Crime (h.s. au)

Chapter Fourteen

"I was making fertilizer Saturday morning, working alongside another coworker, and we noticed we were short on one of the chemicals," he tells me, looking me in the eye.

"What chemical was it?" I ask, and he takes a deep breath.

"It was potassium chloride. We use our fertilizers to aid in plant growth; plants use potassium chloride to grow. But I'm aware that it has much more harmful uses other than fertilizer," he explains, and I press my lips together.

"You think Alexander took the chemical from your truck?" I ask, and he nods.

"He acted so strange on Saturday. When I had confronted him about using my chemicals, something I didn't authorize, he got very angry with me. I knew he was taking something, but I had assumed it would have been a tool. Not potassium chloride," he explains, and I write it down.

"Mr. Torres, when Alexander was around prior to you speaking with him about the chemicals, did his behavior seem off to you? Was he nervous, angry, anxious?" I wonder, and he shakes his head.

"He seemed fine. I hadn't assumed much but when you questioned me the first time, I did call my brother to ask him a question," he said, my eyes looking into his.

"And what did you bring up?" I inquire, unsure of how much information he had disclosed to his brother.

"I didn't speak of the case. My thoughts were running around in my brain and I called him, asking what potassium chloride is used for," he tells me, my hand clicking the pen.

"And what did he bring up?" I ask, his hand running over his face.

"He told me that it's used in lethal injections," he tells me, my eyes meeting his.

"That is correct. It is one of the drugs used for it," I tell him, his hand balled up on his leg. It's not clenched, but rather a nervous action.

"Detective, I don't want to admit it, but I think he killed that girl," he expresses to me, and I move my pen to hold in my palm.

"Mr. Torres, Victoria Peters was murdered more than likely on Friday of last week. She was hit in the face and ribs," I start, his lips parting at my words. "However, the main cause of death was a fatal dose of potassium chloride that was injected into her."

Once I relay the news, his hand covers his face and he takes a deep breath. It's disturbing news. Learning that someone you know, someone you've let into your home, has killed someone is a hard pill to swallow.

"I had this gut feeling," Gabriel tells me, my body staying still. "It had eaten me alive, so I-I did something."

My hands fold on my lap, eager to listen. "What did you do?" I ask, his hand scratching his cheek.

"I-I had a feeling he did something. I didn't know what, but it didn't seem right how he started acting once I confronted him. So, I attempted to steer attention to him and I wrote his address on a notecard. I put it into the mailbox of his girlfriend's family," he tells me, my eyebrows raising.

"How did you know where they live?" I ask, unsure of how he got the information.

"I worked on their house a few times. I'm not sure how Alexander chose that place to bury the body, but I-I wanted to warn someone, or put some type of message to turn attention to him," he rushes, and I hold up my hand to relax him.

"We received the note the morning after the body was found. It was in the neighbor's mailbox. It directed us to Alexander and we've questioned him twice now," I put him at ease, his head nodding.

"I appreciate all the information you've given us today," I tell him, his head nodding. "It's truly unfortunate what's happened."

"It is. I never would have thought this could happen to someone I know. Someone I considered a friend," he sighs, my head nodding.

I thank him once more and let the officer dismiss Gabriel, my feet walking towards my office. My mind is racing and I file my notes into the computer, set on catching a killer.

Ava knocks on my door and takes a seat after closing it behind her.

"How are you?" I ask her, her shoulders shrugging.

"I'm at ease knowing that this case is finally coming to an end," she tells me, my eyes meeting her gray ones.

"We have a five hour drive ahead of us. You think you're going to make it?" I ask, her lips curving. It always makes me feel good when I know she's smiling; ot shows she's doing okay. I knew she would be fine; she's a tough one.

"I don't know. Might take a snooze on the way there," she grins, making me laugh.

"By all means. Anything you need to do to be in tip top shape for a search," I smile at her, her legs crossing as she sits in her chair. Her eyes meet mine once more and I can't tell what emotion is hiding behind them.

"But seriously, are you alright? Yesterday was a tough one," I say yet again, and she sighs.

"I'm alright. I was just really tired after that interview. There was a lot of information to unload with that one," she says, indicating just how much of a pain in the ass Alexander Cross is.

"As always, if there's anything I can do, I'd be happy to help," I remind her. She smiles at me once more, distracting my thoughts again.

"I appreciate it, Harry. Thank you."