Page 38 of Head Over Feels
Isquinted at him.Icould tell a brush-off whenIheard one. “Uhhuh.”
“Youtold the detectives you’d received other packages that look like the one the bomb was in?”
“Yeah, but after the first one turned out to be a glitter bomb,Ididn’t open any of the others.They’reall in my apartment.”Crap,Isaw where he was going with this.Iblinked away the memory ofCaltossing a box casually toward the stack of the rest of them the other night.Ishivered.
“We’llneed your keys.We’regoing to have a bomb-sniffing dog check them out.”
“Sure,”Isaid numbly.Idug in my pocket for my keys and handed them over.Hethanked me and trotted away.
DetectiveCallahansaid, “Doyou have anywhere you can stay tonight?”Heglanced at the house behind us. “Iwouldn’t recommend staying here, since the bomber knows where it is.”
Andthey knew where my apartment was.Crap. “Ihave somewhere we can go.”Malcolmwould need a place to stay as well.AndMariposa; he wouldn’t leave her behind.Will,Cole, andJasonwouldn’t mind hosting all three of us.
“Felix,”DetectiveCallahantugged my sleeve.He’dprobably been trying to get my attention.
“Sorry, what?”
“We’realso going to need your phone to check for tracking devices or apps.”
Iguessed that made more sense than somebody physically following me around all day.
Callahanheld open a plastic bag andIdropped my phone inside.Hewrote down the passcode and assured me they had a charging cable.
“We’lltry to get it back to you today,” he told me. “Wouldyou be able to come to the station this afternoon?We’llneed to get a more detailed statement from you, including everything you know about your stalkers.”
“Sure.”Willwould let me borrow his truck,Iwas certain.
“Okay,I’mgoing to have a tech take your fingerprints so we can exclude them.Canyou come with me?”
Ifollowed him over to whereMalcolmwas sitting.
“Oh, hey.”IstoppedCallahan. “CanIgetMalcolm’scane?Itwent under my car.Heneeds it to walk.”
Callahangrimaced. “It’llhave bomb residue on it, so it’ll be evidence.We’regoing to need your clothes as well when we’re done here.”
Igroaned.MaybeMalcolmcould lend me some sweats or something.
Callahantapped his pen on his notepad. “IfMalcolmdoesn’t have a spare cane,Iknow he used to have some crutches.Someonecan go in the house and get them.”
Wewent over toMalcolm, who was massaging his leg.Hegave me a relieved smile.
“How’syour leg?Oh, can you hear again?”Iasked.
Hegrunted. “Hearing’smostly back.Leghurts like a bitch butIdon’t need an x-ray.It’sjust a bruise and pulled muscles.”Helooked back up at me. “Youokay?Youwere upset earlier.”
Ishook my head. “Everythingcatching up with meIthink.”Thecrime scene tech—Iguessed, no one introduced us—came up and took our fingerprints.
DetectivePalmer’s—Amy’s—partner came up and squeezedMalcolm’sshoulder.Malcolmwaved him off in an irritated manner. “Felix, this isFoster.DetectiveWalkoviacif you want to get fancy about it.”Ah.Malcolm’sbest friend andCraig’sboyfriend.
Inodded atFoster.Hesaid, “I’llescort you into the house.Ican getMal’scrutches, andI’llcollect your clothes.Oncewe have the crutchesI’llhaveMalcome in and change as well.”
Malcolmtold me whereIcould find some spare shorts along with a t-shirt and flip-flops.Itwas strange, poking through his drawers and closet, especially withFosterwatching.
ThismorningMalcolmhad been so awkward with me, probably worriedI’dread more into last night than he did.ButnowIunderstood how precious and fragile my time was.Whatthe heck was wrong with wanting a connection like we’d had last night to mean something?
Resolvingto ponder that later whenIwas alone,Iquickly got undressed.Fosterhad me deposit my clothes and shoes into a big plastic bag he then sealed and wrote on.Igot to keep my underwear, thankfully.
Iwas leaning over to pull on the shorts whenFostersaid, “Ouch!”.Istraightened swiftly to see what was wrong, but he was pointing at my shoulder.
