Page 61 of Closer Than You Know

He turned to find Suri waiting in the door of his office. She looked like a little girl who’d been sent to the principal’s office.

“We’re ready to talk calmly now.”

“All right.” He sent another look at Myra.

“You’ve got this, Sheriff,” his assistant whispered.

He chuckled. “Maybe.” He went back into his office and closed the door. When he’d resumed his seat, he gestured for whichever one wanted to start to do so.

“It was me,” Suri said. “I couldn’t go through that again. He’d tormented me for too long already. I’m ready to make an official statement.”

“I want to give a witness statement,” Eve echoed.

“I’ll have Myra come in to assist with any questions you have. You’ll each handwrite your statements, and Myra will witness the documents, and I’ll enter them into the case file and contact the DA to see how we’re going to move forward.”

Both nodded their understanding. Bent exited the room once more and explained the situation to his assistant, though he figured she’d already heard most of the details. The conversations hadn’t exactly been quiet, and the walls in this place were thin.

“I’ll take care of it.” Myra gathered what she needed and disappeared into his office.

Bent collapsed into one of the chairs facing Myra’s desk. This had been one hell of a long day, and it wasn’t even half over yet.

The door from the corridor swung open, and Vee burst in.

He’d wondered when she would show up. “Hey, Vee.”

“Where are they?” she demanded, anger or fear—maybe a little of both—in her voice.

“They’re writing their statements.”

She dropped into the chair next to him. “Well damn.”

He turned to her. “I assume you knew about this?”

She blinked. “Knew about what?”

“Give it a rest, Vee.” He chuckled, rubbed at his eyes. “Both Eve and Suri have confessed to killing Gates.” The look of horror on her face had him wishing he’d couched the news a little better. “I’ve advised them on the consequences either way they go. With that in mind, they’ve decided Suri is the one who will confess, and Eve will back up her statement as a witness since she was there.”

Relief slumped Vee’s shoulders.

He almost hated to ask the question burning in his brain, but he’d never be able to survive the day without at least inquiring. “Seriously, did you know about this?”

She considered the question at length. Damn, how long did it take to say yes or no?

“I think I would be wise to take the Fifth on that one.”

He laughed, a dry sound. “I think I’d probably do the same.”

Vee sank deeper into the chair. “She’s a victim, Bent. She shouldn’t have to go through a trial.”

“I’m with you,” he confirmed. “I really don’t think that will happen. It’s a clear-cut case of self-defense. According to Suri, that PI—Teresa Russ—has a whole list of other women he abused. Going through all that would be a major waste of resources. It doesn’t hurt that our new DA is a woman. I think Suri and Eve will be okay.”

“Good.” Vee relaxed visibly. “This has been a hell of a day,” she said, echoing his earlier thought.

“And it’s far from over,” he noted. “Heard from your friend who’s headed this way?”

Vee didn’t look at him, just held up her phone to display a text message. “Eric says he’ll be here by four.”

Eric.Bent hated that the man’s name got under his skin, but he couldn’t restrain the reaction.

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