Page 95 of His to Protect

Chapter 21

Trina

It was after breakfast the next day, after Declan took a call from Tyson and the local police officer working the case, and after he’d made a phone call to Gabriella checking in on the status of Boomer. Declan had told me to sit down, eat, and take a load off, and that he’d take care of everything, which he did, and then he turned to me.

“If you’re full and ready, we need to talk.”

I took a sip of my coffee. “Okay.”

“First, Blue spoke to the vet hospital this morning and Boomer is still sedated, but he’s going to be fine.” A forceful breath left my lips, loosening a tightness in my chest.

“Oh my God,” I gasped, and pressed my hands to my chest. Tears stung my eyes, but I fought them back. “Can I see him?”

Declan nodded. “Later today we can go in, but he’s going to have to stay at the hospital for a few more days so they can keep an eye on him.”

I didn’t hear anything after “later.” My dog was okay. Kevin hadn’t hurt him too badly. I pressed my lips together and swallowed to get rid of my tears.

“First, though, we have to head to the police station so you can give your statement about what happened yesterday.”

I flashed him wide eyes. “I do?”

“They just need to know what happened before we got there, and I’ll be there with you.”

My brow furrowed. “Do you have to give a statement?”

“Told them everything I could while you were sleeping in the hospital.”

He reached out and slid his hand to my neck and squeezed. Immediately, my pulse began to slow. “I still can’t believe this is happening. What did Tyson mean yesterday about the embezzlement charges?”

In all the mayhem, I’d completely forgotten about all that. Not that it was high on my priority list by any means, but I was still curious.

“That was one of the things Tyson told me he’d uncovered, that some men were looking for Kevin. It was all started very quietly, so he didn’t become suspicious, but I suspect that along with the suicide, that this will be public knowledge soon.”

“Public knowledge,” I muttered and once again my heart began racing. “Public? As in media?”

“Relax, sweetheart. Nothing will harm you. I won’t let them.”

“But the media. Senator Morgenson. Oh my God. Are there reporters here?”

I’d seen what happened when someone connected with a public official caused a scandal. That Kevin died would make all of this so much worse.

Declan’s lip twisted and he cursed. “His father has been notified and, last I heard, he’s on his way here.”

My hand flew to my chest. “No.”

“We can keep you from them as long as possible.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. “I can’t see them.”

“We’ll hold that off for as long as possible.”

Several moments passed with us staring at each other, me freaking out slightly, Declan calmly taking my pulse and measuring my reaction.

“Is that it?” I asked once I calmed down and decided to trust him. If Declan said he’d protect me from Senator Morgenson, I believed him.

He smiled. “Vet visits, police-station visits, reporters and in-laws heading into town?”

“Well when you put it like that…”

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