Page 31 of Silverstorm

“Open up, it’s the police. We know you’re in there.”

That was Brady’s voice. Jude recognized it, even in his half-asleep state.

“Whaaa…?” Aria sat up in a daze, the blankets falling away to reveal her pale breasts, partially covered by her sleep-tangled hair.

“Stay here,” he commanded, already swinging his legs out of the bed.

The banging got louder, and Brady said, “If you don’t open this door, we’ll be forced to break it down.”

What the fuck was going on? Jude pulled on his trousers as he stumbled past the couch. He had no time to grab his shirt as he yanked open the door, letting a blast of freezing morning air in. Brady stood on the doorstep, flanked by four other officers, all with that serious, blank cop stare on their faces that didn’t bode well.

“What the fuck, Brady?” Jude said.

“We have a warrant to search this premises,” Brady ground out, his gaze flicking around the interior of the cottage before finally coming to rest on Jude.

“Let me see it.” Jude held out his hand and Brady placed the paperwork in his palm. He felt at a disadvantage standing there in only his trousers, chest bare, but he squared his shoulders and looked the detective directly in the eye.

“It’s all there in black and white, Wilder.” Brady beckoned his men inside, pushing past Jude into the small living area.

“What are you looking for?” But even as Jude asked, he knew he wouldn’t get an answer. Some other cops might’ve given him the professional courtesy of giving him at least the bare details, but not Brady.

Jude wanted to smash that small, smug smile off the detective’s clean-shaven face. He was so angry, it felt like his guts were full of boiling lava. What were they looking for? Something must’ve happened overnight, some new evidence come to light that made Brady suspect Aria was indeed involved.

Jude walked over and snagged his shirt from the floor beside the couch, but didn’t have time to put it on before Aria emerged in her doorway, wrapped in a sheet.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

The smile on Brady’s face only got more smug as his eyes came to rest on Aria.

Jude was in front of her in a shot, shielding her from view with his body.

“Come and get dressed,” he said, leading her by the arm into the bedroom and shutting the door.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered. “What are they looking for? Why are they doing this?” She pulled on a pair of jeans and an old sweater as she spoke; her other clothes were still where they’d dropped them beside the couch.

“I wish I knew.” He stopped doing up his belt and went over and gathered her up in his arms. “I’m sorry this is happening to you. But I will get to the bottom of it, I promise.”

She melted into him for a moment, receiving his proffered comfort, before she straightened and pushed her hair out of her face.

“Whatever they’re looking for, they’re not going to find it. I had nothing to do with either my father’s murder, or my sister's and her husband’s abduction and death.”

“I know you didn’t,” he replied. And he believed her with all of his heart.

There was a bang on the bedroom door. “Hurry up in there. If you don’t open the door, I’m sending in an officer, whether you’re dressed or not.”

Jude took one more look at Aria to make sure she was decent before he stalked over and opened the door, glaring at Brady who stood on the other side, impassive.

He finished putting on his shirt and buckling his belt; then he perched on the edge of the bed, Aria beside him, and together they read the search warrant. Suddenly, he surged to his feet.

“This says you have the right to search my house, as well.” Jude stormed out of the bedroom, waving the paperwork in Brady’s face.

“That’s right.” Brady’s eyes went ice cold. “And you’d better not get in my way.” The other four police officers were turning the small, cozy cottage upside down. Searching every drawer in the kitchen, opening every cupboard, ripping the cushions off the couch, tipping the chairs upside down, even crawling beneath the table.

What the hell was going on? Was he a suspect now? Or if Aria was the main suspect, did they think she’d left some sort of clue or evidence in his house? But she’d never even been into his house.

Jude retrieved his phone from his jacket pocket and took it back to the bedroom, where one of the cops was now going through the dresser drawers. He could take Aria outside, or into his house, so she didn’t have to witness this ruination, but he wanted to be here to make sure everything went by the book, and if they did find something—God forbid—that he was here to see it.

Aria looked at him wide-eyed, a hint of hysteria in the curve of her lips. He wrapped an arm around her waist and tucked her under his shoulder.