Total pages in book: 213
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
I push back the chair and spread my legs wide as I sit back and shrug. “I only know what you know,” I offer him, and he gives me a smug smirk.
“And what is it that you think I know?” he taunts me, sucking his teeth and keeping his back to Eddie. Eddie doesn’t hide the fact he’s watching.
Again, I shrug and say, “Whatever’s in the paper and on the news.”
It’s quiet for a moment. Not a sound from anything. Not the air conditioner, not the cars outside. Nothing as he watches me, looking over my expression. I keep it easy and relaxed. It’s something I worked hard to accomplish. You never let them see a damn thing from you. Carter said his dad taught him that once. That you don’t give anyone anything. It’s the one thing Carter taught me that’s helped me survive longer than I would have otherwise.
“And what about your girl, Chloe?” Officer Harold asks me, and Eddie stops jotting on his pad. The scratching of the pencil halts and my heart pounds heavily. I can feel my lips twitching on my face to pull down into a scowl and the need for my forehead to show a sharp crease.
I want to rip out his throat for even mentioning her name. I wish I could see her right now. That I could see she’s safe and ensure they’ll leave her out of this. Adrenaline pumps hard in my blood knowing she’s involved now, but she did that to herself when she came here. Fuck, I wish I could take it back.
I can protect her though. I will protect her; I’ll make this right.
“Chloe Rose?” I say her name and force my face to soften, to stay casual wondering how the best way to play this would be. I rub the stubble on my chin and look past him. “What about her?”
“Why did you go to see her?” he asks me. Anxiety races through me. She’s always flown under the radar. Gorgeous and tempting, but no one’s paid her any mind. No one wants to deal with the sad girl who’s stuck here with no one and nothing. Now she’s a person of interest, all because of me.
“She came to see me,” I correct him.
“That’s not what I heard.” My pulse pounds at my temples. And again, I struggle to keep my composure. I feel my throat get tight as I swallow.
Letting out a low sigh, I exaggerate. “A few nights ago, she was walking home.” I meet his eyes to add, “Alone. And the streetlight went out. Spooked her some.”
His eyes stay hard as I sniff and shrug my shoulders. “She wanted some company. I checked out her place. I don’t know if you know this, officer, but someone broke into her house a while back.”
His eyes narrow; I know damn well that he knows what I did. I had to tell Romano, who tells Officer Harold when he doesn’t have to go searching for a killer. Problem is, Romano doesn’t know who’s doing these killings. Romano should know if I had something to do with it, I’d tell him. The fact that Officer Harold is here is telling. The uneasiness flows through me the more I think about it.
I shrug. “I guess she liked that I was willing to give her some company.” I tilt my hips up some, implying a little more happened. “I liked it too.”
“So, this has nothing to do with Tamra Stetson or the killing spree?” he asks me and sucks his teeth again, but his demeanor has changed. No longer on the attack, instead he’s desperate for a lead.
“It’s freaking Chloe out some, being alone and watching these girls turning up dead… which is only helping me get laid. But I don’t know shit that could help you.”
“Just to clarify.” The good officer puts both hands on the table and leans forward, getting so close I can see where he nicked his chin when he was shaving. “For everyone,” he adds, although the heavy implication is that Romano will hear about whatever I say. I already know that though. This little visit was obviously triggered by Chloe running in here the other day. I know damn well that Romano doesn’t know shit, and neither does this prick.
“Whatever you want to know,” I say and stare him dead in his eyes, feeling the tension rise.
“You don’t know anything?” His eyes search mine as I answer him, “Not a damn thing.”
My heart beats chaotically and I swear if he could hear, he’d know I’m lying.
Sniffing and standing straight, Harold fixes his shirt, tucking it back in. “If you hear anything…” he says even though he’s already walking out. With his back to me, he doesn’t bother to give any parting words. Only the sound of the bells bids him farewell.