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For the first time today, I feel as guilty as I look. In all the chaos of the evening, I forgot one little detail. “He showed up to my work today,” I say hesitantly.
“And?”
“He wanted to come over later. He was convinced I still had something of his. But I told him no. Then he left.”
“He just left? There was no altercation between the two of you?” the detective asks, doubt lacing his voice.
I swallow. “We had words. And then he asked me to slap him.”
“Millie!” Connor shouts, but I’m too ashamed to look at him. I know, it doesn’t look good for me.
“He asked you to slap him?” The detective draws out each of his words, his brows furrowing to an intimidating line.
I squirm in my seat. So this is how they get people to talk. Impressive.
“Okay,” I say, summoning my best internal A-list actress to sell my innocence since my natural reactions thus far have painted me as one hundred percent guilty. “This is how it went down. He came in and started yelling at me. He was scaring me. And then he said, and I quote, ‘I put up with you for two years, the least you can do is give me something.’ Now I ask you, Detective…”
Connor groans, clearly not impressed by how much I picked up on while watching him prep for court cases.
“What do you think Justin deserved?” I finish my statement, conceding the floor to him.
The detective rubs his chin thoughtfully but doesn’t say a word. I can practically hear the thoughts of everyone else in the room though. Connor wants me to shut my mouth, but I’m only doing what the detective wants and telling the truth. Maddie is silently applauding me for standing up for myself, why thank you, I’m learning. And Caleb, well, his thoughts are harder to read, but with his clenched fists under the table, and the anger rolling off of him in waves, I think he’s wishing he could bring Justin back to life so he can hit him again. He’s so hot when he’s protective.
“Can anyone corroborate this...story?” The detective finally asks.
“The whole salon,” I say at the same time Caleb says, “I can.”
I whirl on him, but he avoids my gaze like an expert…avoider?
“I was outside the salon. I didn’t hear the discussion but saw her tell him to leave.”
“You were following me?” I hiss.
“You were following her?” everyone else in the room repeats.
“Why?” I ask.
Caleb clears his throat. “That information is classified.”
The detective raises his brows high with suspicion. “And you say you saw her tell him to leave?”
“I can read lips.” Caleb shifts in his seat.
The detective grunts and moves on. But my brain is far from “moved on.” Why was Caleb following me? Though I circle quickly back to the fact that he can read lips. Is that true, or is it only my lips that entice him?
“Miss Quinn?” the detective says, and I realize with a start that he’s asked me something and everyone in the room is waiting for the answer.
I swallow. “Repeat the question.”
“What was Justin looking for?” the detective asks slowly, enunciating every word and syllable.
I take a deep breath. “He wanted the engagement ring he gave me.”
“Did he say why he needed it?”
I clear my throat and tell him what Justin told me. “He said he was in trouble at work. He was probably hoping to pawn it for a couple of bucks.”
The detective jots this down and out of the corner of my eye, I see Caleb taking notes on his phone as well.