Page 91 of Trapped with the Billionaire

Beal waved the officer to the door. “Yes, I can. He’s got blood evidence on him, and he needs to be processed by the lab guys.”

My heart fell. “Blood? Is he okay?”

“You can get him back when we’re done with him, and not before. Now, where is your cousin Lara?”

I have the power. I have the power, not him.This will not be like last time.“I’m not answering anything until you tell me what’s going on.”

His face showed the statement had set him back. “I’m investigating a murder. Are you refusing to cooperate in a homicide investigation?”

“If you’re not going to tell me what’s going on, then it’s time you left my house.”

“It’s a crime scene and I’d say it’s time you cooperated. We have a dead body in your backyard, just like last time. Multiple shallow stab wounds, just like last time. Someone with a connection to this property, just like last time. And, reason to believe your cousin was the last one with the victim, just like last time.”

“And you think Lara did this?”

“She got away once, but that’s not happening again.”

A shouting match started outside the door. A few seconds later, the door opened and Josh came back in with another man and the officer from before.

“Milton, I told you to keep people out,” Beal said.

The other man stepped forward with his card in hand. “Mike Salois, Miss Rossi’s attorney. I’d like a word with you, Detective…”

“Beal,” he filled in.

“Before Nicole answers any more questions,” Mike said.

Beal ignored him. “It’ll go better for everyone involved if you tell me where she went.”

I clamped my mouth shut.

Mike came forward. “Don’t say a thing, Nicole.” He got between Beal and me. “You’re done intimidating my client.”

Seething, Beal backed up. “Fine. In the kitchen, counselor.”

Josh sat beside me, his warmth comforting.

“Thank you,” I told him.

Milton stepped back, looking unsure, and decided to return to the porch.

Josh pulled me to him. “I’ve got you, Nickels.”

Arguing about evidence, searches, and rules for hot pursuit drifted in from the kitchen.

Beal was tough, but Mike sounded tougher.

I laid my head against Josh’s shoulder and closed my eyes.

The yelling in the kitchen stopped and a quieter discussion ensued in the other room as Mike asked questions and Beal answered.

All I wanted to do was melt into Josh.Trust me, he’d urged, and it was clear I needed to—I had to. Josh was my rock in today’s shitshow. I’d never leaned on a man in the past, but Josh made it so easy, so natural to trust him and let him bear some of the load.

“Failure to be honest would be obstruction,” Beal said loudly as I opened my eyes.

Beal walked through the room to the front door. “Five minutes. That’s how long she has.” The door closed behind him.

Mike sat down across from us. “First, Nicole, I’m Mike Salois.”

---