Page 53 of Deceit & Desire

Landon’s eyesnever left mine, the quiet intensity of his stare a reminder that he’d played this game far too many times before. His hands rested lightly on the cold metal table, his posture relaxed, almost casual, as if he had all the time in the world.

“Talk to me, Zoe,” he said, his tone calm but laced with an edge that told me he wasn’t here to play nice.

I leaned back in the uncomfortable chair, crossing my arms over my chest in a futile attempt to shield myself from the weight of his scrutiny. My jaw tightened, and I had to force myself to keep my voice steady.

“These claims about Roman and me firebombing the evidence repository are complete bullshit, Landon. We were at home together all night long. We live in the same house as my father and his live-in nurse. They can confirm our whereabouts for the entire night. She gets up every three or four hours to check on him.”

Landon tilted his head slightly, his lips pressing into a thin line. “And I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I don’t take your word for it, Zoe. You’ve been in sticky situations before, and you’re good at making things look… neat.”

His voice was mild, but the implication was sharp enough to draw blood, especially since I considered us to be friends, up to this point.

I sat up straighter, my fingers tightening into fists on the table. “What are you trying to say, Landon? That I’d risk my father’s health, my home, and everything else to set fire to a goddamn evidence repository? For what reason? What could I possibly gain?”

His gaze didn’t waver, but his hands moved, lacing together as he leaned forward. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to figure out. Roman’s been tangled up in some shady business before. And you… you’ve got a knack for sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Heat rose in my chest, and I struggled to keep it from reaching my voice. “Roman has nothing to do with this, and neither do I. We’re being set up, and you know it. If you’re here to pin this on us instead of doing your job, then go ahead. But I’ll fight you every step of the way.”

Landon’s expression didn’t shift, but there was something in his eyes—doubt? Frustration? Sympathy?—that made my stomach twist. He sat back, the chair creaking under his weight, and let out a slow breath.

Landon’s gaze didn’t falter, but his voice dropped to a measured tone, like he was trying to steady the air between us.

“Look, Zoe, I’m not saying you did it. But there are people out there who want to see you fall. And Roman? He’s got enemies, even if he’s not talking about them. This isn’t just about you anymore—it’s bigger than that.” He paused, leaning forward, his words a quiet challenge. “Help me help you.”

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt, heat rising in my chest. “Don’t tell me you’re buying into Barton’s horseshit ideas about Roman and me somehow being involved in Missy’s murder.”

Landon leaned back, his face a mask of impassive calm, the kind that only pissed me off more. “If you weren’t, then why did your dad feel the need to ask the former sheriff to cover up the evidence that pointed to foul play instead of suicide?”

The words hit like a punch to the gut, knocking the air out of my lungs. My fingers curled into fists on the table as I stared at him, trying to mask the crack in my composure. “I don’t fucking know, Landon. A parent’s instinct to protect his kid, just in case? From what Dad told me, he never believed that I had anything to do with her death, but he was afraid of how things would look for me and Roman because of how things played out that day. But I didn’t kill Missy, and neither did Roman.”

“Then help me prove it.” His voice softened, but the weight of his words stayed sharp. “You’re going to have to give me more than that, Zoe. You’re going to have to give me something concrete. Start by telling me about that day.”

My nails dug into my palms, the sharp sting grounding me as my heart raced. I locked eyes with him, my voice steady but low, every word deliberate. “Let Roman go, and I’ll tell you everything. Every goddamn thing I know about that day—including a secret I’ve been keeping for the past ten years. But I’ll only tell you on one condition.”

Landon tilted his head, watching me carefully. “And what’s that?”

“Roman walks out of here a free man. He didn’t burn anything, and you know it. Confirm his alibi for the firebombing of the evidence repository, release him, let me see him walk out of here, and then I’ll give you everything I’ve got.”

Landon’s lips pressed into a thin line, his fingers lacing together on the table. “You’re asking me to take a hell of a gamble, Zoe.”

“I’m not asking.” I leaned forward, my voice as sharp as broken glass. “I’m telling you. You want the truth? That’s my price.”

Chapter21

She Made a Deal

PLAYLIST: “DEVIL’S BACKBONE” BY THE CIVIL WARS

ROMAN

What felt like hours,but was probably only minutes later, Barton waltzed back into the interrogation room, dropping into the chair across from me. His smug expression set my teeth on edge, and I guessed they had Zoe in another room, her story now being dissected by Landon.

Barton leaned forward, his elbows on the table, a predator’s glint in his eyes. “Let’s cut the bullshit, Roman. I’ve got a grieving best friend and ten years of unanswered questions. Your wife’s talking to Landon now. This is your last chance to come clean before she rolls over on you and sings like a canary. So tell me—why did your wife come back to Montana, and why does the evidence repository conveniently burn to the ground the same night?”

I didn’t flinch. I leaned back in my chair, the calm certainty I’d clung to wrapping around me like armor. Meeting Barton’s glare head-on, I kept my voice level. “My wife didn’t do anything, and neither did I. You’re looking in the wrong direction.”

Barton’s lips twisted into a humorless smirk. “The wrong direction? Funny, because every thread I pull leads me back to Twisted Creek. To your father-in-law. To Zoe.”

He flipped open a file with deliberate precision, pulling out a photograph and sliding it across the table. The image of Missy hit me like a sucker punch, but I kept my face neutral as Barton continued.

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