Page 102 of Ice Cold Christmas
While Dario had just been coasting on his stepdad’s fortune.
He also knew plenty about Detective Angus Clinton. The man had been lead on Melody’s case for most of the last year. He’d partnered with the Feds, and he’d turned up jack shit. From what Hunter had determined, Angus had never worked particularly hard to find Melody or her abductor. He’d spent too much time thinking Victor was guilty as sin or telling everyone that Melody had left of her own accord—no crime there.
“Detective.” Calista sighed as she stepped forward. “This man broke into Victor’s private office. I think he should be thoroughly questioned about Melody’s disappearance.”
Hunter nodded. He thought an interrogation with Dario was a stellar idea. Bonus points for the lady.
“Bullshit!” Dario’s teeth snapped together. “Detective Clinton, let me tell you this. Sebastian Mage is a straight-up murderer! He confessed to killing Melody’s mother. And Victor, hell, we know he nearly beat that Colton Crane guy to death that time!”
Hunter wasn’t rolling his eyes any longer. He was narrowing them and sharpening his gaze on Dario.
Dario smirked at him. “Oh? Didn’t know that your boss was fucking unhinged? He is! You aren’t doing Melody any favors by leaving her alone with him.” He pointed toward the elevator bank. The younger security guard, Hayward, stood near the elevators, shifting from foot to foot. “Victor is violent, he’s obsessed with Melody, and she just found out that he’s a damn liar. He’s up there now, alone with her, and who the hell knows what he is doing to her? You need to get up there, detective, and help my sister. You need to get up there now.”
“Melody chose to stay upstairs,” Hunter said. His gaze weighed Dario. “How do you know about Colton Crane?” Hunter knew about the bastard because he made it his job to be thorough. Before the Ice Breakers had signed on to investigate Melody’s disappearance, they had truly ripped apart Victor’s life. The guy had been the most likely suspect in Melody’s disappearance, after all. But while Hunter had gotten access to info about Colton Crane and the assault, the case reports should have been sealed to the general public. Hunter’s access hadn’t exactly been obtained through legal means.
No way should Dario know about Colton Crane.
“Olivia told me,” Dario muttered. He yanked a hand through his hair.
Hunter peered around the lobby. “Where is Olivia?”
“I—” Dario stopped. Seemed to notice her missing for the first time. Unease slithered across his face.
“You say Sebastian Mage committed murder?” Detective Clinton asked. He advanced on them, hands heading to his hips. “You are sure about this?”
“Yeah, yeah.” A quick nod from Dario. “He confessed to Olivia. Look, I bet she’s upstairs. We need to all go and talk to her, right now.”
“No way.” Hunter moved in front of him because the guy was not getting back on an elevator and going upstairs. “You are not going back up there. Victor wants you out of the building, and you are getting out.”
“Everyone, calm down. I’ll go up and talk to Victor. And Melody.” The detective rolled back his shoulders. “I’ll get to the truth.” He shot a frown at Dario. “Why don’t you go outside? Or, better yet, head to the station? I can take a full report from you as soon as I am done upstairs.”
“When you’re done upstairs, you’ll be arresting Sebastian Mage!” Dario nodded vigorously. “That’s what you’ll be doing.”
Detective Clinton pushed the button for the elevator. “Keep an eye on all of them, will you?” Angus Clinton said to Hayward right before the doors opened. Then the detective ducked inside. He pressed a button on the control panel. His hands went to his hips as he turned back to face them.
The doors began to slide closed.
Dario barreled for the elevator. “I’m coming up, too!” One hand jerked up angrily. Something gleamed in his fist. “That sonofabitch Victor isn’t going to get away with?—”
“Knife!” Hayward yelled. The kid was sweating, and his eyes were wide as he grabbed for the taser on his hip.
The elevator doors closed, sealing the detective inside.
Hunter surged for Dario. He tackled the bastard even as Hayward fired his taser. And 50,000 volts were suddenly pumping through Hunter’s body.
“You shot me! You freaking shot me!” Olivia grabbed her shoulder and scuttled backward on the floor.
Victor heaved up to his knees.
Melody raced forward and grabbed the gun Olivia had just dropped, and when she did, Olivia started laughing.
“Now your prints are on it! S-see? Perfect!”
Melody hurried back to Victor’s side. He hadn’t risen fully, was still on his knees, and there was blood. So much of it. She slapped Olivia’s gun on the boardroom table but kept the one she’d taken from Victor.
He was far too pale. The lines on his face cut deeper than she’d ever seen them before. “Victor?”
His gaze raked her. “You’re not hurt.”
