“Look, if that’s true, and you have receipts to prove it, you can take it up with Major Case and the prosecutor.”

“Maybe so, but right now I’m taking it up with YOU,” I returned.

In reality, I’m sure he was correct. If I could provide receipts, which I could, at the very least Jackie should be able to negate the effect of the books as evidence. In fact, she could probably get them thrown out altogether before it even went that far. But, I wasn’t willing to take that chance because with the situation as it was, our attorney’s ability to accomplish that feat was by no means guaranteed.

Ominous shadows were lurking somewhere in the background of all this. Someone, or maybe even something, was trying very hard to stack the deck against Felicity. That much had become painfully apparent over the past hour. I certainly wasn’t about to let anything I was holding in my own hand be used in that process if I could help it.

“That’s it, I’m done with this,” the crime scene technician replied with a wave of his hand before looking over to the Briarwood cops. “I have a job to do, and this man is preventing me from doing it. Would you guys like to take it from here?”

“Sir,” one of the uniformed officers spoke up. “Why don’t you step outside with me for a bit?”

The tech had turned back to face me, and I was now holding him locked in a stare down, so I snapped an acrid reply without breaking my gaze. “Why? Because I don’t want to.”

“Sir, that wasn’t a question. It was a strong suggestion.”

“Your suggestion is noted.”

“Sir, it was a very strong suggestion. Under the circumstances I can make it an order.”

“What? You people aren’t happy with just arresting my wife? Now you’re arresting me too?”

The officer replied, “No sir, you aren’t being arrested.” After a short pause he added, “Not yet, but if you keep going the way you are, it’s a very good possibility. So, why don’t you do like I suggested, and just step outside with me where you can cool off for a few minutes?”