Page 49 of Lone Wolf in Lights
Eli took the paper and reviewed the contents, making sure they were correct. He then signed and dated it before returning it to the officer.
“We’re all good here for now,” the officer said. “I’ll reach out if there is anything further. You’re free to go.”
Eli nodded his thanks and walked out of the interrogation room. Harris met him out in the hallway and then showed Eli the way out. He was talking, but Eli couldn’t hear anything past the thoughts battering his mind.
Once outside, with Harris not following Eli out, the cool evening air brushed against his skin, a stark contrast to the stifling confines he’d just left. Jaxon and Gunner were there waiting, leaning against Jaxon’s pickup, expressions somber.
“All right?” Jaxon inquired, his voice calm and steady.
“No,” Eli answered.
Gunner pushed off the truck and approached, placing a comforting hand on Eli’s shoulder. “Want to talk about it?”
He swallowed hard. “No.”
“Eli,” Jaxon started, reaching out to place a hand on his other shoulder.
“Don’t.” Eli shrugged them off. He turned away from his friends and started walking toward his truck. He didn’t look back. He didn’t want to see the emotion in their eyes. He just needed to get to his truck, parked up ahead, and drive away from this goddamn mess.
The air in The Naked Moose was thick with tension, and Willow couldn’t make sense out of anything that happened. The police asked the rest of the women in the group to leave the bar after they got their statements. Charly and Aubrey began throwing out the crafts, keeping the ones that were salvageable. From Willow’s spot at a table, she watched as Amie gave her report on the other side of the bar to a female detective, while the paramedic administered first aid to Willow’s cut hands.
“I’m not seeing any glass in here,” the paramedic said, drawing Willow’s attention. “It’s up to you if you’d like to go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine,” Willow said, wincing as he wiped the small cuts with an antiseptic wipe.
The paramedic gave her a firm nod. “All right, let me just bandage your hands up for you.”
When the paramedic finished with ointment followed up by bandages, the female police officer came over to Willow, taking a seat next to her at the table.
“Ms. Quinn, right?” the woman with the tight brown bun and sharp blue eyes asked.
“Yes, that’s me,” Willow replied.
“I’m Detective Nelson,” she said, pen poised over a piece of paper. “I’ve got Amie’s report, but I’d like to get yours too, if that’s all right.” Her tone was professional yet tinged with empathy. “Can you tell me what happened?”
Willow nodded again and drew in a shaky breath, her chest tight. “Buck—he arrived,” she began, sure not to leave a detail out. Her words came out in a rush, laced with the sickness that swirled in her stomach at Buck’s rage.
The officer nodded solemnly, writing down her account. “I’m sorry this happened,” she said when Willow finished. “Buck is currently at the hospital under police watch but he’ll be taken back to the station and arrested on a slew of charges.”
Willow glanced over at Amie who was now helping clean up, her gray eyes meeting Willow’s with a silent strength. At least she’d be safe now. And possibly would be for a while if Buck ended up in jail.
“Thank you,” Willow said, looking to Detective Nelson again. “And Eli?” Her breath hitched.
“Mr. Cole? What about him?”
“He... He was defending me. I know how it looks, but Eli isn’t violent. He saw Buck standing over me being violent, he just...reacted. His sister was murdered by her abusive ex. He’s not like Buck. Please, he was only trying to help. He shouldn’t suffer for protecting someone. For protecting me.”
Detective Nelson gave a small nod, the lines around her eyes softening. “We’ll take his statement too. Self-defense is taken seriously, Miss Quinn.”
“Thank you,” she whispered in relief. The last thing she wanted was Eli arrested. She turned her gaze toward the bar, where all the crafts lay strewn across the floor, and her heart shattered.
All their hard work. Just gone.
“Is there anything else you can tell me that might help with the investigation?” Detective Nelson asked.
Willow shook her head, glancing back to her. “No, there’s nothing else.”
“All right then. We’ll be at the station if you remember anything else. And we’ll make sure both you and Amie are safe tonight,” she assured her, closing her notepad with a soft snap.
