Page 103 of More Than Nothing
He cursed explosively, eyes blazing. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” He looked like he wanted to punch something. She felt dangerously near to breaking down. She didn’t know the rules for needing someone so intensely it made your thighs shake. Being that weak could only end badly for her. “I didn’t know you’d called. Believe me, I would have come immediately.”
“OK.” Elenie gave a small nod and a tiny shrug, as if it didn’t matter.
“I think there was a perfect storm of missed communication.” Roman sounded seriously pissed. “I was tied up during the evening, and Dougie and Summer stayed at the hospital all night. His phone was off and so was Milo’s. Dougie only caught up on things this morning when he got to the station.” Roman’s eyes burned into hers. “I should have been here.”
She chewed on her lip. “How is Caitlyn? Has she had the baby?”
He nodded. “A little girl. They’re both doing well.”
“I called it,” Elenie murmured to herself.
Roman tugged at his ear, jangled his car keys. The awkwardness between them an unwelcome blast from the past. She hadn’t known what to make of him when they first met, and she wondered if she really knew him any better now. It had never occurred to her that his plans in the city might involve Zena.
“Elenie—” He broke off, muttered a curse under his breath and tried again. “Look, I’ve spoken with the detective in charge to clarify the situation and Booth’s just turned up, too. Flint PD had the guys Frank was doing business with under surveillance and they moved on them, not knowing the wider picture. Dorsey’s on her way now. She should have fucking been here already but the DEA were caught on the hop as well and she had to head up a coordinated search on your house. You shouldn’t have been held all night without support but all the multiple police jurisdictions muddied the water.”
“I get it.”
“Detective Belltower wants to conduct a formal interview once Dorsey gets here. They’ll let me be there in a professional capacity so I’ll be able to ask questions but not answer any of them. They’ll use digital equipment that will audibly and visually record everything for evidential purposes. Are you OK with that?”
“Sure.” Elenie nodded, automatically.
Every bit of him was calm and decisive now. “My advice would be to let the on-call public defender support you initially and, if it turns out you need more specialist legal representation, then I’ll give a signal and we’ll call a halt to regroup. But I don’t think it’ll come to that.” She nodded again. “Any questions?”
“Yes.” His piercing eyes met hers and Elenie swallowed. “What time is it, please? I’ve lost track a bit.”
Roman moved closer, his huge hands encircling her upper arms. Heat flooded from them, warming her chilled skin. Elenie held herself rigidly in his grip. Exhaustion threatened her shaky control. For a moment she thought he might pull her into his arms, and she closed her eyes, praying for him to do it.
Instead, he hesitated and his hands fell away. “It’s just before eleven a.m.”
She wondered if he found her as repulsive as she felt.
Chapter 49
Roman
Even with regular breaks, Roman could tell Elenie was hanging on by a thread, though she looked composed on the surface. The unreadable expression that masked her thoughts was back in place. He admired it as much as he loathed it.
It took the best part of the day to get all the details on record.
She sat upright and still as Detective Belltower and Special Agent Dorsey grilled her over and over on the movements, connections, and business dealings of each Dax family member. She gave a detailed description of the transaction at the Flint lockup and a stabbing pain jabbed through Roman’s temple at the danger she’d been in without him knowing.
Dorsey disclosed that the firearm Elenie had given Roman had been positively linked to multiple crimes involving the same suspect—a dealer in the Saginaw area. The data recovery device was being examined. Elenie focused on their words with absolute concentration, the public defender chipping in to explain anything she was unsure of. Belltower was thorough, kind, and respectful, Dorsey calm and professional beside him. Roman knew neither of them had missed the faint tremors in Elenie’s hands or the fatigue darkening her eyes to charcoal.
She kept those eyes mainly on either the detective or the special agent. Yes, she flicked them briefly to Roman each time he interjected a question, but mostly she avoided looking his way at all. Elenie had put up some sky-high walls around herself and he hated every single inch of them.
Dorsey finally brought the interview to an end. “Frank Dax and Dean Dax have been charged with possession and distribution of illegal narcotics and will be remanded in custody. Further charges will likely follow relating to the firearm.”
Elenie looked dazed. “And Ty?”
Roman took that one. “Unclear at the moment. He’s still being held in Pine Springs, but we’ll know more later.”
Belltower sat back in his chair. “I’m sorry it took us this much time to coordinate our facts. I know the special agent will be adding her thanks separately but I would like to express my appreciation for the information you’ve provided so far that will help us with this case. Every division of my police department is committed to targeting the drivers of crime within our community. It’s often dangerous work, but they have chosen this line of policing and are dedicated to getting results. You, however, have made a difficult choice with the same goal in mind. I don’t underestimate how hard that must have been.”
He offered her a genuine smile and Elenie gave a small, contained nod in acknowledgment.
Dorsey straightened her notepad. “While we’ve been conducting this interview, your mother has been brought into the precinct for questioning. I can authorize five minutes under supervision if you’d like to see her.”
Elenie wavered. She looked both fragile and yet immensely strong. Roman ached for her. “Yes, please. I’d appreciate just a few minutes,” she said finally.
