Page 49 of Montana Manhunt

“You know better, Counselor.”

“Please, Bradley.” Violet eased out from behind Noah to eye the lawyer. “Anything you can tell us will help narrow down the possibilities.”

He paused, then sighed. “All right, but please don’t judge me by my selfish motives and childish behavior. Camilla and I had dinner plans. I’d made reservations at an exclusive restaurant in Sawyerville, and Camilla wanted to cancel at the last minute. A work thing, she said. I didn’t react well to the news. She’d been working late every night for weeks, and I selfishly wanted her attention on me, not on her work.”

“What happened when she backed out of dinner?” Noah asked.

“I lost my temper, and I will regret that to my dying day.”

“What exactly did you do, Counselor?”

“I accused her of being so focused on her career that nothing and no one mattered to her except the job.” Regret filled hiseyes. “You don’t have to say it. I know I was a selfish jerk and had no right to accuse her of neglecting me. The accusation was unfounded. I hope she would have forgiven me, but I’ll never know now. Someone took away our chance to work things out between us.”

“Did you hurt her?”

Bradley’s eyes widened. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“You’re accusing me of physically assaulting her?”

“Not accusing, Melton, asking. I would appreciate an answer to the question.”

“I can’t believe this. I fell in love with Camilla. Why on earth would I hurt the woman I hoped to marry?”

Marry? Violet stared at the handsome lawyer. Was he serious? Camilla hadn’t even mentioned this man to Violet in the six weeks they’d been dating, yet he was planning to marry her? “Fast work,” she murmured, watching as powerful emotion reddened his face.

“I knew she was the only woman for me the moment I saw her. Took me months to convince her to go on a date with me. In my book, this isn’t fast.”

Noah took a step forward, his gaze locked on the lawyer. “Did you hurt Camilla, Counselor?”

“Yes, I did,” Bradley snapped. “I yelled at her and accused her of something that wasn’t true. She was angry and hurt, and I stormed out of her apartment and left her to die at the hands of some madman.”

Another step forward, this time with Noah’s hands fisted. “Did you do more than yell at her?”

Blood drained from the lawyer’s face. “You’re accusing me of killing her?”

“For the moment, I’m asking nicely if you put your hands on her in anger.”

Bradley shoved his fingers through his hair, rumpling the dark strands. “You’re out of your mind. I would never harm a hair on her head. I adored Camilla.”

“Good. Then you won’t mind telling us where you were when the woman you loved was murdered.”

The other man flinched. “You don’t pull any punches, do you?”

“It’s a waste of time, and we’re on a short clock.”

Another frown. “What does that mean?”

“The more time passes after a murder, the greater the chance the killer gets away with his crime.”

“And four days have already passed.” Bradley dropped into his chair. He sighed. “What do you want to know?”

“Where were you when Camilla died?”

“Here. I live on the second floor.”

“Can anyone verify that?”

---