AND SO WE SEE DARKLY by Cole McCade

Author:Cole McCade [McCade, Cole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

[7: CUTS SO DEEP]

THE MOMENT MARIANNE BLACK ANSWERED her door, Seong-Jae knew he would be handling this interview mostly alone.

The Black cottage was a thing of pale blue clapboard on a dry patch of lawn, the screen door recently repaired with patched-in pieces—and through that screen door Mrs. Black watched them with bloodshot, tear-swollen eyes, her dark brown hair swept back into a messy tail, her loose white t-shirt and yoga pants stained with baby food.

And a little girl no more than a few months old in her arms, cradled against her chest and clutched almost protectively close.

Standing next to Seong-Jae beneath the overhang of the porch, Malcolm froze, ashen-pale and not even breathing as he stared at the child, his lips parted soundlessly.

Fuck.

Seong-Jae supposed he was up, then.

“Mrs. Black?” he said, and reached inside his jacket for his badge, holding up the glimmering golden shield. “Detective Yoon. My partner, Detective Khalaji. We are—”

“Investigating my Liam’s death,” she cut in. She had a whisper-soft voice, like she had been taught to speak in subvocals, barely-there. “I know. Your captain called and said you’d be coming today to ask me some questions.” She bit her lip, then shifted the weight of the baby in her arms, freeing one hand to pull the screen door open, stepping back to make room. “Come in. I don’t know what to tell you that I didn’t already tell Captain Zarate and Commissioner Oakman, though.”

“Some new information has come to light,” Seong-Jae said, and tucked his badge away only to catch the door, holding it for Malcolm. “We apologize it has taken us some time to speak with you in person. Other developments in the case have created…roadblocks, to put it mildly.”

“I saw on the news. That poor man, I…even if he did hurt Liam, Liam would…would never have wanted things this way.” She shook her head, retreating deeper into the house. “Come on. I’ll pour you both some sweet tea.”

Seong-Jae waited—but Malcolm remained unmoving, his eyes lost, somewhere distant; his omr had well and truly checked out, gone in his own world, stuck inside his head.

“Malcolm,” Seong-Jae whispered, then touched his arm when Malcolm did not respond. “Malcolm. Come back to me.”

Malcolm blinked slowly—then again, faster, his gaze clearing; he shook his head like a dog shaking off water, then rubbed his fingers to his temples. “…fuck. Sorry. For a second…for a second I saw…”

“I know,” Seong-Jae murmured, and caught Malcolm’s hand for a brief squeeze. “But that child is not Chrysanthe. We need to focus on Mrs. Black, right now. She is a grieving spouse, and we must do our best not to exacerbate her pain.”

Malcolm smiled faintly, fingers first lax in Seong-Jae’s, then gripping tight. “What happened to the man who would rather be shot than try to say something appropriate to the next of kin?”

“That man had a very good teacher.” Seong-Jae stroked his thumb over the ridges of Malcolm’s knuckles, then pulled him gently toward the threshold. “Come.”

Malcolm held his hand

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