Page 49 of All of Me

“Yep,” I agreed.

She leaned forward. “I know these two detectives. They have a lot of plays, but I think they’re going to wind you up, try to get you to lose your temper, and make you comment.” She held my gaze. “Don’t let that happen.” She stood up to indicate we were finished and went to the door to let the detectives know and to get me some water. Both Almeda and Brown came back into the room, and over the course of an hour they did exactly what Hannah had said they would and tried to wind me up.

“I understand your partner has just gotten temporary custody of his half-sister?” Brown said.

“Detectives, that has nothing whatsoever to do with the alleged offense.”

“Actually, we’re exploring motives, Mr. Starr, and we’re confident that a judge would agree that an attack on your boyfriend, who, as we understand, has a heart condition, is a very powerful one.”

“No comment.” I was frustrated. I wanted to get out and see what Danny had found out. Make sure Shae was okay. Feel Tammy’s arms wrapped around my neck. Inside my head I was screaming, but training hadn’t just taught me combat skills, to be part of a team, and to think. It had also taught me patience.

By hour two, I was seriously frustrated, not that anyone else would know that, and I started going through the case in my head. I was missing something. We all were. And if Ryan was so desperate for the land that Albert and Moira had, how was getting me out of the way going to help? I didn’t own it. Although if Ryan got Moira’s property, I guessed it would put him in a good place. Maybe he felt he could exert influence over them if I was no longer around?

“Mr. Starr?” I glanced over at the detectives and knew instantly I’d been asked a question and hadn’t heard them.

“Sorry, could you repeat the question?” I gave them my politest expression.

Just then, a knock at the door heralded an interruption, and both detectives stopped the tape and went outside.

“Cool under fire, hmm?” Hannah joked. “I’ll arrange a bathroom break,” but as she stood, Detective Brown entered and clipped out.

“Thank you Mr. Starr, you’re free to go.”

It took me a second, but then I saw Hannah was already striding to the door. I signed for my wallet at the desk and followed her outside. Gray was standing by his truck, arms folded, looking bored. “About fucking time,” he groused. I turned and saw Hannah was on the phone. She saw me and waved me off, so I got in the truck.

“So?” I prodded as Gray peeled out of the parking lot at a speed which, considering where we were, might not have been a great idea.

“It took Danny and Gael about seven minutes to unpack the fake video. Gael says it was that hacker who searched for Albert. The so-called witness has a shit-ton of debt.”

I didn’t realize how tense I was until I relaxed, then I groaned. “Seven minutes, huh? Then how come I still had to sit there for two hours?”

Gray smirked. “The cops wanted to double check.”

The fuckers. But I knew. “Where’s Shae?”

“The apartment. It’s like a fucking Dr. Doolittle set in there.” I grinned. Yeah, if Seb had come with Gray, that meant four dogs.

Shae flung his arms around me the second we walked through the door, and I hugged him right back. I knew everyone was watching, but I didn’t give a fuck.

“When you’re ready?” Rawlings said in a dry tone, and I gave him the finger behind Shae’s back. Rawlings barked out a laugh, but we followed him into the kitchen. Tammy was sitting in a booster seat at the table with everyone. Danny looked up as I walked in.

“Thanks,” I said. He smiled, but turned back to the screen, clearly distracted.

“What is it?”

He put a photo on the screen that looked like a traffic cam had taken it. I recognized Ryan Connaught, but not the man sitting next to him.

“Who’s that?”

“Craig Smith. One of the land acquisition specialists for Dearden Construction.”

“And they are?” Rawlings asked.

“The company behind Tulip Homes.”

Gray whistled.

Shae glanced at me for an explanation.

---