Page 16 of Lone Wolf in Lights
“I honestly don’t know if it’s someone local, but I wouldn’t put it past him,” Eli admitted, the muscle in his jaw ticking. “And if he’s out, Willow could be in real danger.”
“Leave it with me,” Harris assured, his eyes meeting Eli’s with a resolve that mirrored his own. “If Niko’s behind this, I’ll find out.”
“Thanks, man.” Relief threaded through Eli. “Willow...she’s a sweet woman. She doesn’t deserve this.”
“Say no more, Eli.” Harris’s words were firm, laced with a promise. “I’m on it.” He leaned back in his chair, sending it squeaking beneath him as he crossed his arms. “I’ll need Willow to come in and sign a consent form for me to look into her phone records and her social media,” he said.
“I’ll ask her if that’s what she wants to do and can bring her in,” Eli offered.
“Good,” Harris said. “But let’s focus on her ex-boyfriend and see where that leads us for now.”
Eli rose and clasped Harris’s hand firmly. “I owe you one,” he said.
“Think nothing of it,” Harris replied, releasing Eli’s hand. “It’s what we do here—keep each other safe, keep the town whole.”
Eli was aware that he wasn’t the sole person haunted by his sister’s memory. He knew the case had taken a toll on Harris too, as the police had no clue about the abuse Miranda had been suffering.
Harris reassured him, “Don’t worry too much. These incidents are usually harmless and just a result of trolls being trolls.”
“That better be the case,” Eli responded sternly.
Clearly, his tone was too harsh as Harris raised an eyebrow. “Stay out of this, Eli. Understand?”
Eli nodded and left the office, unable to keep that promise.
The bar’s opening was only a couple of hours away, and Willow’s fingers were numb despite the gloves she wore, making her wish she had to get to work now. But Aubrey was laughing, the sound bright against the crisp air, as she handed Aubrey another string of Christmas lights. “Make sure it’s tight,” Willow instructed, her breath visible in the chilly air.
“Like my abs after all those planks you make me do?” Aubrey quipped, her curly blond hair peeking out from under a knitted beanie as she reached up to secure the lights along the porch railing.
“Exactly,” Willow said with a grin. They’d been decorating for forty-five minutes now, and with every bulb, it began to feel a little more like Christmas.
The quiet, rhythmic snapping of the bulbs hitting against the wooden beams paused as an engine’s rumble sliced through the silence. Willow turned to see a familiar truck rolling up to the curb, the vehicle’s rugged appearance a mirror of its owner’s tough exterior. She felt an odd flutter in her chest, a mix of anticipation and nerves, a reaction that was solely reserved for Eli these days...even if it shouldn’t be.
“Looks like trouble on four wheels,” Aubrey observed, her tone light but teasing, following Willow’s gaze to where Eli’s truck had come to a stop.
He emerged from the driver’s side and closed the door with a thud that seemed to echo in Willow’s ears. His powerful eyes locked onto hers, and there was something about the set of his jaw, the purposeful way he moved toward them that made Willow’s pulse quicken.
“Hey,” he called out in that gravelly voice that always seemed to resonate a little too deeply within her.
“Hey, yourself,” Aubrey replied, stepping down from the porch with a knowing look in Willow’s direction. “Looks like you’ve got company, Wills.”
Willow nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, her gloves making the gesture awkward. She watched Eli approach, the lines of his jacket straining against his broad shoulders, a clear sign of the strength that lay underneath. She hoped her smile didn’t look as nervous as she felt. Eli had a way of unsettling her, of stirring things inside her that she’d thought were long buried.
“Everything okay?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady and casual.
“Can we talk?” His gaze held hers, earnest and insistent, and Willow found herself nodding before the question fully settled in the air between them.
“I’ll...ah...give you guys a second,” Aubrey said, giving Willow’s shoulder a supportive squeeze before retreating into the house without another word.
As the door shut behind Aubrey, Willow turned back to Eli, her hands now tucked into the pockets of her coat to ward off the cold. “Is everything okay?” she asked again.
He closed the distance and leaned against the porch railing. “I went to the police station today and met with a detective I know, Detective Harris. He’s willing to look into the comment and text a little deeper, but he needs your consent.”
“Consent for what exactly?” Willow asked.
“A formality really, but necessary to let him look into your social media accounts and phone records. We’ll need to go into the station and sign some documentation.”
She didn’t miss thewe’llhe added there. “Okay, we can go tomorrow before work,” she whispered, the reality of the situation settling upon her shoulders like a heavy weight.
