Page 44 of Loved

"Besides, if it's someone I know, it'll ring." And I didn’t have many contacts in my phone anymore. I’d gone through and deleted a bunch of people with Dr. Clark’s help. It started with my dealer and went on from there. I turned back to the T.V. and grabbed a screwdriver.

"Speaking of people we know...” Penny’s voice trailed off.

I turned around to look at her.

“I was wondering if I could hang out with Melissa tonight?"

We had gone to Penny’s dorm room this morning and grabbed a few things. But Melissa had been in class. I was pretty sure they’d been texting, but it was different hearing about all this in person. Like the fact that Penny was moving out of their shared dorm and into my apartment.

I set the screwdriver down. "You know that you don't have to ask me permission." But maybe she thought she did. Because I hadn’t let her go to classes today, despite her saying she wanted to. I was trying to protect her. But there was a difference between protecting her and controlling her.

"I know. I just wanted to make sure it was okay." She glanced toward the window.

Yeah, I was protecting her from the shit show outside. Penny wasn’t used to reporters following her around, demanding to talk to her. Even though she said she wantedto go to class this morning, I knew she was nervous about all of this. And if she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the apartment, there was no reason for her to.

I cleared my throat. "Well, how about you just invite her over here?"

"Are you sure that's okay?" She looked relieved.

"Of course." I smiled and turned back to the T.V. mount. Now how the fuck did this thing attach to the T.V.?

"Do you want my help with that?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure I can figure it out." I picked up the instruction booklet off the floor and turned the page.

My phone started to ring.

I glanced down at the screen. "It's just the front desk,” I said to Penny and then quickly answered. "Hunter."

“Mr. Hunter,” Ben said. “There are two men here who say they were sent by Joe Vespelli.”

"Regarding what?"

There was an awkward pause. “I made sure they weren’t with the media. They say they’re detectives. They’re here to see Penny Taylor. For an interview?”

I tried my best not to stare at Penny. "Do you mind putting them on the phone for a second?" I shoved my free hand into my pocket, turned away from Penny, and walked toward the kitchen.

“Hello, James, this is Detective Tim Reed. I’m here to speak to Penny Taylor regarding what happened in your class.”

"It was my understanding that she wouldn't be included in this."

“Well, then you must have understood wrong.”

"We've already disclosed our relationship to Joe. If you have any other questions then I'd recommend discussing them with..."

“My instructions have come straight from Joe.”

What the fuck, Joe?I removed my hand from my pocket and ran my fingers through my hair. I wanted to tell him to get the hell out of my apartment building. But I knew that would just make things worse. It was better to get this over with. "Fine. Please put Ben back on the phone."

“Do you want me to send them up?” Ben asked.

"Yes, go ahead and let them up. For future visitors please tell them I am out of town until further notice."

“Of course.”

I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the kitchen counter. Seriously, what the fuck? Penny didn’t need to be part of the investigation. We’d already told Joe everything.Unless…I sighed. Unless someone had told them something during another interview that had them questioning what we’d already disclosed. The first person that popped into my head was Tyler. It was a shame that I’d only broken his nose and not his jaw. I heard Penny’s footsteps behind me.

"James?" she said quietly.

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