Page 44 of Claimed By a King

“What!” I snap at Slasher, who doesn’t take my attitude personally.

“Pigs are here. They want to speak to you.”

Motherfuckers. I wish they would fuck right off. I don’t want to deal with those pricks right now, but since I’m the man in charge, I have no fucking choice.

“Be down soon.” I hang up, not waiting for a response and take one last inhale of Zoe’s panties before slipping them under her pillow and finding myself some new fucking clothes to wear.

I take my sweet fucking time, and the inconvenience is written all over Detectives Caruso and Nelson’s faces when I finally grace them with my presence.

“Apologies for interrupting your very important work,” Detective Nelson snarls, and I shoot her a wink and a fucking cocky grin.

“Think nothing of it.”

Detective Caruso rolls his eyes but gets straight to the point.

“We are here about a murder across town. At the stables.”

Frowning, I flop down in one of the few chairs that wasn’t destroyed in the attack.

“What the fuck does that have to do with me?”

“Does the name Chris Brooks mean anything to you?” Caruso asks and I shake my head.

“Should it? Who’s Chris Brooks?”

Caruso and Nelson give each other a look before glancing back at me, and this time, Detective Nelson speaks.

“Chris Brooks is a riding trainer. One of the best in the state.”

“Do I look like someone who takes fucking pony lessons?” I snap, and Nelson shrugs.

“Not you, but maybe Zoe.”

My brows hitch and I shoot up from my seat. “What about Zoe?”

Once again, the two detectives share a look, and Caruso shrugs. “Do you know if she used to get horse riding lessons?”

“No.” I shake my head. “Zoe wasn’t the rider. Her little sister was.”

Caruso nods, like that’s the answer he wanted, and I fucking lose my patience.

“Would you tell me why the fuck you are asking about this?”

“Chris Brooks was Leslie’s riding teacher. Do you know why Zoe would have gone to see him?”

“What?” I ask at the same time Alana does, and she steps up to my side quickly.

I didn’t even know she was lingering.

“When did Zoe go to see him?” I snap, balling my fists as I try to hold myself back from shaking the information from the fucker.

Detective Caruso’s gaze darts between me and Alana briefly before he fucking answers.

“We believe she was there to see him last night.”

For a moment, air gets trapped in my lungs, and it’s Alana who fucking speaks for me.

“Zoe was seen last night? Why didn’t you tell us? We told you she’s been missing. Where is she now?”

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