. I assure you it was in the interest of this case.” She extended her hand toward him. “I am so sorry for your loss.”
    Grayson accepted her offered hand and gave it a feeble shake. “I’m grateful that Chief Burnett put your team on this. I’m aware of your reputation, Chief Harris, and I want whoever did this found as quickly as possible. My wife”—he visibly struggled to maintain his composure—“deserves speedy justice.” A single tear slid down his stony jaw.
    Jess studied his face and eyes. The agony was genuine. She’d bet her scrawny savings on it. “I appreciate your confidence, sir.”
    The attorney offered his hand next. “Marcus Davenport. I’ll be representing the interests of Lieutenant Grayson and his family during these grim proceedings.”
    Made sense. Davenport was the city attorney. Jess hadn’t met him before but she knew the name. Davenport would want his thumb on the pulse of this investigation.
    “Of course.” She shook his hand. “It’s a shame we have to meet under these circumstances.”
    They settled in their seats and Burnett started the conversation. “Lieutenant, you’ve been in the department far too long for me or anyone else to presume to enlighten you on how this investigation will proceed. Why don’t you offer whatever suggestions or questions you have and we’ll go from there?”
    “I’ve tried all morning to think if anything was different… but the truth is, nothing comes to mind.” More of those tears glittered in his eyes.
    “What about your work with Captain Allen?” Jess prodded. The gang-related avenue was one she’d like to close as quickly as possible, since her instincts were pointing her in a different direction.
    Grayson blinked as if just waking up. “I only started working with the Gang Task Force a week ago.” He dragged in a shaky breath. “I’ve had no run-ins with any gang members. Nothing. I can’t imagine how any of them even know I exist. And yet, somehow…” His face crumpled. “How could this happen?”
    “Mrs. Grayson hadn’t mentioned any strangers in your neighborhood? No encounters at the supermarket?” Jess asked.
    Grayson cleared his throat and took a breath. “Nothing. We talked every day at lunch and if I worked late, I always dropped by in time to help tuck in our son.” His voice cracked on the words. “There just wasn’t any warning. And absolutely nothing in the house appears to be missing. It doesn’t make any sense.”
    Jess reached for her notepad and pencil, then settled her eyeglasses in place. She had resigned herself to the fact that without them she was blind when it came to reading. “Lieutenant, do you work the night shift often?” According to the report made by the first officers on the scene Grayson had been on duty until the call came in about his wife’s murder a few hours ago.
    “I hadn’t worked nights in years until I volunteered to support the GTF,” he explained. He lapsed into silence for a long moment. “I should have been at home last night.”
    “As you said, there was no warning or reasonable expectation of danger. You couldn’t possibly have known your family was a target.”
    Grayson was fifty. Fit and more than a little vain, judging by the lack of gray in his blond hair and the