Page 17 of Ruthless Regret

“I think I’m still processing.”

He nods. “Do you think you can tell me what happened? What you saw, heard, anything that might help us identify who it was.”

I take a deep breath, and try to collect my thoughts. “Before we talk about that, I want to know who was arrested.”

“No one was arrested. That was a wrong claim on Zain’s part. We brought someone in for questioning. It’s not the same thing, and truthfully, I’d prefer not to share their name right now. Not after what happened with Zain, who was judged before the case even made it to trial. I don’t want to deal with another witch hunt.”

“There’s only the two of us in here.”

“And how can I be sure you won’t talk to someone, Mrs. Ryder?”

“I deserve to know.”

“Why? You were just a witness in the original trial, not the personontrial.” He looks around the room. “I say this with the utmost respect, but any information regarding the reopening of the case is really nothing to do with you.”

“Someoneattackedme today!” The headache that’s been a dull throb increases until my vision blurs.

“Yes, they did, but we have no proof that it has any connection to a fourteen-year-old case.”

“You really think it isn’t?”

“I think that it could be linked in the sense of it being someone angry that Zain was released, or maybe angry with you because you testified against him. But beyond that, I don’t think our investigation into the original case holds any relevance to today’s incident.” He waves a hand toward me. “But until you tell me, in your own words, what happened today, I won’t be able to make an assessment on whether there’s any link. So, if you don’t mind …”

I glare at him. He says nothing.

“Like I told you, it all happened so fast. I was in the bathroom, and when I came back into the kitchen, there was a man standing there. At first I thought it was Zain, but then I saw the mask. He grabbed me, and dragged me toward the door. I fought to escape, and that’s when his arm went through the window.” I keep my sentences short and clipped, just wanting to get my description over with.

The sheriff nods, jotting down notes. “Did he say anything to you?”

I shake my head. “No, nothing.”

“And then what happened?”

“I tried to stop him from dragging me outside, but he was stronger than me. It wasn’t until Zain shouted, that he was distracted long enough for me to break free.”

He lifts his head. “What happened when he saw Zain?”

“Zain ran toward us. I got free and … I think I tripped. When I looked, he was coming toward me with a knife. Zain ran at him, and he fled. He was gone before Zain could catch him.”

McFadden scratches his chin. “And there was nothing that could identify him?”

“No. He was wearing a mask the whole time.”

The sheriff jots down a few more notes before looking up at me again. “Mrs. Ryder, I’m going to be honest with you. Whoever this was, I believe that they were targetingyou, specifically.”

A chill runs down my spine. “Not Zain?”

“It’s a possibility, but if that was the case, I don’t think he’d have waited in the kitchen. He’d have been on the move looking for Zain before you came out of the bathroom.”

“Why would someone want to targetme?”

“Truthfully? With the media attention around Zain’s release, and then his shock announcement today that he’s married to the woman who stood on the stand and claimed he murderedher brother … There are people out there who are obsessed with true crime. There’s a popular video channel that hasalwaysbelieved Zain was innocent, and that you were responsible for his conviction.”

I wrap my arms around myself. “You think it’s someone who thinks I need to pay for that? What am I supposed to do now?”

“Surrounding yourself with people is a step in the right direction. It keeps you safe. I’ll make sure there are a couple of deputies outside. But I would suggest laying low for a while, at least until the media stops focusing on Zain’s release.”

My decision to go back to New York solidifies in a heartbeat. “I was thinking about going back to New York.”

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