Page 56 of Absolution

“We’ll need you to come down to the station, Miss Bennett.” The officious detective, Bowers, pushed her glasses along her nose as she peered at his little girl, who was still deep in conversation with Sanderson.

“What?” Ella’s eyes widened. “Are you arresting me?”

“My client will come to answer your questions voluntarily,” Sanderson interjected, rising to tower over the detective.

“That’s good to hear,” Bowers sneered. “But we suspect your client killed someone, Mr. Sanderson. So, yes, Miss Bennett, we are arresting you.”

Ella spun to face Tucker, panic etched into her pretty features.

“It’s okay,” he reassured her, moving forward to caress the side of her face even as Bowers started reading Ella her rights. “Sanderson will take care of you, and I’ll come down to the station and wait.”

“It could be quite a wait, sir,” Bowers smirked as a uniformed officer pulled Ella’s wrists into cuffs. Tucker eyed the young police officer suspiciously. Tucker was the only man allowed to bind his little girl, and he resented the way he manhandled her. “We tend to take murder seriously.”

“This isn’t a murder charge, Detective.” Sanderson rolled his eyes as Tucker pressed a kiss on the bridge of Ella’s nose. “Miss Bennett clearly acted in self-defense. She’ll be out on bail within hours, and we both know it.”

“We’ll see.” Bowers pressed her thin lips into a hard line, the fury spiking in her brown eyes suggesting she did indeed know Sanderson was right.

“Yes, we will.” Sanderson turned to Ella. “I’ll travel with Mr. Bowman, but don’t worry, Miss Bennett. We’ll handle this.”

“Okay.” Ella blinked back tears as her gaze scanned between Tucker and Sanderson. Tucker couldn’t recall seeing her look so weary before, but he could tell she was trying to be brave.

Good girl.

A part of him still couldn’t accept he’d put her in this situation, but he hoped she knew he’d move heaven and Earth to ensure she was free as soon as was humanly possible.

“Will you call my mum and let her know what happened, please?” Her gaze landed on Tucker imploringly. It was strange; he’d seen that desperate expression from her a hundred times, yet it had rarely moved him like it did then. “I don’t want her finding out any other way.”

“Of course.” Tucker wasn’t sure how Susie could discover what had happened there without one of them calling her, but he didn’t press the point. He’d do whatever he could to assuage her anxiety.

“I left her number on the pad on the counter.” Ella gestured to the island.

“You think of everything.” Tucker pressed himself against her, wishing everyone else in the room would just disappear and allow him to show his little girl how much he loved her. The cuffs, he decided, could stay.

“Don’t forget me.” She craned her head to whisper the words, but he sensed they both thought the word she’d been too embarrassed to utter.Sir.

“No chance.” Christ, he wanted to kiss her. “I love you.”

“Thank you.” The smallest smile tugged at her lips.

“Come on, Miss Bennett.” Bowers motioned for the uniformed cop to guide her to the exit. “Let’s go.”

“We’ll be there soon!” A knot of angst tightened in Tucker’s chest as the police hauled her away, the sense of impotency burgeoning as she was led from the kitchen.

“Let’s take my car.” Sanderson dug into his pocket and waved his keys in front of Tucker. “You’re probably still in shock.”

“Fine.” Tucker had no desire to argue as he collected the piece of paper Ella had left on the counter.

He needed Sanderson’s help in a tangible way and was too exhausted to debate the logistics, but Sanderson couldn’t have been more wrong. The adrenaline rushing through his bloodstream wasn’t born of shock but determination. Ella had saved him earlier that night. Even though he’d been the one who’d sworn to protect her, it had been her father who’d pushed her away from Collins’ bullet and she who’d stopped Collins in his tracks.

Now, she was in trouble.

It was Tucker’s turn to save her.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Fallout

Ella

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