A faint smile appears on her lips as she remembers before she continues.
“When we pulled up to the hotel I was convinced he was meeting a girl there. Elli went inside to watch him while he checked in, to see if she could hear which room he was staying in. She did, and then she booked the room right beside his. We waited until he left for the ‘work meeting’ before we went up to our room so he wouldn’t see us. The rooms connected with a door, which was locked, of course, but we could hear pretty well through it. The plan was that we’d wait until we knew he was in there with the girl, and then we’d knock on his door and I’d confront him. Only, he didn’t bring a girl back. He brought several men back to the room. We were confused. Elli was convinced he was gay and had some weird orgy going on.”
She rolls her eyes again before continuing. “But through the door we could hear them outlining their plan. Landry was at the head of it all. From what we could tell, they were importing illegal drugs and selling them to the students at the college. We stood there, mouths agape, and Elli started recording him on her phone. They were planning on killing another big drug dealer in the area and taking over his territory. Apparently business wasn’t going well, and they needed to start selling to the locals instead of just the college crowd to pay back some debt they owed to their dealer. Landry was planning the murder and telling the others where the victim was going to be that night. We stopped listening because we were terrified, and we snuck out of the hotel and booked it back to my apartment. Once we were there, we called the police and played the recording for the officer who came out. They sent units out, but it was too late. The other guy had been killed and Landry was driving the car in the drive-by.
Twenty cops swarmed the house and found cocaine and heroin in the walls behind our bed. I was so clueless. I was in shock. They brought me in for questioning and I told them everything I knew. Landry was caught and brought in the same night. I was still there when they brought him in, and the look on his face when he saw me and realized I was the reason he had gotten caught is something I’ll never forget. He’s been in jail for the last five years, and I was told he’d face at least twenty before being eligible for parole. He was charged with second-degree murder and drug distribution. His parents were devastated. It was a hard time in my life, but it’s in the past.”
She lies back on the pillow and stares up at the ceiling, and I do the same so I can process everything she just said.
I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer to me. I know we’re not dating. I don’t know what this is, but it’s more than just fucking, and I feel the need to let her know I’m not going anywhere, regardless of her past.
I feel better after spilling my guts to Emmett. Until he leaves.
He said he was going into the station to work, and I know he has to, but I’m hoping that his departure didn’t have anything to do with him wanting to distance himself from me after what I told him.
I did what I had to do. I stayed with Landry like a fucking idiot when I should have left at the first red flag. But when you’re twenty, hearing someone tell you they’ll pay your college tuition for dating their wayward son and keeping him on track sounds like a hell of a deal. And it was so good in the beginning. I really did think he loved me, and vice versa.
Now, I know that our entire relationship was a front. He needed to look like he had his head on straight for me, and for his parents who were funding his lifestyle. The “job” he had gotten fired from without me knowing was an internship at the financial firm he was set to be hired at upon graduation.
What a joke.
The whole thing is a joke, but it’s a joke that left me broken, bruised, and not trusting a damn soul.
I call Elli to check on her; she says she’s sore and the swelling is a little worse today, but that she feels better than she did yesterday.
I don’t tell her about the letter. I will when we know something for sure. There’s no point in worrying her right now. I promise her I’ll come over later with her favorite Mexican takeout when the shop closes and we hang up.
I still have about an hour until the shop opens, so I run down to Missy and Jason’s and order an iced coffee. Even though it’s February, it’s the only kind of coffee I can tolerate.
I sit at a table in the corner so the wall is behind me. I try not to constantly look over my shoulder like a paranoid mess, but it’s hard.
My mind drifts back to Emmett and our conversation from earlier. I revealed something huge about my past but I still don’t know anything about him or where he came from. The next time I see him I’m going to ask him some questions, even the playing field a little. I know he doesn’t owe me anything, but it would be nice to feel like I didn’t just bare my soul to someone I barely know.
I finish drinking my iced coffee and head back to start opening the shop.
There’s already a small line waiting for me when I get there. Sundays are the busiest days for some reason—usually double the sales—and it’s nice having the shop so full. It seems like everyone just wants to hang out in the lounge on their lazy day and read a good book. It’s the best time for people watching at Poe’s.
I unlock and let the early bird patrons in five minutes before opening time and take my perch behind the desk, in front of the hidden staircase that leads to my apartment.
My cell phone rings and I answer it while starting up the operating system I use for sales and book lending. I don’t recognize the number but it’s a local area code. “Hello?”
“Raven? It’s Emmett. This is my office number. Save it in case you ever need me and can’t get me on my cell.”
In case I ever need him.
Why is part of me wishing he wasn’t referring to the case? What the hell is wrong with me?
“All right,” I say. “Did you need something?”
“I just wanted to let you know that we weren’t able to get any DNA from the letter, and the paper is a standard kind from any office supply store.”
“I figured as much. So that’s a dead-end?”
