The Opposite Attractions (New Hampshire Bears Book 13)
Page 26
She shouldn’t be nervous, but the words FBI would make anyone’s nerves rattle.
“Great,” Mikayla said and put a couple of spoons full of sugar into a coffee cup.
Everyone ate and had small conversations, mainly about Elexis and Dag’s vacation. Mikayla expressed her apologies for cutting it short, but Dag being the nice guy he was didn’t mind it at all. They’d already been there almost a full week and seen a lot of sites.
When the doorbell rang, Mikayla got up to answer it. FBI Detective Kinns stood on the other side with an older gentleman.
“Hello, Mikayla,” Detective Kinns greeted her.
“Come in, please.” She stepped to the side to let them both in.
“This is my partner Detective Shelton,” she introduced everyone.
“Please take a seat.” Mikayla led the way to the couch.
Jenessa seemed to appear at her side. “Oh this is my—”
“I’m her attorney and sister Jenessa Wooten,” she said formally.
“There’s really no need for an attorney. We’re just asking a few routine questions,” Detective Kinns informed them.
“I have to be present in case any legal ratifications come back on her.”
Rolling her eyes, Mikayla didn’t feel like arguing. She just wanted to answer their questions and relax. She sat down on the armchair next to the couch and waited for them to start their questioning.
“Okay, let’s begin. Would you please tell us what happened?” Detective Kinns asked.
Mikayla recalled the evening in great detail. She even told her about Joy’s hypnotization and her reliving the rape. She did her best not to show too much emotion, but a tear slid down her cheek a time or two.
They asked several questions, all of which she answered truthfully. Even telling them she intentionally scratched his face to get the DNA. Jenessa continually shook her head most of the time but remained quiet.
“We will be making an announcement later today. We’d like you to be there because we’re going to talk to all the victims,” Detective Kinns told them.
“An announcement? Already?” Jenessa questioned them. “That seems rushed.”
“Yesterday, we along with numerous other agents, tracked down the hosts and hostesses of each party were a rape was committed. All were able to confirm that Mr. Burns was in attendance. Additionally, all can confirm that he left before the party was over. There were even several that said they saw him giving drinks to females,” Detective Shelton informed them.
“But you still don’t have the DNA. All you have is a guy who likes to party,” Jenessa countered.
“Whose side are you on?” Mikayla hissed.
“I’m making sure they don’t rush the investigation. If they do, it all could be thrown out of court. Then the rapist will walk,” she said.
“Trust us.” Detective Shelton stood. “Come down and we will let you know everything.”
Mikayla showed Detective Kinns and Detective Shelton to the door and thanked them for coming by. Jarvis, along with the others, came into the room. She knew they had been listening. He gave her a tight hug, and she welcomed his strength at the moment. Usually she was the strong one, but she didn’t want to leave his hold. He asked if she was okay, and her response was a simple nod.
Jenessa didn’t stay long after the FBI left. Shade followed her, and Mikayla decided just to watch TV to pass the time. But she only stared at it, most of the time. Joy sent a text to Jarvis regarding the meeting at the police station. Everyone was speculating on what the press conference would really bring. She highly doubted that they would name Donnie as the rapist. Like her sister said the DNA could not have come back, and they were moving at rapid pace.
When the time came Detective Kinns told Jarvis and Jackson to remain outside in the hallway as she led Mikayla and Joy into a small conference room. They held each other’s hands when they walked in and sat down. In the room there were six other women, all who looked similar to Joy.
“Everyone please sit,” Detective Kinns said.
Mikayla glanced around the room seeing they all had the same confused and scared expression on their faces. She felt horrible for every girl in this room. You could feel their emotions all over the place.
Detective Kinns sat at the head of the table and began talking. “I appreciate you all coming down today. I want to make you aware of our trash cans here.”
“Why?” asked one of the blondes at the very end of the table.
“Because you’re going to be asked to see a picture, and sometimes it makes people ill,” she explained to the group.
The girls’ faces paled, but Detective Kinns continued.
“Thanks to these two lovely ladies…” she pointed to Mikayla and Joy, “we were able to catch him.”
A round of gasps pushed through the air in the room. One girl began to sob while a couple had tears streaming down their faces. Joy held onto Mikayla tightly.
“His DNA was placed at top priority. With a miraculous turn about, we know that he is a match for all your attacks.”
With her last word, the females began to bomb her with questions. She tried to calm them down and answer the questions as they were being thrown at her. Once she said his name, the room went eerily quiet.
“Here’s a picture.” Detective Kinns slowly opened the folder and removed the photo. She didn’t show it until all the females agreed to see it.
When she revealed Donnie’s face, the girl at the end was the first to run to the trash can. Everyone spoke softly, giving the same story as Joy had. They all remembered him at their parties, giving them drinks, and then it fell into place.
“He’s not getting out of jail for a very long time,” Detective Kinns promised them.
“How did you do it?” The question came from the blonde across from Mikayla. “How did you remember?” She directed everything to Joy.
“My therapist hypnotized me.” Joy’s voice sounded as if she hadn’t slept in a month. “I didn’t remember anything until I saw his face.” She choked back a sob.
“Then I approached him, and he hit me, which is how he was locked up in the first place,” Mikayla added.
