Page 20 of Smitten with the Single Dad

Justine nodded. “I didn’t wash ashore like some mermaid,” she bumped Brooke’s shoulder, “but this is definitely a magical place with magical people. We’re here for you and we won’t let anything bad happen.”

Vica swallowed and reached for the pad of paper as a tear slid down her cheek. She choked out a sob. “I’m sorry,” she blubbered, “I haven’t met such nice people in a long time. I’ve been in America for a year and didn’t really make any friends. I worked so much and in such a male-dominanted environment that … this is all just very overwhelming.” She met the women’s eyes. “In a good way.”

Wyatt, Brooke, and Justine’s phones all chimed to say that there was someone at the security gate asking to be let up.

Wyatt checked his phone first, along with the camera.

“Fuck,” he grunted. “It’s Troll One and Troll Two.”

“You’re kidding,” Justine said. “Where’s Myla?”

Wyatt shrugged. “Hello?”

“Officers Fischer and Jenkins,” Fischer said into the intercom as Wyatt watched the man’s fat face take up the entire screen. “We’d like to ask Ms. Vitale some more questions. The medical examiner is with Dr. Malone right now at the hospital along with Seattle PD.”

“Where is Officer Bruce?” Wyatt asked.

“She is not on this case. We are,” Fischer said with indignation. “Please open the gate so that we may question the suspect.”

“You mean the victim,” Justine said. “She is a victim of sexual assault. And not only does she not have to answer anything without her lawyer present,” she whispered to Brooke to call Gabrielle, “but she also has the right to request a female officer.”

“Is she requesting a female officer?” Fischer asked.

Vica nodded.

“She is,” Wyatt said. “So until a female Seattle PD officer, or Officer Bruce arrives, we will not be opening the gate. Ms. Vitale does not feel comfortable around you or Officer Jenkins. And I, for one, can’t blame her.” He held back no distaste for the cops in his tone. These sexist morons needed to go back to the Stone Age. Or better yet, retire and move to the Florida Everglades where the chances of them getting stalked and eaten by a gator were highly probable.

Fischer made a noise in his throat. “This doesn’t look well for Ms. Vitale. Her resisting speaking to police.”

“She’s not resisting anything. She is simply stating that she will speak to police with whom she feels comfortable. And you two have done nothing to make her feel comfortable,” Brooke said.

Wyatt watched the two angry old cops grumble to each other in the front of the cruiser.

“Very well. We will send Officer Bruce shortly,” Fischer said, his tone clipped and icy.

“Much appreciated. You two have the day you deserve now,” Wyatt said.

One of them made a strangled sound in his throat before the cruiser finally backed down the hill and away from the gate.

Vica visibly exhaled beside him. “Thank you.”

“Nobody can get through that gate without someone in this family buzzing them through. Even the kids know not to say the man door code out loud. You are safe here,” Brooke said. “So write down what you need, and Justine and I will run and grab it for you.” Her smile turned sassy. “And throw in some comfort food too. A girl needs to be comfortable and taken care of. So chocolate, wine, ice cream, potato chips. Write it down. And if you don’t, we’ll just have to guess, because it’s not like we’re not going to buy it for you anyway.”

Another tear slid down Vica’s cheek as she grabbed the pen. “I guess if I was going to get assaulted and kill a guy, this was the place to do it.”

Wyatt snorted a very loud and obnoxious laugh.

Justine and Brooke both grinned.

Despite the chaos that Wyatt could see barrelling toward them as the fallout from last night, Vica was right. If there was anywhere for something like that to happen and for a woman to be kept safe, it was here. And Wyatt would do whatever he could to help Vica and keep her safe. No matter the damage his own heart endured in the process.

CHAPTER FOUR

Nothing about this situation was relaxing or reassuring.

Well, that’s not true.

Knowing that these people she just met had her back and were so fiercely protecting her was reassuring. But the fact that she killed her boss last night and was waiting for the police to come, and for the fallout of the assault and everything else, left Vica with a nauseous feeling in her stomach.

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