Page 64 of The Writer
“DCI Jenkins. Nice to see you again.” I smile at him and watch his reaction.
“Mr Rhodes. Please take a seat.” I do.
“Am I being questioned again?” I look for the phone he recorded our interview on a little while ago.
“No. This is just to confirm the next steps,” Landon prompts, not bothering to take a seat. “Right, DCI Jenkins?”
“Correct.” His face reddens in frustration. “Thanks to the preliminary evidence gathered and the accounts provided by yourself and Miss Broderick, we won’t be pursuing any charges against you.” Relief washes over me, and I let out a deep breath. Slowly. “But this isn’t over, Mr Rhodes. I’ll be in touch, and you will still need to make yourself available for the ongoing investigation.”
“My client has and will continue to extend you every courtesy in the investigation. However, may I remind you that as you’ve just confirmed, you aren’t seeking any charges here, so don’t treat him like a suspect.” Landon puts his hands in his pockets as if we’re having a casual conversation. “And keep me apprised with any developments. We’d like to have the IDs of the men responsible for my sister’s kidnap.”
“You know, Mr Broderick, you might have sway with my boss, but you won’t dictate this investigation. Two men were murdered.” Jenkins levels Landon with what I’m sure he thinks is an intimidating glare. I keep the smirk to myself. While I’ve not seen much of Landon, I know he’ll wipe the floor with this guy.
“I would be careful with your terminology, DCI Jenkins. Two kidnapper’s weapons were used against them in self-defence. Death, in this instance, is not deemed murder. There is clear evidence of assault to both my client and my sister, and evidence and witness testimony to that kidnapping. I’ve not had to sway anything. You have no case, no matter which way you might like to look at it, and you ought to be out there investigating the real crime here.” I have to admit, having Landon Broderick on my side makes things a whole lot easier. “Now, if we’re done, I'm sure we all have a day to get on with.”
Jenkins shoves his papers together in a hurry and then leaves the library in such a rush, I’m surprised there aren’t skid marks in the carpet pile.
“Look, Landon,” I start, standing up.
“Save it. I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for my sister.”
“And I appreciate that. But understand, I only have her best interests at heart. I’d never put her in harm's way.”
“And you’d have faced the consequences?” He squares up to me, those same shrewd eyes now clearly levelled at me. I don’t flinch, rather stand firm and stare right back.
“Yes. If Jenkins changed the investigation, and you weren’t the big shot lawyer, I’d face any charges brought against me. I don’t see why that’s relevant.” I cross my arms, still facing him until he turns away and heads for a tray full of booze.
“And once all this is figured out, what’s your plan then?”
“Plan?” I ask, surprised. Although, I can guess where this is going. That doesn’t mean I’m going to make it easy on him.
He pours a shot of something for himself, not bothering to offer me one. “Yes, your plan, Blake. From what I can tell, you’re not somebody who sticks around much. While that usually suits my sister, if you’re serious about her, and killing two men to keep her safe gives me the impression you are, I want to know what your plan is regarding her.”
“Well, honestly, I’m crazy about her. I’ve experienced loss, and I already know there’s no way in hell I’m going to lose Ivy.”
“Don’t you think she’s got a say in that?” He raises his brow, but he’s not going to intimidate me. Not when it comes to this woman.
“No. I love her. She has feelings for me. I know it, but she’s too independent to recognise what they mean. So right now, my plan is simple, and it starts with convincing her that a relationship is a good thing. From there, everything else is easy.” I shrug my shoulders, knowing that’s the hard part. I can move my career anywhere in the world. Ivy knows what I do for a living, and we’d even complement each other’s work if she gave that a chance. I won’t push her on moving in together right away, though.
Landon stares at me like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve. “You think it’s that simple?”
“Why shouldn’t it be? If you know she’s the one worth fighting for, shouldn’t you do everything you can to prove that to her?” I think back to the outburst between Landon and his father a while ago, watching as he sinks his drink and refills. Maybe he needs to fight a little harder for Willow, or perhaps relationships aren’t simple for any of the Broderick siblings.
His head eventually nods a fraction before he makes for his exit. “Oh, Blake?” He pauses with his hand on the door. “Hurt her, and I’ll fucking gut you.”
“I’d expect nothing less. You have my word.”
Two Brodericks out of the way and I go in search of the only one I care about. I climb the ridiculously ornate staircase and walk along the corridor to our room, hoping to find her where she said she’d be.
“So? What did PC Dickhead say?” I smile at her directness as I wander into the room. She’s sitting amongst a scattering of documents, no doubt still trying to piece together the dots of the mystery.
“DCI Jenkins confirmed they’re not seeking charges.” I grin, wanting nothing more than to put all of this behind us, so I get on with convincing Ivy that we should be in a relationship.
“See? My hero. What did I tell you?”
“You were right. And your brother, no doubt, greased the wheels.”
“You survived my dad and my brother.” She stands and walks towards my open arms, then snakes her hands around my back so I can wrap mine around her. I breathe in the scent of her hair and enjoy just being alone with her for the first time in days without something hanging over my head.
