Excerpt
Before I could move, Detective Snyder charged in through the front door, bypassing the security check. A uniformed cop and a Protector Wizard armed with a staff stomped after him.
Snyder pushed a palm at me, as if he were stopping traffic. "Miss Rakowitz, step aside. Keegan Flynn, you're under arrest."
Keegan went rigid. "You're crazy!"
My mind raced with possible charges, from threatening to interfering with judicial proceedings. I held my place next to Keegan. "My client chooses to remain silent. What is the exact charge?"
Snyder fixed hard cop eyes on Keegan. "The murder of Felicia Morlatti."
A spasm disfigured Keegan's face. I wished to comfort him because he was in anguish, but the uniformed cop clamped on to Keegan's arm. Keegan slammed his forehead into the cinder block wall and moaned, "Felicia, Felicia."
Seeing the Protector Wizard lift his wand, I tugged at Keegan's sleeve. "Don't fight them. It won't help." I didn't want him zapped by the Proz. The Protective Wizard. At my touch, Keegan shuddered and went limp, leaning on the wall. After the cop cuffed him, the Proz lowered his staff.
I didn't believe Keegan killed Felicia. His surprise and relief looked genuine when I'd told him she was going to drop charges. He wasn't a good enough actor to fake such a natural reaction. If he'd kept secrets from me, it was probably about something that would now seem trivial. Charged up with adrenaline, I needed to do something for him, so I got in Snyder's face. "What kind of evidence do you have?"
He clamped on to Keegan's shoulder. "I've got plenty."
Still holding Keegan's sleeve, I tightened my grip. If only I could transfer hope and strength to him—but I wasn't a magician. I knew when I let go he'd belong to the cops. Lawyer words came out instead of words of comfort. "Listen to me. Keep your mouth shut. Don't say a word."
I released him and pointed a finger in Snyder's face. "He's invoking his right to remain silent and wants a lawyer."
"You're my lawyer." Keegan's voice was stretched thin.
It was my turn to swallow a bitter pill. "I can't. I'm not death-qualified. I'll let your family know they need to hire someone. I'll stand in until they get a death penalty lawyer."
At my mention of the death penalty, Keegan's face froze in its grimace. He had shut himself off from me. Snyder and the cop propelled him out of the building.