Page 48 of A Corruption Dark & Deadly

“Okay?” Handen asked. “Okay?”

“Look,” Annie said, furrowing her brow. “I don’t appreciate the fact that you’re talking to me like I’m a goddamn idiot. Just tell me what you’re trying to say and cut the shit.”

Powell pressed her lips together to keep from letting an amused smile slip onto her face. Handen’s facial expression didn’t change except maybe there was a flicker of what looked like respect in his pale blue eyes.

“We think Jericho Steel murdered or had someone murder Gisela Gonzales a couple of months ago,” he finally said.

Annie furrowed her brow and looked at Powell, almost as though she was confirming what Handen said because it was pretty ridiculous.

“You think Jericho Steel,” Annie began slowly, “killed some no name woman who ran down my parents because my brother works for him? You think he would risk that for some bartender?”

She looked between both Powell and Handen. "You know that sounds insane."

"We don't think he did it because your brother works for him," Powell said slowly. She reached behind her where Handen was handing her a familiar looking gossip magazine and placed it on Annie's desk. "This is this month's Seattle Life and Style." She paused, waiting for Annie to take the magazine and take a good look at it.

Annie, while not entirely familiar with what was on the cover, had a feeling where this was going. Her heart rate jumped but she tried to play it off like nothing was going wrong and she had no idea what these two detectives were saying.

"The DV charity event was thrown at this hotel this year, just a month ago, I believe," Powell told her.

"In case you didn't know, DV means domestic violence," Handen said.

It took everything in Annie to hold back on shooting him a dirty look. Powell pressed her lips together, though it was difficult to discern if she was holding back an amused smile or a frustrated scowl.

"It seems you were there with Mr. Steel, perhaps as his special guest?" Powell pushed her eyebrows up when she said special, like it had some kind of dirty connotation behind it.

Annie bristled at the implication, finally dropping her eyes to the photograph they pointed out. She pressed her lips together, her eyes softening as she looked at it. She recognized the soft lavender dress, the way her smile, while small, was genuine and full of adoration simply because Jericho hadn't forced her to do anything, had told her they didn't have to take pictures if she didn't want to, and held her hand through it all.

He was constantly there through it all.

And the way he was looking at her... he really had loved her in that first moment, hadn't he? She swallowed and forced her eyes away from the picture. Annie was certain she had already revealed too much with the lingering stare, but hoped maybe they hadn't noticed.

Fat chance.

"I attended with him, yes," she said. "Why do you ask?"

Handen rolled his eyes. "You can't be an accountant and be this stupid, girlie," he told her, his voice louder than it should be at her office. "He killed Gonzales for you. Or he had someone kill her for you."

Annie cut him a look. "Considering you haven't arrested me yet and are only here to ask me questions," she said in a quiet but sharp voice, "I would appreciate if you didn't shout my business for everyone to hear. I'll look over the fact that you insulted my intelligence just as long as you can respect my place of business." She looked over at Powell. "As I've said, I highly doubt Jericho would go out of his way for me. We went out on a couple of dates. It isn't serious. If there's anything else, feel free to come back but I'd prefer if you left your partner back at the department."

"He doesn't play well with others," she agreed, standing up. Handen followed suit. "Maybe ask him why his right-hand man, Bennet, was found on him via DNA. Thank you for your time, Ms. Brennan."

Hanson gave her a long look before following his partner out of the cubicle.

Annie felt her entire body relax. She needed to head home and talk to Jericho.

Now.