Page 107 of Better the Devil

‘If you’ve got something to say to me, just say it,’ the girl hissed. She was still in her school uniform, but her expressionmade her look older than her years. It twisted her features and formed deep, angry lines.

‘Olivia, just calm down,’ Shona pleaded.

She met Jack’s eye, but only for a moment, like she couldn’t hold it for long. Like she wouldn’t.

‘What’s going on?’ Logan asked, keeping his voice low so as not to attract any further attention.

He needn’t have bothered. From the staff behind the front desk, to the Uniforms crossing the foyer, and even the civilians sitting on the hard plastic chairs waiting to be seen—everyone was paying attention.

‘What’s going on?’ Olivia asked. Her voice climbed an octave. ‘What’s going on? You think I’m shagging some dead guy, or something.’

‘Jesus Christ. Keep your voice down,’ Jack warned. He shot a questioning look to Shona, who looked mortified by the whole situation. ‘You told her?’

‘I just… I was just?—’

‘Yes, she told me!’ Olivia side-stepped to block the pathologist from view. This was between her and Logan. Nobody else. ‘She told me what you were getting at.’

The girl held her arms out at her side, weight shifting from foot to foot like she was initiating a fight in the school playground.

‘So, you want to question me? You want to interrogate me,Jack?’ His name was an insult, spat in his face. ‘Go for it. Come on. Let’s do it.’

Shona appeared in Logan’s line of sight again. She looked worried. Embarrassed. But there was something in her eyes. In the way she stared at him. A warning.

‘I can take her home,’ Shona said, offering a way out. Offering an olive branch, maybe.

Like things didn’t have to go this way. Like he didn’t have to do this.

But she was wrong. He did.

Like it or not, he did.

‘Right, we’ll go for a walk, and?—’

‘No.’ Olivia shook her head. ‘Upstairs. In one of your wee interview rooms.’ She thrust her hands towards him, wrists together. ‘You want to handcuff me, or can you trust me enough not to run away?’

Logan could feel all those eyes watching on.

‘Let’s just go home,’ Shona pleaded. ‘We can talk about this later.’

Olivia just stood there. Staring. Waiting.

Hostile. Aggressive. Fearless.

He heard Shona let out a little gasp, as she realised what was about to happen.

Logan didn’t look at her. He didn’t dare. He just held Olivia’s gaze, even though it burned and burrowed its way into him.

‘Do you want a solicitor present?’ he asked.

‘Jack, don’t do this,’ Shona begged.

‘No,’ Olivia said.

‘Do you wish to have an appropriate adult present? That can be Shona, or?—’

‘No.’

The answer registered on Shona’s face like a slap.