Page 17 of Bear With Me
I tell him about my date with Sullivan, regret once again rising up like bile in my stomach. “I was at my place, alone, by ten until I left for work this morning.”
“According to the M.E. she was killed around seven in another location and then dumped behind your place. Ms. Thomas confirmed your alibi so we aren’t holding you or charging you for anything. Just trying to get all the facts.”
“Are you interviewing all the residents with cabins in the area, or just me?” The question gnaws at my stomach.
“Considering what happened to your father and the similarities between that case and this one we had to be sure.”
That’s what I was afraid of. “I understand, T.J. Like I said, I want to do whatever I can to help. Do you need anything else?”
“That’s it for now, but just stay close in case we have any more questions.”
“Of course.” I get to my feet and accept T.J.’s hand for a quick shake.
The interview, surprisingly, is the easiest part. What I’m dreading is waiting in the lobby. I take a step forward and she immediately comes to my side, wrapping her arms around my waist like I hadn’t just been brought in for questioning about a vicious murder.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she says into the material of my shirt. “I knew you couldn’t have anything to do with it, but they wouldn’t let me call you and I still haven’t found my cell phone. Are you okay? What did they do?”
Carefully, I disentangle her arms and put a careful distance between us. I offer her an uneasy smile. “I’m sorry to put you through this, Sullivan. It won’t happen again.”
Her dark ponytail has snarls in it and the shirt she’s wearing is wrinkled. There’s a faint red stain on the curve of her neck and my eyes latch onto it. She brings a hand to the spot, rubbing it self-consciously.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “They haven’t let me leave yet and there was b-blood everywhere.”
I squeeze my eyes closed in an attempt to control my temper. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. This was not your fault.”
“I was so scared.”
“You won’t have to be scared again,” I tell her. Suzanna Thomas clears her throat behind Sullivan, her pantsuit is flawless and there isn’t a hair out of place. She was like that on the night we first met, too. I take her hint and put more distance between us.
Sullivan’s brows crease. “What are you doing?”
“I meant what I said, Sully. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other again.”
She brings her eyes to mine, staring up at me in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Even though Suzanna’s mouth pinches, I lean forward and press a kiss to Sully’s brow. “Ask your grandmother.”
Sully glances back and forth between us as I straighten and move away from her. “What does she have to do with anything?”
“I’m sorry,” I say again. “Take care.”
Then I leave without looking back.
chapter seven
SULLY
Afew days later, I still haven’t forgiven Nonna for not answering any of my burning questions. She hasn’t said a word about the matter since we left the police station. Once Sam learned about the whole ordeal he hasn’t done anything but hover around me. At home, in between classes at school. No matter how many scathing words I fling at him, I can’t seem to shake his new found hobby of shadowing me.
I grab a jug of orange juice from the fridge and bump into Sam who was standing behind me. I screech and whirl around. “That’s it. I’m done with this, Sam. I’ve told you a million times that I don’t need you to follow me around.”
“A girl was murdered, Sully.” He holds up a hand when I open my mouth to object to his use of my nickname. “I’ll damn well follow you if I have to put a tracking device under your skin.”
“Don’t be morbid. The people at the Chronicle are saying it was just an animal attack.”
“That’s because the cops don’t have any other leads. Until they find the human or animal responsible, you’re just going to have to live with your new bodyguard.”
I groan and put the orange juice away after pouring myself a glass. “Fine, but can you keep at least a ten-foot distance between us? I’m tired of your girlfriend wannabes thinking I’m some sort of competition.”