Page 65

“Peter?” Phoenix’s gaze volleyed between the two of us for a moment before he finally cocked his head slightly to the side and asked, “Why Peter?”

“Just trust me,” I begged, really needing him to follow my lead on this and not hound me with a thousand fucking questions.

I knew what I was doing and if my gut was spot on, then Karl had best get ready for what was coming.

We all should.

Especially Charlotte.

“Fine, man.” Phoenix rubbed tiredly at his eyes and blew out a breath. “We’ll talk to him if that’s what you want. But first, let’s go find out what the hell is going on.”

We fell in step with each other, approaching Charlotte, Captain Burgess, Chief, and Peter, who were huddled outside of the front door, listening to Charlotte as she spoke.

“I just don’t understand how Karl could do something like this.”

She frantically shook her head as she stared desperately between the three of them, her jaw trembling.

“He loves animals. We never had any pets because I’m super allergic to pet dander, but STILL!” She paused and heaved in a much-needed breath, more tears dotting over her broken, blue orbs. “This just doesn’t make any sense. He wouldn’t do something like this. He-he couldn’t have…”

Her voice cracked, and instantly my jaw tightened when Peter quickly wrapped his arms around her, holding on tight as she began sobbing into his chest, clinging to him.

Now is not the time for jealousy, Spike.

“You were right,” she wept, her face one huge, blubbering mess as she peered guiltily up at Peter. “I should’ve listened to you, and I’m so, so fucking sorry I didn’t. I’m so sorry, Peter. Please forgive me.”

“What happens now?” Phoenix asked first, looking to Chief and then Captain Burgess.

“I have a team on the way to pick Karl up for questioning. We’ll hold him long enough so that Burgess and I can do a little digging inside his financial records and review the data stored inside his ankle monitor. If there’s anything there proving he did this, then, he’s done.”

“And if there isn’t?” Charlotte’s tender voice rasped out.

Chief sighed heavily, but he didn’t lie to her. “Then we’ll have no choice but to release him. I know you mean well, Charlotte. You’re such a good person, and I cannot express how sorry I am for everything you’re going through, but I’m sorry. I simply cannot stand back and let you continue refusing protection when it’s obvious you need it.”

Charlotte surprisingly didn’t argue. “I understand, Chief. Whatever you have to do, just do it. I don’t care how many cops you post outside of my house or for how long. Just make sure that bastard doesn’t get this close to me again.”

“I’m an idiot,” Charlotte mumbled thirty minutes later, wiping the tears out of her eyes as she sat on her couch, Peter right beside her. Captain and Chief were long gone and aside from Phoenix, Peter, and of course, myself; there were two units posted outside Charlotte’s house at this very moment.

“I can’t believe he’d cut my camera lines, slaughter an innocent animal, wrap it like it’s a fucking gift, and then deliver it on my doorstep. It’s just… Sick!”

Her body uncomfortably squirmed in her seat, pulling away fast when Peter tried to grab her hand.

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this right now. I-I think I’m gonna go upstairs and take a shower.”

“Would you like me to make you some coffee?” Peter asked, looking nervous as he stood and raised a red and severely peeling hand toward the kitchen.

Jesus Christ.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

“Might as well,” she answered with an indignant scoff. “There’s no way in hell I’m sleeping tonight. Not after that.”

She said nothing more and rushed upstairs, leaving Phoenix and I alone with exactly who I was eager to speak to.

“Peter,” I said, trailing behind him and casually leaning against the kitchen island when I made it there.

I watched as he fetched a pair of gloves out his back pocket and put them on. He then grabbed a bag of expresso beans and dumped them in their slot inside the machine.

“Yeah?” he asked, but it was hard to talk thanks to him carelessly pressing a button that made the machine whir to life, grinding up the beans.