Page 45 of Stalked

He explained what had happened with the phone call and the attack at the gas station. He was just finishing as Margaret, another one of his assistants, brought in the pain medication and some ice. Someone had also dug up a sling. That would at least take the pressure off his shoulder and hopefully ease some of the throbbing. He thanked her.

“What did Rosalyn say to your accusations?” Brandon asked as Steve took the medication.

“She denied them, of course.”

Andrea walked over and helped him ease his arm into the sling. Immediately the pain eased somewhat.

“And you’re not completely sure about your accusations either,” she said softly. “You’re angry with her, but also protective. And confused most of all.”

Steve nodded. “Yes. All of those things.” He looked over at the other two men. “I’ve lost my perspective when it comes to Rosalyn Mellinger.”

“Because the baby is yours,” Brandon said. Jon nodded, not looking surprised.

Steve shrugged. “She says so.”

Andrea touched his arm. “It’s okay to believe her. Until you know for sure otherwise, it’s okay to believe that what she says about that is true.”

“Well, if it is, then it seems an awful lot like she was just part of a plan to kill or at least seriously injure the father of her baby.”

He walked around his desk and looked out at the three of them. “I can’t be neutral around her. So I need you three to figure out the truth for me. To be my eyes and ears.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Rosalyn sat in a room that was like something out of a crime-investigation show on television. A table with four chairs around it, none of them comfortable, cement walls all the way around painted a gray color that wasn’t very different from their original hue. Fluorescent lights blared down from overhead, unflattering at best, downright painful after a few hours.

And on one wall was a large mirror covering half the surface. Of course, it would be a two-way mirror.

She’d known Steve was in law enforcement, but she’d had no idea he worked at a place like this. That he was evidently thebossin a place like this.

She’d told him everything she knew about the Watcher and he’d just made it seem like he was a beat cop or something. He was obviously so much more than that. He hadn’t tried to give her any insight or any knowledge about what he thought would be the next steps.

Because he hadn’t trusted her. She could almost understand the misunderstanding with the phone and the guy on the motorcycle. But Steve hadn’t trusted her from the beginning. Not today, not last night when they were making love, not ever.

She’d started feeling like she was finally not alone, not knowing she was actually more alone than ever.

The guy who had brought her down to this stark room hadn’t been mean or rough. He hadn’t said much to her at all, beyond reading her the Miranda rights. Rosalyn wondered if she should call a lawyer but didn’t know one to call here. Plus, she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Besides trust that Steve Drackett was looking out for her best interests.

The big guy—what had Steve called him? Derek?—had escorted her to her seat.

“Stay here,” had been all she’d gotten out of him before he’d left, closing the door behind him with a resounding click.

How long ago had that been? Probably twenty minutes. It felt like hours. Rosalyn could feel panic scratching at her subconscious, trying to work its way in. She refused to let it. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Surely someone would believe her.

Although she was quite sure it wouldn’t be Steve.

And once someone did believe her and she got out of here, where was she going to go? The Watcher had found her again. She wrapped her still-handcuffed arms around her belly, rocking back and forth, fighting panic once again.

What was she going to do?

Rosalyn nearly jumped out of her seat as the door opened. Two men, both of whom had been out in the office when Steve had brought her in, entered.

“Are you okay, Ms. Mellinger?” One, a stunningly handsome Asian man, asked her. He looked genuinely concerned.

“I just...I just...” The words wouldn’t come out.

I just realized the enormity of the fact that a killer has found me again and the one person I thought I could trust wants to throw me in jail.

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