Page 105 of Whispers of You
Holt trailed a hand up and down my spine. “How long will it take to run?”
“County’s rushing it to the front of the line. We’re running the handgun to see if that matches Gretchen and Mrs. McHenry. Hopefully, we’ll get a report tomorrow,” Nash said.
“Good.” Holt’s jaw was hard as he stared at Joe. There was no sympathy in his gaze, but it didn’t look like there was relief either.
The door to the interrogation room opened, and Lawson stepped inside, a man in an ill-fitting suit trailing behind him. “Joe, this is your court-appointed attorney, Mr. Cushing. Your parents agreed to let us question you—”
“Don’t answer anything unless I tell you to,” the attorney said.
Joe simply scowled at them both and crossed his arms. “You can both jump off a cliff.”
Lawson sighed as he sat. “What were you doing at Wren Williams’ cabin tonight?”
“Don’t answer that,” Mr. Cushing said and then turned to Lawson. “Mr. Sullivan wasn’t even on Ms. Williams’ property.”
“But he was on private property. At the location where a shooting took place recently.”
Mr. Cushing arched a brow. “Is Mr. Sullivan under arrest for trespassing then?”
Lawson’s jaw hardened. “I can add that to the list.”
Mr. Cushing’s mouth pulled down in a frown. “That’s a fine. Not jail time. Release the boy to his parents.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible. I’ll be holding Joe for the full seventy-two hours. Or until the ballistics come back on the handgun in his possession and the rifle we found in his trunk.”
All the color drained from Joe’s face as his gaze jumped back and forth between the two men.
“This interview is over,” Mr. Cushing said curtly. “You can hold my client, but he won’t be speaking with you. I, however, would like a word with him in private. Please clear the room and observation.”
Joe jolted at that, his gaze going to the two-way mirror. I swore those dark eyes looked right into mine as if he could tell that I was there.
A tear slid down my cheek. So many lives destroyed. And for what?
* * *
Holt rolledme into him as I burrowed under the covers. I went without protest, craving the warmth that hummed beneath his skin.
“Talk to me,” he said, lips skimming over my hair.
“Can’t get warm.”
“Cricket…” He hauled me gently on top of him so we were front-to-front. More of that warmth, thatlifeseeped into me.
“I was so scared something would happen to you tonight.”
So scared that I would lose him.
Holt’s fingers trailed along the ridges in my spine. “I hate that I put you through that.”
“I’ve been so scared to make that final leap. So terrified that you’d leave, or something would happen.”
Holt’s hand slipped under my T-shirt, the rough pads of his fingertips sending a cascade of tingles across my skin. “Just because you haven’t said the words doesn’t mean you haven’t made the leap.”
But not saying the words was my last wall of protection. The thing I thought would save me if everything fell apart. Only it wouldn’t. Grae’s voice danced in my mind, talking about missing out because I was too scared of the pain that might come. But that pain would come no matter what. And living my life in half measures would only heap regret on top of it.
I sat up, straddling Holt, my oversized T-shirt pooling around me. I stared down at the man who I’d known in every incarnation growing up. I’d worried there would be too much time lost between us now—that I wouldn’t know him anymore. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
I would always know Holt. Sometimes, better than I knew myself. Because I knew his soul. The very core of him. The trappings of that soul might change, but the soul itself never would.
