Page 61 of Meant to Be
“You don’t seem surprised.”
“I went through this before, the last time Sydney was attacked. I understand the police look at all the men in her life. I suppose I’m high on the list since I was just with her.”
Mitch had to give him credit. He understood the situation well. Mitch opted to stand while Patrick sat.
“Where were you yesterday between two and three?”
There was a pause.
“I know where you weren’t. You weren’t in the juvenile justice session as you told Doctor Faye last night.”
“You’ve been busy this morning.” He extended his arm across the back of the couch. “I had a lot on my mind, so I skipped the afternoon session.”
“Where did you go?”
Patrick’s gaze drifted to his hand as it picked a piece of lint off the back of the couch. Finally he turned his attention forward. “Around.”
“Did you walk?”
“I drove.”
The hairs on his neck rose again. “Did that drive take you back to Charlotte Tavern?”
“No. I drove around Washington. I think I may have ended up in Maryland. I don’t know the area well.”
“Did you stop anywhere? Buy anything?”
Patrick laughed derisively. “I have no alibi, Mitch. Or should I be calling you detective? I can tell you that I’d never hurt Sydney. She’s one of my closest friends.”
“You were more than friends in the past.” Mitch steeled himself for this part of the discussion.
“Yes. We dated in high school.”
“And—”
“Is this relevant or are you fishing for personal reasons?”
“Someone in New York attacked Sydney. Then someone attacked a good friend of mine in Charlotte Tavern, thinking she was Sydney. Interestingly enough, you were in both cities each time.”
The smugness left Patrick’s face. “Coincidence.”
Mitch snorted. “If we were talking about New York and Washington, D.C., maybe. But Charlotte Tavern?”
“Have you talked with Jagger Talbot? He was in both places, and he’s expressed an interest in Sydney.”
“How do you know that?”
“I saw them speaking in front of her home the other day. And she told me.”
Sydney told Patrick a lot. Had she told him the full nature of her reasons for moving to Charlotte Tavern? Knowing it was beyond the bounds of his job, he bit back the question. “That must bother you. Every time you have a chance to be with Sydney, another man gets in the way.”
“Jagger isn’t in the way.”
“But I am.” Mitch hadn’t planned to say that, so Patrick wasn’t the only one surprised by the comment. But he didn’t wait for Patrick to respond. “That’s why she’s in Charlotte Tavern. Because I’m there.”
“Yes.” Patrick’s piercing eyes studied Mitch, as if analyzing and assessing.
“I’m not a patient of yours.”
