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Time passed slowly again, but without the stress of the interrogation room, replaced instead by the warmth of her husband’s arms which comforted her.

Her mind whirled as she wondered what was happening in the interrogation room. After over three hours, Worthington and Mitchell finally emerged.

They crossed to them as Julia and Grant climbed to their feet.

“Is he free to go?” Grant asked.

“For now,” Mitchell said. “No leaving town. But at this point, he can go home.”

“That’s great,” Julia said, relief sweeping through her.

“Mr. and Mrs. Harrington, thank you both for waiting. You did not need to do that.”

“Of course, we did,” Julia said with a smile as she rubbed his arm. “You’re family. And you did not need to do what you did. But I thank you so much for it.”

“You could not have killed her, Mrs. Harrington. I saw her not twenty minutes after you did.”

“Why did you?” Grant asked.

Worthington flicked his gaze to the floor. “You are my family. Seeing Mrs. Harrington, someone who brought light back into this home, in constant turmoil because of Mrs. Knight’s vendettas was intolerable. I took it upon myself to have a conversation with her about the harm she nearly caused. Enough was enough.”

Julia tilted her head. “You went there for me?”

“Yes, Mrs. Harrington, I did. I did not kill her, but I warned her that should anything else happen to you, she may not be so lucky.”

Julia slid her eyes closed, guilt coursing through her as she grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Oh, Worthington. Thank you. I appreciate that sentiment. But please, don’t take a risk like that again.”

“I would do it all over, Mrs. Harrington.”

“Thank you, Worthington, for speaking up,” Grant said. “Let’s go home.”

They slid into Julia’s car for the return trip. The headlights cut through the murky darkness as they left the sterile glow of the police station behind. The city’s sprawling lights faded into the rearview mirror.

The heavy silence in the car was a stark contrast to the oppressive, buzzing fluorescence of the interrogation room they’d left behind. The world now seemed shadowed with the weight of accusations and uncertainty.

The warm lights of Harrington House were an inviting sight after the long night. Exhaustion coursed through Julia as she slogged through the front door.

“May I bring you anything?” Worthington asked as they stepped into the foyer.

“No, please go rest, Worthington,” Julia said.

“She’s right. We’ll be fine.”

Worthington offered them a nod before he shuffled toward the kitchen. Alex hurried down the stairs. Grant wrinkled his nose as he studied the man’s nautically themed silk robe covering his lobster-print pajamas.

“Thank goodness you’re home. I have news that will change everything.”

Julia's stomach clenched at the words. What had he found and how would it affect the hell they were living through?

CHAPTER 17

GRANT

Grant stared at the pajama-clad man in front of him, his jaw tightening. His dislike for the man aside, he wasn’t certain he could take any more life-changing news tonight. After sitting in an interrogation room for hours, then a waiting room as he feared the worst for his wife and butler, his nerves were frayed.

And Alex’s odd personality wasn’t going to make them any better.

“You found something?” Julia asked, her voice weary, but intrigued.