A Terrible Fall of Angels (Zaniel Havelock #1)(33)
I nodded. “Yes, but I feel na?ve that it never occurred to me to wonder if he was cheating with the flirting.”
“I’m the boss, it’s my job to think about things like that.”
I still felt stupid for not thinking of it sooner. Gimble was our newest member, so maybe that was it; but Charleston was right, there was a reason he was the boss, but part of me wondered if I’d have thought about checking Gimble out more closely seven months ago before things went south with Reggie. I pushed the thought away; if I was still thinking it tomorrow, I’d ask Charleston if my job performance was suffering. Tonight, I gave myself the benefit of the doubt. Kate’s fingernails were burning on my arm under the bandages. It hadn’t even occurred to me to ask the angels to heal the wounds, any of my wounds. I could say that it was because it had been so long that I just didn’t think of it, and that was partly true, but the whole truth was I didn’t think I deserved to be healed, not after what I had done. Some sins didn’t have a shelf life, they stayed fresh and corrupting forever.
“Everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing,” Charleston said; “let’s go do it.”
Lila said, “Before we all high-five and go our separate ways, one question.”
Charleston just looked at her; that was all the encouragement he was going to give, and all she needed. “When we visit the parents, is it questioning the family of a suspect who’s escaped by magical means, is it looking at him as another potential victim of the demon, or is it a condolence call?”
“Normally if we found just bits of skin it would be a condolence call, but nothing about this has been normal, so we don’t know if their son is dead, missing, kidnapped by a demon, or a willing accomplice.”
“Mark Cookson is not an unwilling victim here,” I said.
“How can you be so sure?” Charleston asked.
“You heard them talking to each other. Cookson is a distinct personality; he’s not just somebody who got taken over because he messed with things he didn’t understand the consequences of.”
“Again, how can you be so sure of that?”
“Because even victims who wanted to deal with demons, once it’s inside them, they’re afraid. The demon helps them live out their fantasies, but most people don’t actually want to do their revenge fantasies. You’ve seen it before, Lieutenant; the human host is distraught and horrified whenever they can speak to us. Cookson doesn’t seem to feel any remorse at all, let alone horror, at what he did to Megan Borowski.”
“Just because the kid is enjoying the power trip doesn’t mean he’s not a victim,” Charleston said.
“If he enjoyed doing what he did to her, then he is too dangerous to be out there among other potential victims whether he’s sharing a body with a demon or alone in his skin.”
“I can’t rule anything out, Havoc. We have no way of knowing how much the demon is influencing Cookson. He could be horrified once the demon is out of him.”
“Do you really want another of these people to go free and use ‘the demon made me do it’ as an alibi?”
“No, but the courts have ruled that demon possession is a viable court defense. It’s only our job to bag them, Havoc; putting them behind bars is up to the lawyers.”
I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, realizing that my hands were in fists at my sides. I fought to relax my hands as I breathed in and out.
“If you don’t feel up to this today, Havoc, you can tap out. You got clawed up by a demon, take the rest of today off.”
“No, thank you, Lieutenant, but I want to help get this guy.”
He gave me that look that said he wasn’t sure he believed me, but he said, “Fine, but if at any point you think you need a break, take it; Bridges will drop you back at your car, or your apartment, whatever you need.”
“I must look worse than I feel for you to baby me like this,” I said, smiling to try and make it a joke.
The look he gave back was serious with no hint of a smile. His dark eyes were trying to read past the smiling, pleasant face I was giving him. He knew me too well to believe it, but he finally gave a small nod.
“Tell the parents we’re looking for him and you’re just there to gather information to help us figure out what is going on.”
“Will do, Lieutenant,” Bridges said.
“I’ll try to keep an open mind about Cookson, sir.”
“That’s all I ask, Havoc. Now go and find out things. I’ll take Sato and head back to the original crime scene and work it from that end.”
“Aye-aye, bossman,” Bridges said, and headed for the elevators again. This time I followed her without questioning it. I’d try to keep an open mind, but I knew what I’d heard. Mark Cookson wasn’t a victim; he was a bad guy.
My watch vibrated against my wrist. One glance was enough to make me groan. I so did not need this right now.
“What’s wrong?” Lila asked.
“I’m due at couples therapy with Reggie.”
“Oh, Havoc, I’m sorry. Couples therapy sucks,” Lila said. She’d gone through her own messy divorce just after I joined the unit. Her ex-wife had come to the precinct once and thrown a box at Lila full of couple gifts. At least my personal issues hadn’t gotten that messy, not yet. I tried picturing Reggie throwing stuff at me at work in front of strangers. No, she’d never lose control like that in public. She saved her passion for private, including her anger.