The room was silent for almost a full minute as everyone processed what was happening. Detective Kinns said it was time for the press conference. Mikayla followed the other women out into the hall. Joy rushed to Jackson’s arms, and he held her close to him in a very protective manner. Jarvis watched for a second, but when he saw Mikayla, he held her just as tight.
“I’m going to Jackson’s house,” Joy announced. “We’ll see you later.”
Jarvis was about to argue, but Mikayla stopped him.
“We’ll see you all later,” she said.
Once they left, she hugged Jarvis one more time. She needed his touch right now. “Let’s go home,” she whispered, and he agreed.
Walking into the condo, Mikayla watched Jarvis go straight to the TV turning on the news to watch the conference again. She realized why Joy went to Jackson’s instead of here. She knew Jarvis would have his eyes glued to the TV replaying the announcement over and over.
Mikayla couldn’t handle it. She didn’t want to hear a word about it because she didn’t want to think about it anymore. Instead, she went into the bedroom and turned on her iHeart Radio app. Reba McEntire floated through the air and she closed her eyes. Song after song played as Mikayla’s body relaxed.
“Are you mad at me?”
Jarvis’s voice cut into her empty thoughts.
Opening her eyes, she gave him a small smile. “I needed to get away from everything. Just for a moment.”
“I know.” He sat down on the side of the bed closest to her. “But I’m mad at you.
She nodded. “Because I sent you away, and I got hurt.” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. “But you need to understand why I did it.”
He nodded. “I do, and I’m having a hard time not being a hero.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ar
e we in a relationship?”
Furrowing his brow, he answered, “I believe we are.”
“And isn’t a relationship between two people?” she continued her questioning.
“I believe so.” His tone matched his expression.
“We’re a partnership. You love me, and I love you but there has to be trust. Real trust. If we don’t then we’re wasting both of our times.” Mikayla’s heart would break if Jarvis ever left her, but she meant every word.
“You’d be just as mad at me if the roles were reversed,” he called her out.
“Yes, I would be, but I’d trust you.” She sat up and cupped his face. “I would hate for you to put yourself in danger, but if it saved anyone we loved or saved anyone period, then I wouldn’t say a cross word about it.”
He looked deep into her eyes, and she watched him soften. He knew the truth deep down and he knew she was right.
“And you have to be more sensitive to Joy.” She figured she would drop that in as well.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I sat in the living room, and so many thoughts consumed me. I don’t know how to deal with all of this. I just want to take everyone I love, put them on an island and make sure Jackson wasn’t allowed on it.”
Mikayla laughed and kissed his lips, dropping her hands.
“I just…” He trailed off.
“Jarvis, I know what you mean, and I’m having the same issues, but we’re partners. We do everything together. It’s going to be hard, confusing, frustrating, and everything in between, but we’ll be side-by-side. Forever.”
For the first time, his eyes welled up with tears. “Forever.”
Who is going to be in Book #14?
I know you all are wondering and I love that you are!
Book 14 is going to be called The Broken Marriage and the main characters will be …
…
Wait for it …
…
Shade and Jenessa!!
Get ready for some twist and turns in this one. Because there’s going to be a BIG rooster change!
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, Mary Smith, has been coming up with stories her whole life. She has written over forty romance stories involving hot sports stars, strong willed females and everything in between. When not busy writing or rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks you can find her with her nose stuck in her Kindle.
You can visit her website at: www.authormarysmith.blogspot.com
Follow her on Twitter: @maryms1980
Or Faceook: www.facebook.com/authormarysmith
Books By Author:
The Ice Series (Adult Sports Romance trilogy):
(no longer in print or ebook) Melting Away the Ice
(no longer in print or ebook) Breaking the Ice
(no longer in print or ebook) Shattering the Ice
(no longer in print or ebook) Thawing the Ice (A Novella)
A Hockey Tutor (New Adult Sports Romance)
Dart and Dash (New Adult Sports Romance)
Always Forever (New Adult Rocker Romance)
DREAM (Adult Romance Suspense)
The Matched Trilogy (Paranormal Romance Trilogy):
A Royal’s Love
A Protector’s Second Chance
A Controller’s Destiny
New Hampshire Bears Series (Adult Sports Romance)
The Muse and the Fairy Tale
The Workaholic and the Realist
The Hero and the Fat Girl
The Arrangement
The Coach and the Secret
The Captain and the Broken Girl
The Backup and the Baby
The Player and the Tattoo Artist
The Goalie and the Best Friend’s Sister
The Lush and the Angel
The Nice Guy and the Therapist
The Devoted Father and the Introvert
The Opposite Attraction
The Broken Marriage (Coming in the Winter of 2020)
Books with author Lindsay Paige:
A Penalty Kill Trilogy (New Adult Sports Romance):
Breakaway
Off the Ice
Game Over
Our First Christmas (A Novella)
Oh Captain, My Captain Series (Adult Sports Romance)
Looking for You
A Hockey Player’s Proposal
Finding Carson Lee
Let’s Be Crazy
Their New Beginning
You and Me, Forever
Tainted
The Ninth Inning Series (Adult Sports Romance)
Felix
Blake
Hector
Trent
Jordan
Colby
Roman
Spencer
Tanner
Books with Melody Heck Gatto
Lattes and Slapshots (Grizzlies Book 1)
Grizzlies Book 2 coming Winter 2019