Page 21 of Lone Wolf in Lights
“Sure do,” the other agreed.
Willow winced, staring down at her plate, obviously hit with the realization that in no time the whole town would know they were dating.
Eli reached out his hand again for permission. She took it as he said, “This isn’t real, don’t forget that,” he said quietly. “We know what we’re doing, and why.”
Her gaze lifted to his and held. “Right,” she said, exhaling softly, her shoulders lowering. “This isn’t real.”
The heavy door of the Timber Falls Police Station swung open with an authoritative creak, and Willow stepped into its sterile embrace, Eli following her. A knot tightened in her stomach as she inhaled, the harsh scent of antiseptic hanging in the air. With every step toward the reception desk, her heartbeat quickened.
The last time she’d entered a police station...
She swallowed hard.
Eli’s fingers brushed against hers, a whisper of contact that shocked her, until she remembered that the affection was for show. She needed as many people to see them together as possible. She began to realize it was impossible for him to ask every time they should do a little PDA, so she took his fingers.
“Hey,” Eli’s voice cut through the quiet, low and soothing, “just remember why we’re here.” His words were meant to anchor her, and they did, even as memories surged to engulf her. “You’re not alone here.”
“Thank you for that,” she murmured, forcing herself to lift her chin. This was about taking control, about protecting herself and The Naked Moose, the bar that was more than just a livelihood—it was a dream between three best friends that all started with a pact they’d made to start over if they weren’t happy in their lives by the age of twenty-eight.
This was their do-over, and they would succeed.
Her gaze fixed on the badge emblazoned on the front desk, as Eli introduced them and asked to speak with Detective Harris. With the seconds that passed, the flashbacks clawed at her: Niko’s sneer, his grip bruising her arms, his voice a venomous roar that left scars deeper than skin.
Before she could sink further into the solace of Eli’s grasp, a voice broke through the hush of the corridor.
“Miss Quinn? Eli?” Detective Harris stood before them. There was a gentleness in his eyes that belied the seriousness of their meeting, as if he understood the weight of the pain both she and Eli carried.
“Detective Harris,” Willow acknowledged, her grip instinctively tightening around Eli’s hand as they turned to face him. “Please call me Willow.”
“Willow,” he said, accompanied by a soft smile. “Please, come with me.” He led them past the bustling hum of the precinct and into a private room with comfortable chairs and a coffee table. The door shut behind them with a click.
“Thank you for coming in,” Detective Harris said.
Willow sank into the chair, and Eli took the seat next to her. The detective sat across from them with documents on his lap.
The detective’s gaze locked with Willow’s. “Before we get to signing the consent forms, I want you to know that I have confirmed that Niko is still incarcerated,” he said.
“Thank you,” she breathed out. Yet if not Niko, then who would do this?
“Furthermore,” Detective Harris continued, “my preliminary investigation traced the online comment to an IP address here in town. My gut is my telling me this has nothing to do with your ex-boyfriend.”
“I’m very relieved to hear that,” she said, glancing at Eli.
He gave a firm nod. “One worry off the list.”
“Indeed,” Detective Harris said. “However, this leads me to ask—have you had any recent conflicts or issues with anyone in town? Anything at all that might shed light on who could be behind this?”
Willow searched the depths of her memory, each encounter at The Naked Moose playing out in her mind. But no face stood out, no altercation came to mind. She shook her head slowly. “No, nothing. Maybe at first people’s feathers were a little ruffled that big-city girls came in and changed their beloved country bar, but not now—our customers are very happy.”
“All right.” He scribbled a note, his pen moving in decisive strokes. “We’ll keep digging, but if anything comes to mind, even the smallest detail, please let me know immediately.”
“Of course,” she said with a quick nod.
Detective Harris locked eyes with her, his brow furrowed in a blend of compassion and unyielding resolve. “I promise you, we will not let this go. Whoever is trying to intimidate you, we’ll find them. Your safety is our top priority.”
“Thank you so much,” she whispered, the words wrapping around her like a shield. “I really just don’t understand any of this.”
Eli added, “No one understands any of this.”
