Page 8 of Shadow

“What about that ex-husband of yours?”

She glared at Ripley. “Why are you still here?”

“I told you. I’m not leaving until I know you’re safe, and if someone tried to purposely set your bar on fire with you in it, you’re clearly not safe.”

There would be no arguing with the man right now, so she ignored him instead and focused on the captain and his questions.

“You’ve been through a lot tonight, ma’am. I don’t expect you to have all the answers. We’ll get a more detailed statement from you later. Right now, we just need the details you can remember. What is your security system like?”

She perked up. “All the footage is saved to a server off site. I’ll call my security guy and get you access. We have cameras on all the doors, including the back and one in the storage room.”

“That would be very helpful.” The captain nodded behind her. “Looks like your people are here. Why don’t you find a place to sit, and we’ll get you when we’re ready to talk. Call about that security footage while you wait.”

“Come on, Liv. Sit in the car. Call Peter.”

She rolled her eyes. It annoyed her that he assumed her security guy was Peter. Of course, it was Peter. Peter was the best. But he didn’t need to assume.

“My truck is here. I’ll sit in that.”

He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. “No, you won’t. I’m going to check your truck and make sure it’s safe. Go sit in Carrie’s car.”

He tossed her the keys.

“You never did tell me why you were driving it.”

“Because I took an Uber straight from the plane to Exposure, assuming you would be there since you weren’t answering my calls.”

She held up her phone. “Changed my number.”

“Hate me that much, do you?”

“I’m not having this conversation right now. You know I don’t hate you. I just don’t trust you. And I didn’t change my number because of you.”

Fuck. She shouldn’t have said that. Now he was going to want to know why she had changed it.

“It’s a long story I’m not willing to tell tonight,” she said when he opened his mouth.

She didn’t hate Cannon Ripley. Not by a long shot. But she’d spent too much time waiting for him in the last eight years, and she was done. It didn’t matter that her body still reacted to his very presence. She didn’t have the time to wait for him anymore.

“Keys to your truck, please. Unless you want me to break the lock.”

Since she was well aware that he could, and would do exactly that, she handed him her keys and headed for Carrie’s car where she sat in the front seat and dialed Peter Mercer’s number.

“Olivia!” A woman squealed in her ear. It wasn’t Carrie, but she recognized the voice.

“Darci? Why do you have Peter’s phone? How’s the baby?”

Darci giggled. “The baby is wonderful, but it’s nice to be out for the night. Peter has Carrie tied up and asked me to monitor his phone for him. I’ve ignored most of his calls but had to answer when I saw your name. What’s going on?”

“It’s a long story. Don’t interrupt him, but can you have him call me back as soon as he’s free? I need the security footage from my bar. Someone set it on fire on purpose.”

Chapter 3

OLIVIAwasexhaustedbythe time the fire department deemed the bar safe enough for her to see the damage.

“You can always wait until morning,” the captain said gently as they stood near the front entrance.

“No. I should get this over with.”

---