Page 29 of False Evidence

“I wish I knew if he targeted me specifically or if he was trolling for women driving alone.”

“He didn’t look familiar?”

She shook her head. “He blinded me with a flashlight at first, so I didn’t really see his face until I was out of the car. Honestly, by then I was so panicked, I wasn’t seeing straight, but what I saw didn’t ring any bells at the time.”

“Did you see his official portrait on the news?”

“No. The only photo they showed when I watched was mine.”

Her words brought back the kick to the solar plexus he’d received when he saw her photo on the news. But much as he hated that moment, without it, he wouldn’t have brought Gemma here.

“I think our best bet is Keith Hatcher—CEO of Raptor. I can hire them to investigate what happened in Maryland, and Keith can help you retain an attorney so you’ll be protected by attorney-client privilege. If you have an attorney negotiating with Maryland State Police for you to present yourself for questioning—on neutral ground, preferably Raptor’s Virginia compound—maybe we can get them to call off the manhunt.”

“You can’t tell Keith I’m with you?—”

“I’ll say I’m hiring them on my own initiative. He knows…” He paused and closed his eyes, then continued. “He knows I’ll do anything for you. He might guess you’re here, but he’s too smart to ask the question.”

Alexandra glanced at the clock on the stove. “It’s after business hours and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Raptor—and any potential attorney for me—will charge a fortune, and that’s only if they’ll take your call.”

“I don’t care what it costs. I can afford it.”

She flinched, and he knew why. He’d always been generous with her, but in the end, he’d held even that against her, unable to believe there was any reason she’d stand by him except his wealth. “I’m going to do this for you. I don’t care about the money. I’m not letting you go to prison for a crime you didn’t commit.”

“My fingerprints are on the gun.”

“You didn’t pull the trigger.”

“I know I need outside help, but I’m scared. If MSP figures out where I am…with a warrant, not even these ninety acres will protect me. And I’m sure they have a warrant by now.”

“I trust Keith with my life.”

“We aren’t talking about your life. We’re talking about mine. And Gemma’s.”

Her voice had taken on a hard edge. He had it coming. For years, he’d allowed her to believe he didn’t care about her at all.

He could still see the look on her face when he said the words that ended their relationship for good. He’d been vicious. At the time, he’d told himself it was the right thing to do. While it was true that setting her free was necessary, there was no justifying his method.

He’d wanted her to hurt, for no reason other than he was an asshole and it gutted him that he’d never be enough for her. He’d wanted her to feel the same misery he lived in.

It wasn’t until later, when he broke it down with a therapist, that he could see how much he’d held himself back from Alexandra.Of coursehe wasn’t enough for her.

“I’m sorry, Lex. I was a total prick, and you never deserved it. You have no reason to believe me, but I’ve never stopped loving you.”

She scoffed. “Listen, JT, I’m grateful for your help, but you don’t need to lie to me. I’m not here hoping to work things out. That ship sailed long ago. You killed my love for you with one brutal blow, so save your apologies that are seven—no nine years too late.”

Nine years. The number was specific. Nine years ago, they were together, ostensibly trying to make their relationship work. It was also when he got a vasectomy and hid it from her.

The shit of it was, he knew he could have told her. She respected his bodily autonomy as much as he respected hers. But he hadn’t told her because he was afraid it would be the final straw that made her give up on him when he was in a terrible mental space and wasn’t giving even a fraction of what he was taking from her for emotional support.

And she was right; now wasn’t the time to discuss any of this. She was in a desperate situation and needed help. From him.

He’d do whatever she needed, no question. Not because of their past relationship. No, it was because she would always be the love of his life, and the only thing he wanted for her was that she get her happily ever after, even if it didn’t include him.

He gave a sharp nod. “Fine. I would trust Keith with Lee’s life.” It was a well-known fact that he loved his little brother, who was his closest friend in the world. It was only thanks to Lee that he had other friends like Keith, Curt, and Alec.

Left to his own devices, he’d have run everyone off the same way he’d shoved Lex away.

If it weren’t for Lee, he’d never have shared his private gym in DC with the others. Hell, he’d bought the place because his, Lee’s, and Curt’s sensei had retired and he couldn’t deal with the idea of finding a new dojo, nor did he want to lose the connection with Lee that had been forged when the kid was a twelve-year-old hacker who needed a hobby that wouldn’t land him in prison.

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