Page 70 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

“I could run you down to the station.” The damn cop again.

“Whatever for? I’m still not clear what he’s done. He’s not trespassing, if that’s what you’re thinking. I gave him full permission to be here. In fact, I gave him a key.”So stick that in your goose and cook it.

“I’m not certain that was wise.”

She sliced the air in frustration, all the while fighting the sinking feeling in her stomach. The police didn’t just show up for no reason, did they? God, let this not be about Mitch’s skin color. She’d never peg Colton as a racist, but who knew what his years on the police force had taught him? Speaking of which… “Where’s Dorrie? I thought you were an inseparable team.”

Dorrie Duhamel was another hometown girl who’d headed off to Depot—after she finished her undergraduate degree in criminology at the Justice Institute. The petite blonde woman with pretty blue eyes was the antithesis of her partner. But they worked well together.

“She’s briefing Zach Finnegan in the prosecutor’s office about a perp we captured last night. Been chasing this guy for a while, and we finally nailed him. She’s going over everything to ensure we nail the bastard.”

Loriana silently harrumphed. She was allowed to swear in her own home—Colton was not. Still, she felt a certain respect. Colton and Dorrie worked in sex crimes. That meant dealing with traumatized victims and sick criminals. In fact…

“Are you here in some kind of formal capacity? Has Mr. Alexander been accused of a crime?”God, please let me not have misjudged him.He’d been nothing but solicitous and kind with her—but she, of all people, knew appearances could be deceiving.

“He’s a person of interest.”

Her breath caught at Colton’s words. “What does that mean?”

“A woman has gone missing in California. Mr. Alexander was well-acquainted with her.”

Loriana was smart enough to catch the nuance. “So heknewa woman in California. Did she go missing in California?”

Colton nodded.

“When?”

“Between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.”

“Well obviously Mitch didn’t do it.”

“How do you figure?”

“Well, it’s not like he just went down to California, made a woman disappear, and came back to Canada. I mean, there’d be travel records and stuff, right? He can’t just leave the country without immigration noting it. So there’d be records by US Customs and records by Canada Customs.”

“He might’ve used an alias.”

“Oh, good God, Colton. That mind of yours. Why would Mitch do that? He’s got a good life in Canada. Why would he risk that for the sake of some woman?”

In her heart, though, she knew the answer. She’d have done anything for Todd. All he’d needed to do was ask.

“Mr. Alexander admits she ruined his life.”

Loriana shot a glance to Mitch.

“I’m not certain I saidruined my life. She made it so staying in California was impossible.” He held Loriana’s gaze. “But I can’t say I regret coming back to Canada.”

She grasped his hand. Then she pivoted her gaze to Colton. “He was at Healing Horses on Saturday and with us yesterday. Hardly enough time to do…whatever it is you’re accusing him of doing.”

“You’ve only been in town a short time.” Colton’s stare at Mitch was intense.

Cocky. That was the word she’d searched for. The cocky cop. The man who’d burst into her home and was bringing shame and attention to it. Now, apparently all her neighbors knew.

Colton’d been here before—as a guest on New Year’s three years ago. Or had it been four? She’d felt sorry knowing he’d be spending the holiday alone after some relationship had ended. She’d later discovered he hadn’t been serious about the woman, and that’d colored her feelings about having opened her house. Which reminded her—she hadn’t started planning this year’s celebration.

Time to get on that.

Focus.

---