Page 50 of Holding On to a Hero
Special Agent Bardo:Thank you for meeting with me, Ms. Fenton.
Fenton: You’re welcome. I’m just beside myself about Cole getting shot. Did he have a stalker? Or can you even tell me that?
Special Agent Bardo:Ma’am, I’m afraid I can’t discuss the investigation. When was the last time you spoke with Mr. Washburn?
Fenton:Wow, uh, if you mean actually spoke to him, then it’s been months. We’ve texted a few times since then but that’s the last time we had an actual voice conversation.
Special Agent Bardo:Did Mr. Washburn ever indicate to you that he was worried about anything or anyone?
Fenton:No, I mean he was a little stressed about getting the ranch ready. And there was some drama about a photographer that he thought was a paparazzo but who turned out to be taking pictures of beavers across the road? [Laughs] I can’t imagine. I mean, I’m too much of a city girl for that sort of thing. Anyway, it turned out to be nothing, so, I don’t think there was anything else.
Special Agent Bardo:You mentioned stalkers earlier. Did Mr. Washburn ever mention having a stalker or getting any suspicious letters or emails?
Fenton:Well, of course we traded creepy fan letter stories, but I know he gave all of the really bad ones to the LAPD. That was one part of retirement he was looking forward to – not having so many creepers writing to him.
Special Agent Bardo:Can you think of anyone else he might have confided in if he was worried about something?
Fenton:You mean besides Jason Shelton? Because if Cole knew about some sort of threat, Jason would be the one he’d talk to for sure. Wait, is Jason okay? Is that why you’re asking me and not him? Did Jason get shot too?
Special Agent Bardo:Ma’am, as far as I’m aware, Mr. Shelton is fine. Sometimes people tell things to certain people and not others, so I just need to make sure we follow all avenues of investigation.
Fenton:Okay, um, I texted Jason to check on Cole but he hasn’t responded, so I got a little worried. I’m sure he’s just trying to focus on getting Cole better.
Special Agent Bardo:Back to my question, ma’am. Are there any close friends of Mr. Washburn that I should talk to?
Fenton:Oh! Sorry. Um, probably just Spencer Tranh. He did most of Cole’s stunts and they’re friends outside of work, as they say. Cole isn’t close to too many people.
Special Agent Bardo:Thank you, ma’am. Do you have contact information for Mr. Tranh?
Fenton:Yes, of course! Let me get that for you.
Special Agent Bardo:Thank you, ma’am. And just so I can be thorough, would you mind telling me where you were on Thursday morning between 4am and 8am Pacific Time, and if anyone can verify your whereabouts?
Fenton:I’ve already consulted my, um, lawyer about this, Agent Bardo, and she told me I don’t have to provide an alibi unless I’m charged with something. Who I was with that morning is private. If you charge me with something then I’ll tell you, but my lawyer will be involved. Are you charging me with something?
Special Agent Bardo:Not at this time, ma’am.
Chapter Thirty
Will
I managed to get Felix calmed down enough to stay and finish his dinner by explaining that yes, I’d dated someone who was now in a coma, but we’d only been on three dates before he’d been injured. And then he asked the inevitable question of how Cole – not that I mentioned his name – had come to be in a coma. In a bit of tap dancing I was oddly proud of, I told him it had been an accident but at first the police hadn’t been sure so they’d investigated. But it had turned out that he’d fallen and hit his head on a door handle.
Felix didn’t speak much after that, and when the waiter came to clear our dinner plates and ask if we wanted dessert, he just shoved his credit card at the man and told him we were ready to leave. I was half-surprised he didn’t bolt for the door as soon as he signed the credit card receipt, but he asked me if I was ready to go before standing to leave.
I followed him out of the restaurant, and he continued to allow me to walk near him as we reached the parking lot. We came to my truck first since I was at the end of the row. “This is me,” I said. “I’m sorry I turned out to be another disappointing date for you. You deserve better.”
Felix looked off to the side for a moment and blew out a breath. “I’m sorry too. And, really, it’s not that I think you shouldn’t be dating, especially since you’d only gone out with the guy a few times. It’s just that if I went out with you again I’d always be wondering what would happen when he woke up. If you’d rather be with him than me.” Felix had good instincts.
“I understand, Felix. I’d probably feel the same way. Maybe we can—” I was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot as my truck’s window shattered, the glass falling to the ground next to us. Felix and I instinctively ducked.
“Shit! Move!” I pushed Felix toward the front of the truck. It was closer to the restaurant and I gambled that meant the bullet hadn’t come from that direction. Two more shots echoed, and two more bullets hit my truck before we were able to get to the other side and crouch between the truck and the car next to it. The parking lot was edged by wooded lots on two sides; the shooter could be anywhere.
“Are you hit?” Felix was cursing under his breath but shook his head no. I heard voices from the direction of the restaurant shouting they’d called 911. No doubt Ochoa and Callahan would show up soon too. I sank to the ground in relief. The shooter wouldn’t stick around if the police were coming.
“I’m not standing up until the cops get here,” Felix declared.
“Me neither.”