“Basically. We’re still working on a few things. I’ll keep you as updated as I can,” he tells me.
“I know you can’t tell me everything, but I really appreciate it.”
“Can I see you tonight?”
My heart skips a beat. When he left earlier we didn’t say that we’d see each other later, we just sort of left it open. I was worried I’d scared him off with my story.
“Three nights in a row, Emmett?” I ask with a little snark.
“Yeah, three nights in a row. What time do you want me to come over?” His all-business tone does something to me.
“I told Elli I’d bring her some dinner later. I’ll probably hang out with her for a while, so maybe nine?” I try not to sound as excited as I feel.
Honestly, thinking about staying the night alone gives me a little anxiety knowing someone knows where my apartment is, or at least where the store is, and I haven’t spent a full night alone since the night Elli was attacked.
“See you then, gorgeous.”
I sigh and end the call, then catch Ms. Isley—one of my regulars—grinning at me from an old worn arm chair across the room. She winks, and I blush before turning to help the customer who’s approached the desk with a pile of new releases.
The day passes quickly and when it’s ten past five the last patron leaves and I lock up before heading to Elli’s. I call in our order at El Cantino’s and think of Elli the entire ride there and then to her apartment.
We have to get to the bottom of this, for each of our sakes.
I throw my reading glasses onto my desk and rub my eyes. I’ve been pouring over case notes for the last few hours, trying to find a connection or a lead.
If it weren’t for the note sent to Raven’s shop, we wouldn’t even know she was a target. They wanted the note to point us toward her and her circle, but why? Raven seems to think she has no enemies, no one that would want to see her or her friends hurt. There’s an
ex in prison, who is our number one suspect due to the circumstances. Paying him a visit is at the top of my list. But what could we be missing here?
“You need a coffee?” Monica lingers at my door, looking every bit as tired as I am.
“Yeah, thanks.”
She nods but doesn’t leave right away. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure, what’s up?” I shuffle the papers to the side so I can focus on whatever she needs to say. From what I can tell so far, she’s not a person of many words, so this must be important.
“Your head’s in your ass,” she says bluntly.
I stare at her, not knowing what to say.
“You have a thing for the friend,” she clarifies.
“I mean, I went home with her the night of—”
“I know that. That’s not what I’m asking.”
I weigh my options. I like Monica, but we’ve only been partners for a few days. I’m not sure how much I can trust her yet. If she thinks I’m too close to Raven, she can tell the captain to pull me off the case. “Yeah, I’ve got a thing for her. But it’s not affecting my—”
“Again, not what I asked. I think it’s going to make you work harder on this case. I just want to make sure you’re not going to lose your head over it, understand?”
I nod, relieved we’re on the same page. “I’m good.”
“Great. I’ll grab that coffee.”
I think I see a hint of a smile as she walks out of my office, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
I don’t know what I’m doing with Raven. It’s not surprising that I feel this need to keep her safe. I’m a protector by birth. I’m the oldest of three siblings and I spent my childhood protecting them. I joined the Marines the day after my high school graduation with all intent to be a lifer.
When I got injured last year, I was medically retired but I knew I wouldn’t be happy with a normal civilian job. So, I became a cop. I have always protected those around me. But I have never felt this immediate need to protect a grown woman the way I do now.
Raven is extremely independent. She turns me away every chance she gets. But I know deep down, under all those trust issues and in that bruised heart, she wants someone that will be there for her when she wants them to be.
There’s nothing wrong with depending only on yourself, but sometimes that gets old and you need another shoulder to lean on.
I want to be that for her, if only she’ll let me.
A quick look in the prisoner tracking database tells me Landry is in a prison not too far from here, so I decide to head down there and check things out.
It’s a thirty-minute drive, and I blast music the entire way to keep my thoughts off of Raven. It works, but barely.
Pulling up to the prison, an uneasy feeling settles in my gut. The crimes the people in this facility have committed. The people they’ve hurt. I won’t allow Raven to become one of them.
I clip my badge onto my belt and head in, steeling my face and emotions into the detective I am, not some lovesick boyfriend paying a visit to an ex.
The man behind the front desk looks like he could be my grandfather, surely past retirement age.
His dark-rimmed coke bottle glasses sit perched on the end of his nose, and he looks up at me as I walk in, noting my badge first. “Detective, what can I do for you?”
“Emmett Fisher. I was hoping I could question one of your prisoners, Landry Davis.”
He starts typing on his computer, hunting and pecking away. “I’m sorry, sir, that’s not possible.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Landry Davis was killed three weeks ago in a fight that broke out in the yard. The investigation is still underway, but they’re thinking it was gang related, possibly in relation to his charges.”
Fuck.
I don’t know if this will hurt Raven or bring her peace, but at least we know he can’t be behind the attacks.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I offer.
“Would you like the investigator on the case to give you a call?”
