Page 42 of Take Me to the Valley

“Why do I suddenly feel like I’m sleeping with the enemy?” I look at my feet unable to meet his eyes.

“I want you to know I choose you. Whatever comes our way, I choose you,” Evan says just as Cody bursts through the door.

I take a step back from Evan and don’t say anything.

“What the fuck is going on?” Cody says.

“Kaylee is now a suspect in Calvin's drug case, and she is in full-on panic mode. I’m taking her to talk to Jack,” I say, heading to the door and putting my jacket on.

When I look back, Evans's eyes are on me.

“I will be back later, and we will talk tonight,” I say to him, and I can feel the relief in his eyes. A small smile a nod is all I get.

“Go. I’ll make the call,” he says.

Getting in my car, I drive to Kaylee. Though I don’t remember the drive to my apartment and before I know it, I’m parking and running up the steps.

“Kaylee!” I call when I walk through the door.

“I’m here and ready. Nothing I can do to hide the puffy eyes,” she says, coming from the bathroom.

If I look hard, I can tell she’s been crying. But only because I’m her best friend and know what to look for.

“I don’t think anyone will be able to tell,” I say, taking her hand as we walk out and down the street to the outdoor store Jack owns. Though I’m praying he is working today and if not, they can get a hold of him.

“Welcome in! Let me know if I can help you with anything,” the girl at the counter smiles.

“Actually, is Jack in?” I ask.

“Right here,” Jack says, coming from the back room.

“If it isn’t that big city girl,” Jack greets us.

I force a smile, and he picks up on it, his eyes going between Kaylee and me.

“Please tell me you are still taking on some cases as needed,” I say.

“I am. Let’s go back to my office.” Then he beckons to us to follow him to the back of the store.

Once we’re in his office, Kaylee and I sit on his leather sofa. After closing the door, he grabs a notebook and pen before he joins us on the leather chair beside us, instead of behind the desk.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

“Evan sent us. As you have probably heard, he was shot at Kaylee’s house when they did a drug raid after finding out her ex was selling drugs from her house,” I start, and Kylee joins in.

“While I was at work, I had no idea he was doing it. On the day of the raid, I came home early because I wasn’t feeling good. I found Calvin in my living room. A few days before, I had broken up with him, so I was pissed he was in my house without an invitation. Then Evan was shot, and they put a pause onsweeping my house or whatever. I have been staying at Calista’s because I can’t go home,” she says.

“Still?” Jack asks.

“Apparently. When I call, I can never get an answer about what is going on with my house. I was told they’d have some questions, which I figured they would. Well, I was called in yesterday and told I’m a suspect. They tried to ask me a bunch of questions. I don’t know much, but I’ve watched enough shows to tell them I wasn’t answering any of them. They didn’t hold me, so I guess that’s good.”

“Evan won’t talk about it, but he told me to have you call Rick at the station for the details,” I add.

“Okay, so if they call you in, you have them call me. You did the right thing by not answering any questions. You don’t speak to them unless I’m there. It’s your right to have a lawyer present at all times,” Jack says.

After Jack has both of us give him all the details we can from the raid and the day Evan was shot, he goes to his desk and makes the call to Rick.

Nervously, I turn my phone over and over in my hands. While I want to text Evan because last night was mind blowing, I also feel like doing so will break some kind of friend code. Right now, she really needs me.

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