Simon Says Die

park.”
    Damon rolled his eyes and let out a long, deep breath as if he was bored. “Why don’t we just clear up that little misconception right now.” He suddenly leaned over the desk beside him and grabbed a letter opener.
    Hamilton lunged toward him, clearly worried that Damon was going to hurt someone. Before Hamilton could stop him, Damon raised the letter opener and plunged it into his thigh.
    E VERY EYE IN the squad room stared in shock at Damon McKinley. He hadn’t moved, not even a flinch, when he stabbed his leg.
    He stared at Pierce as he calmly set the letter opener on the desk. It had only gone in about a quarter of an inch, but that was enough to get his point across.
    â€œGood grief, he’s bleeding all over the place.” Hamilton snapped his fingers at a detective. “Get some paper towels or napkins. Has anybody got an extra shirt, something to stop the bleeding?”
    The detective whose letter opener had just been used was pale and wide-eyed, but he opened his drawer and pulled out a towel. “From my gym bag.” He handed the towel to Hamilton. “It’s clean.”
    Hamilton grabbed the towel and pressed it over Damon’s wound.
    â€œThe bleeding is already stopping, Lieutenant,” Damon said. “No big deal, truly. Allow me.” He pushed Hamilton’s hand away and held the towel against his leg, all the time aiming a smug smile at Pierce and Madison.
    Hamilton gave Pierce a disgusted look. “I suppose you think he just faked that?”
    Pierce didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to think at the moment.
    â€œMr. McKinley,” Hamilton said, “you need to get to a hospital.”
    â€œNo, no. I told you. I’m fine. I am a bit tired, though. I’d like to go ahead and answer any questions you have, of course, but again . . . I really must insist that I speak to my wife first. It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen each other—”
    â€œNot very long at all,” she said, her voice shaking with anger. “The last time I saw you, you were shoving a threatening note under the door at me, in the room where you held me prisoner.”
    Damon shook his head sadly, as if he doubted Madison’s sanity.
    â€œLet’s straighten this mess out.” Hamilton motioned to the detective at the desk beside Damon. “Take him to the main conference room. We’ll be right there.”
    As the detective wheeled Damon across the room, Hamilton glared at Pierce and Madison. “Mrs. McKinley, I’ve given you the benefit of the doubt from day one.”
    She snorted and rolled her eyes.
    He gritted his teeth. “And, I’ve tried, very hard, to believe your outlandish stories. But the lies have to stop, now, today. I want the truth.”
    â€œThe truth,” she said, “is that my former husband obviously faked his death. Someone else died in his place. I should think you’d be concerned about who he killed to make that happen.”
    â€œOnce again, based on the obvious physical evidence he just presented, I’m inclined to believe his version, that someone mugged him and took his car. I have no reason to believe otherwise.”
    â€œOh, and I suppose him not showing up for a year and a half doesn’t seem suspicious to you?”
    â€œOf course, it does. I intend to ask him about that. Which brings up another point. What, exactly, does he have on you?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHe mentioned the last night you two saw each other. He seemed to imply there was something significant, something you wouldn’t want others to know about. So, what happened?”
    Her face clouded with anger. “We argued, as we always did. I told him to leave. When he wouldn’t, I—”
    Pierce grabbed her and anchored her to his side. His abruptness caught her by surprise, making her stop mid-sentence, just as he’d hoped. He didn’t like the look on her face when she was answering Hamilton, and he’d been very worried that the next words out of her mouth were about to put her from the proverbial frying pan into the fire.
    Or back in jail.
    â€œLieutenant, I need a moment with Mrs. McKinley,” Pierce said.
    Madison tried to shove away from him. “I’m not done.”
    â€œYes. You are.”
    â€œNo, I’m—”
    He clamped his hand over her mouth.
    â€œDo not, under any circumstances, say another