Page 61 of Gunner

“I think the reason you saw him last night got him killed. What exactly did you want with him?”

I crossed my arms. “I already told you. He’s linked to a case we’re working on in Smoky Vale.”

“Did he say anything?”

“He confirmed he was involved but had no idea what exactly he’d gotten himself into.”

“Do you have anything to back up that story?”

“No,” I lied. “He claimed he destroyed everything.”

“And I’m supposed to believe that?”

“Believe what you will. I had nothing to do with Paddy’s death.”

“What about that biker? He looks like a man who’s taken a life or two. Now don’t think with your dick. You’re supposed to be a man of the law. Could he be responsible for this?”

I swallowed hard. Without a doubt, Gunner had the capacity to kill. He’d gone out for several hours last night after we got back. He also hadn’t given me a straight answer when I asked him if he’d returned to teach Paddy a lesson. Could he have killed Paddy? His no-nonsense attitude to the way people treated him made it possible. He had zero tolerance for anyone who showed disdain or didn’t show him respect, and Paddy had drawn that gun on us.

He’s still alive if that’s what you’re asking.

“You seem to take an awfully long time to answer my question, Witter. If you make this difficult for me, I will detain you both. I wonder what your city will think of you trying to protect a criminal.”

I frowned. “I’m not trying to protect anyone. I’m simply interested in the truth. Gunner couldn’t have killed Paddy.”

“How can you be positive?”

“Because I’m his alibi.” I cast a furtive glance at the bed, one the homophobic bigot picked up on immediately.

God help you, Gunner, if you lied to me.

Millwood took a step back. “I know where to find you, Witter. Don’t think you can pull one over on me.”

For the second time that morning, the door slammed shut. I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed my duffel and stuffed the rest of mybelongings in. A shower would have to wait until I was back in Smoky Vale. If someone had killed Paddy last night, they might be aware he’d given me evidence that can be traced back to them. I needed to get the book to our tech guys.

I hastily made the bed. The sheet wasn’t straight on one side, but I ignored it. They needed to strip the bed anyway. I shoved my phone into my pocket. The door opened, and Gunner entered, carrying two Starbucks cups and a paper bag.

He glanced from me to the duffel at my feet. “I was out getting you breakfast, and you were just going to run out on me? What do you take me for?”

He placed the bag and coffee on the table. Guilt tugged at my chest. I brushed it aside.

“We need to get back to Smoky Vale.”

“Would it kill you to take ten to eat something?”

Sighing, I sat heavily around the table and picked up the coffee cup. He’d gone the extra mile to get the food. Ten minutes wouldn’t make much of a difference. I took a sip and scalded my tongue.

“Fuck.”

“What the hell’s with you?” Gunner asked. “Your knee’s bouncing all crazy, and you can’t look me in the eye even more than usual.”

He took a sandwich and shoved it toward me.

I peeled the wrapper back and bit into the sandwich. The faster I ate, the quicker I could leave and return to Smoky Vale, where my life would make sense again. Nothing about Riverton felt real. Sitting across from Gunner having breakfast like this was an everyday occurrence when a man was just killed because of him was not normal.

My gaze drifted to the bed where he’d fucked me yesterday and sucked me off this morning.

“Where did you go last night?” I couldn’t stand the silence anymore.

---