Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I gaze back without flinching. I need him to know I’m not guilty, and I have nothing to hide. At least not about this case. I have a lot to hide in other areas.
“Step inside this room.” Senator Tracy tips his head toward the empty room beyond him, and we file in. Black Shirt follows and shuts the door behind us.
The senator shifts his glower to Anders. “Am I to understand you’re…dating my daughter?”
Anders shifts on his feet. “I’m not sure she would define it that way, but honestly, Senator, I’d give my left nut to have that be true.”
Gabe Tracy’s eyebrows pop.
Anders has a way of disarming people, and it seems his graphic confession worked because Melinda’s dad’s shoulders sag, and he scrubs a hand across his face.
“I just want you to know, Senator, that we’re going to find whoever did this to Melinda and make them pay,” I offer.
“He means bring them to justice,” Lara corrects me again, squeezing my hand.
I crack my neck. The perpetrator will experience my violence. Then I will bring them to justice.
“Do you know who did this?” Senator Tracy asks.
“I have ideas. And I have resources. We’ll find them.”
Black Shirt watches me steadily. I expect him to say something like, “Leave the detective work to me,” but he says nothing, so I plow forward.
“Who brought her to the hospital? Her roommate?”
“Campus security.” Black Shirt throws us an unexpected bone.
Leo and I exchange a glance. The security guard. It had to be him.
“The same guy who picked her up intact from Baranov House?” Leo asks.
Neither man answers.
“We’ll start there,” I say.
“You want to tell me your ideas?” the senator asks.
I hesitate. I don’t want to make accusations without proof, but guilt over what happened to Melinda eats at me. It happened because of me. Like Valentina, Melinda was an innocent caught in bratva crossfire. I scrub a hand across my face.
“Senator…it’s possible this was an elaborate set-up to get our house shut down. Choosing a high-profile target like your daughter ensured heads would roll. Not to mention, it brought an avalanche of pressure and negative press to the University. Do you happen to know who called the New York Times?”
“We’re looking into it,” Senator Tracy says. He frowns at me. “So your theory is this was all about you and your house?” Derision laces his voice. Like I’m some narcissist making his daughter’s tragedy about me.
I abandon sharing my thoughts and shake my head. “You’re right. I’m probably just being paranoid.”
“No, talk me through your theory,” Black Shirt demands. His back is against the wall, hands caged loosely at his lap. Whoever he is, it’s not some ordinary secret service. He’s definitely some kind of special ops guy who has the complete trust of the senator.
I draw in a breath. “My hope is that no one assaulted Melinda–just drugged her. People knew she frequented our house, and it may have been rumored that she and I had a physical relationship in the past. Drugging her during or just after our party would guarantee a shitstorm for me. The fact that it was Anders she hooked up with isn’t any better. If Melinda doesn’t remember what they did together at the party before she was drugged, Anders is in a world of trouble, and our house will probably be shut down–at least from having parties if not closed altogether.”
Gabe Tracy looks angry. “You’re telling me this might be some kind of house hazing situation?”
I look straight back at him. “I’m telling you I will destroy whoever was behind this. No one hurts my friends.”
The corners of Black Shirt’s lips turn up for a moment, and then his face goes blank again.
“And Melinda is your friend.” It’s a question, but his voice doesn’t rise at the end.
“Yes, sir.”
“Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen. You find who did this to my daughter and bring them to me.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you’d better pray your stories match Melinda’s when she wakes up, or you’re right–I will annihilate all of you.” He gives all four of us the stink eye before waving his hand toward the door. “Now get out.”
Chapter Nineteen
Lara
I wake at one in the afternoon. I’m hungry, and the bed is cold. I climb out and look for Baron. I hear his phone buzzing with a text and see it’s still on the nightstand. He must still be up here.
A cool breeze wafts through the room, and I realize the window is half open. When I walk over to shut it, I see Baron sitting outside on the roof in his tank top and a pair of jeans, his arms loosely draped over his drawn-up knees.
I push the window open, and he turns. “Lara.” His gaze appears haunted.
I climb out onto the gently-pitched tile roof, and he instantly reaches his hand out to steady me. “Are you okay?” he asks when I sink down beside him.