I say yes, thank him, and give him my contact info, then I’m back on the road.
How the hell do I tell Raven this news?
And how is she going to take it?
“Finally!” she says.
“I called you when I was leaving the shop. That was only twenty minutes ago, E.”
“I know, but I’m starving. And twenty minutes feels like two hours when you’re stuck in this condo all day.”
“You should come stay with me.” I shuffle into her foyer as she takes some of the bags from me.
“No, Rave. I’m comfortable here. I’ve got security. Plus, I don’t want to bring this to your doorstep if he comes back.”
“Yeah…”
“What?” she asks.
“Nothing.” I quickly turn my back to her and beeline for her kitchen, stopping at the liquor cabinet.
“You’re not telling me something. What is it?” Her voice is closer, coming up behind me. She’s not going to let me get away easily.
Finally spotting the tequila, I attempt to dodge again. “It’s nothing, just eat your food. You want me to make you a margarita?”
“You know I can’t drink with this pain medicine. Your attempts to distract me with alcohol are no good here, babe.”
I take a deep breath and spill, filling her in on last night’s events.
When I’m finished, I flip the blender on, successfully buying myself some time for her to process before she can speak. I turn slowly to find her peeking over my shoulder.
Her face is a steel vault, just like her emotions. “You mean whoever attacked me, may have actually been after you?”
“It appears that way, Elli. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you’d be going to the bar or I would’ve stayed. I should have—”
“Stop. Stop right there. I know you. You think this is your fault and it isn’t. I would go through that a hundred times so you wouldn’t have to go through it instead. Do you hear me? Don’t you waste any more energy feeling bad about this. Understood?”
I take another deep breath and nod. I tell her everything. How I met Emmett, why he walked me home. How one thing led to another and he ended up in my bed. How awkward the next morning was. And of course, how that led to the run-in at the hospital.
She takes a second to think, and I can see her head spinning. “Talk about a love story.” She starts walking back toward the living room, and I follow her, sitting down at the coffee table to eat.
For some reason, I start cackling and I can’t stop. She joins in and soon we’re lying on the floor in tears.
“I know, and when he left this morning—”
“I’m sorry, what? When Emmett left this morning?” Her voice reaches a new octave at the end of the question and I wince.
Damn it, Raven.
“Uh, yeah. He stayed again last night. After I found the note I was freaked out and he came over. I don’t think he wanted me to be there alone.”
Nor did I want to be.
“So you, Miss I’m-Tough-as-Shit, just let him stay with you? For the second night in a row?” she asks, seeing right through me, as always.
“Yep.”
“Holy shit. I don’t even know what to say. You must really like him. What is he like? Does he like you back? Have you seen his apartment? Has he ever been married? What’s his story?” She sits up and I follow, digging into our food.
“Elli, we’ve spent two nights together. I don’t know the answers to any of those questions. And this isn’t high school, I don’t know if he likes me back. He likes the sex and I’m sure he feels obligated to stay with me since he’s the one who walked me home from the bar that night.”
“No man is going to feel obligated to protect someone after a one-night stand. But you’re right, I’m sorry I bombarded you. It’s just that it’s been five years since I’ve heard you even mention anyone of the opposite sex other than the guys you banged and ditched.�
�
“Wow, Elli.” But I know she’s right.
She chuckles and leans back against the couch. “I can’t wait to see this unfold.”
I roll my eyes and we finish dinner.
I try not to rush but I do, and I know it’s because I want to get back home to see Emmett.
But I wouldn’t admit that to anyone. Ever.
I pull up to Poe’s at eight forty-five, even though she said nine.
I park out front on the street and notice a black sedan a few spots down. There appears to be someone inside, and my curiosity is spiked.
Who would be casing out a store downtown at this time on a Sunday?
Unless they’re waiting for someone…
I get my cell out and call Raven.
She answers on the second ring. “Couldn’t wait?”
“I really couldn’t, but that’s not the only reason I’m calling.”
“What’s wrong?” She must hear the worry in my voice because her tone goes from flirty to alarmed that quick.
“I’m not sure. There’s a car sitting a few spots down from your store. I’m going to approach the vehicle. I want you to pull in to the back lot of the store so they don’t see you come home, all right? Just to be safe.”
“Okay, I’m two blocks away. Stay on the phone with me?”
“Yeah, gorgeous, I’m here.” I get out of my SUV and start walking toward the car from behind, staying in their blind spot.
As I get closer I see an older man sitting behind the wheel, ball cap pulled down low over his brow, wearing dark clothing.
I tap on the window and startle him.
He starts the car and tries to put it in drive but he’s fumbling.
“Roll down the window,” I order.
He shakes his head and gets the car in drive.
I catch a glimpse of a tattoo on his forearm as he turns the wheel and drives off. It’s some sort of Celtic knot and I know I’ve seen it before, but I can’t remember where.
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