Page 24 of Devour
Despite her lack of ornamentation, she gives off an alpha female vibe. My chest starts to beat a fast staccato; I am almost certain they can hear it.
“Miss”. .. the officer begins his voice firm but not unkind. He glances down at a clipboard, confirming my name. Miss lane
“Yes.”
“I’m officer Sam and he gestures at the woman beside him, this is detective Bianca,” I nodded.
“We’d like to ask you a few questions about the shooting at Eden’s nightclub. May we come in?”
My mouth goes dry. Luca’s warning about what will happen if I blab to the police is still fresh in my mind, I swallow hard, glancing at the woman beside him.
She hasn’t said a word yet, but she doesn’t need to. Her stare is razor-sharp—clinical and unreadable, like she’s dissecting me without laying a finger.
“I—I don’t work there anymore,” I say quickly, voice a bit too shaky. “I quit. A few days ago.”
“That may be,” the woman speaks for the first time, her tone calm but firm, “but we believe you were present during the shooting. We’re trying to piece together what happened, and your name came up.”
“Well, I didn’t see anything. I was in the…” I almost say the VIP room but catch myself.
“Bathroom.” No way am I letting them start asking who I was with. That would only make them dig deeper. Just then, a sleek black car glides by. I know it’s one of Luca’s men; it distracts me for a second too long.
“Miss Lane, are you alright?” the officer asks, following my gaze down the street.
“I’m fine,” I say quickly, forcing a smile as I try to draw his attention back. “As you can see, I was just heading out for a jog.”
I step out onto the porch, subtly putting more distance between us. “So, I won’t be able to invite you in.” The detective narrows her eyes, studying my face like she can see right through the lie.
“And I’m really fine,” I add, flashing one of my fake smiles.
She doesn’t look convinced
“Are you being—” she starts, but I cut her off.
“No,” I say too fast. “I mean… no, I’m not being threatened. Or anything like that.”
Her gaze sharpens. I can feel her peeling back layers I didn’t even know I was wearing. I shift on my feet, heart racing, heat crawling up the back of my neck.
“I just want to move on,” I mumble. “The whole thing really shook me up. I’d rather not relive it.”
The officer exchanges a glance with the detective. I hate how silent their communication is, like they already know I’m hiding something.
“We understand,” the officer says gently. “But if you do remember anything, or if you feel unsafe, you can call us. Anytime.”
He hands me a card. The detective doesn’t speak again. She just gives me one last, hard look before they turn and walk back to their car. I let out a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding when they drove off.
I quickly lock my door. The police gave me a few minutes’ head start before Luca’s men circle back. I jog toward the park, constantly glancing over my shoulder to make sure I’m not being followed.
My pulse pounds in my ears as I break into a light jog around the perimeter of the park, scanning for anything suspicious.
At the far end, I spot a taxi idling near the curb just as a woman steps out. Without thinking, I rush toward it and slide into the backseat, slamming the door shut behind me.
“Ashgrove Medical,” I gasp out to the driver, voice shaky and uneven.
He catches the name and nods, turning his head slightly to glance at me, one hand still on the wheel.
“Are you okay, ma’am? You look a little… shaken.”
“I’m fine,” I lie, trying to steady my breathing. “Just… out of breath from jogging.”
