Page 80 of Rhett
“I think it’s a woman’s pendant.” It was an expensive-looking, diamond-encrusted black pendant in the shape of a jaguar.
I sniffed the pendant, and I stiffened at the scents of Sam, Henry, and Nova. “Wait a minute.” I eyed Mack. “Remember when I told you that Sam broke into Nova’s car and stole her pendant? This pendant belongs to her.”
“Why would Sam try to frame Nova?”
“Who the hell knows?” I countered. “It could be because she has Hunter blood or that she’s hybrid. Maybe he has a vendetta against Bonnie. Maybe he’s just fucking crazy. But until I catch his ass, I’m in a real fucked-up predicament.”
“What are you talking about, in a predicament?”
“Henry was found dead with Nova’s pendant clutched in his hand. We have to put that in our report. Don’t you think the town is going to find out about that?”
“What if we just left that part out?” Mack asked. “From the way you and Nova were acting back there at the festival, I’m assuming you plan to claim her as your mate. Do you really want that kind of trouble right now?”
He was right. I didn’t want trouble. Not when I knew with all my heart that Nova was mine. I’d wasted so much time since she’d arrived in town, fighting our attraction. Fighting the proof that she was my fated mate. Our time together at the festival proved that it was more than her scent linking us together. We had chemistry, and at the festival, I’d found myself relaxing, enjoying her touch and her humor.
I clenched my fists. “I swore to uphold the law and protect the citizens of this town.” I looked at him pointedly. “You did too. We can’t just go bending the law. We have to reveal the truth. Regardless of the fact that we know it was Sam who committed this crime. We have to present all the evidence and let the chips fall where they may.”
Mack shook his head. “That’s your call. But you know that the townsfolk will automatically blame Nova because she has a Hunter bloodline.”
Everything in me yelled to protect her by hightailing it out of town with her, but that would only cast a shadow of guilt over her when Nova didn’t commit this crime.
Pacing back and forth, I said, “It may be to our advantage to go ahead to hold her in jail for her own protection against the townsfolk and maybe even Sam. Think about it. It’s the perfect scenario. We don’t have to lie to the residents, and she’ll be protected at the same time.”
Mack crossed his arms. “Do you really think Nova’s going to like being locked up?”
“It’s for her own safety,” I countered.
Mack shook his head. “I can already see this shit between you and Nova going downhill fast.”
“She’ll understand.”
But I knew she wouldn’t.
In fact, she’d probably hate me for putting her in jail. But as Protector of this town, hard decisions had to be made, and I was making them.
CHAPTER20
RHETT
Parking my cruiser in front of Bonnie’s house, I sat there staring at nothing in particular while my inner beast was throwing a tantrum. He was pissed with me for coming here, and I didn’t blame him. But if I didn’t do this, Nova wouldn’t be safe.
My cell buzzed with a text. Swiping it, I read the group text Quinn sent out to the residents, detailing my report about Henry’s death and the evidence found at the scene, including signs that Sam was the killer and mentioning Nova’s pendant.
“Fuck!” I shoved my cell into the cup holder. I knew this was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life, but it had to be done… for Nova’s protection.
Don’t do this,my jaguar begged.
And if I don’t, how do I protect her from the wrath of the Ridge residents?
We fight,he grumbled.
No, we find Sam, get a confession, proving to the town that she’s innocent. I will not have my mate living under a cloud of suspicion.
I don’t like this,my animal snapped.
Neither did I, but I wasn’t going to admit that to him. Getting through what I had to do next was hard enough.
Stepping out of the cruiser, I walked up to Bonnie’s door and banged on it. It took a couple of minutes before she opened it.
