A Better Part of Valor by Gary Corbin

Author:Gary Corbin [Corbin, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: D2D
Publisher: Double Diamond Productions
Published: 2021-09-21T07:00:00+00:00

***

Jalen Marshall set them up with an interrogation room and a tech who recorded their questioning of Kent Mercer. Shannon offered Kent a bottle of water. He accepted and took a long swig.

“Let’s start with some dates,” Shannon said. “When did you last see Hannah Brinkman?”

“Only the one time,” he said. “I helped her with the internship application. Like I’ve done with dozens of applicants.”

“Six,” Val said.

He stared, blank-faced. “Six?”

“Six applicants, four female,” Val said. “According to your file.”

Kent frowned, obvious puzzlement straining his expression. “What file?”

“Records we obtained from the University,” Val said.

“Dr. Bray told you this?” He took another sip of water.

“Who’s Dr. Bray?” Shannon said, winking at Val.

“My adviser,” Kent said. “Look, I meet with lots of students. UConn only logs meetings with kids who formally apply to the program. As an AFE College Ambassador, I’m asked to help students from any AFE chapter, no matter what college they apply to.”

“Any chapter meaning any high school?” Shannon asked.

Mercer nodded. Squirmed in his seat a little. Sipped his water bottle, a tiny amount.

“So when did you meet with Hannah?” Shannon said.

“September, I think? Or August. I’d have to check my calendar.”

“Please do,” Shannon said.

Kent opened the app on his phone. “August 26,” he said. “Four o’clock.”

“And you never met with her again?”

He shook his head. “I might have seen her around the internship office. We never spoke again.”

“How about Yolanda Garcia?” Shannon kept her tone easy, conversational.

“Who?”

“Name doesn’t ring a bell?”

Another shake of the head. “I don’t know her.” More squirming.

“Jaden King?”

Kent paused. “The name sounds familiar. What does she look like?”

Val slid a photo of Jaden onto the table in front of Kent. The girl’s bright smile radiated confidence and trust, as if nothing bad could ever happen to her.

He squinted at the photo. “I…can’t say whether I ever met her. Though she kind of looks familiar.”

Val slid another photo onto the table. Charlene Washington.

“What’s this, a test to see if I can tell Black girls apart?” He sneered at them. “I told you weeks ago that I knew Charlene. Not well.”

“Where were you last Monday evening?” Shannon said, her tone growing sharp.

“Studying. In my room.”

“All night?”

“Until ten or eleven, then I went to bed.” Kent’s tone grew defensive. “Alone.”

“Can anyone vouch for you?” Val asked.

He shrugged. “My mom, I guess. I think she was home.”

“We’ll ask her,” Val said. “When’s the last time you saw this girl?” She set a photo of Sierra Stapleton onto the table.

“Never.”

“Not once?” Val asked. “Even when you and Diego Collier made your drops?”

“My ‘drops?’ What the hell are you talking about?” Sweat gathered on his forehead. He wiped it away with his sleeve.

Val and Shannon exchanged glances. Kent’s nervousness belied his protest. “When did you and Diego last hang out?” Val asked.

“What the hell?” he asked, his voice exploding. “I thought you said I wasn’t a suspect!”

“I didn’t say that,” Shannon said. “I said you could help us find or identify the suspect. If that’s you, then—”

“It isn’t me! I didn’t kill any of those girls!” He stopped short, as if he’d meant to say more.

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