Page 63 of See You There

The detective’s mouth twisted cynically. “Leaks happen everywhere, and there was a lot of money involved at that casino. There are other considerations. The people who were there, the outfit backing it…”

Luke’s dark brows met between his eyes. “Why is that an issue?” Uneasiness spread through his stomach as multiple possibilities ran through his head. None of them were good.

“You know I can’t discuss an open investigation.”

Fuck!He should have expected that turning over the photos would make her a target.

If Dahlia was, in fact, the target.

On the ride to the police station, it had occurred to Luke that Courtney and Chris had reason to want him dead. Chris had implied as much in his email. He frowned. These events seemed haphazard, amateur. With their resources, Chris and Courtney would most likely hire a professional.

There was a knock at the door, and when the detective opened it, James stood there with a grim face.

“Dahlia—”

“She’s fine. Just finished her interview. I thought I’d sit in on the rest of yours.”

An overwhelming need to get Dahlia some place safe hit Luke. If there were leaks… “Anything else?”

“Not now. I’m sure there will be follow-up questions. Contrary to what people like to say about our city, we rarely have open shootouts in suburban Atlanta.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Dahlia feltlike she was living in one of her movies. Alone in the windowless room, waiting for James to return, the enormity of what had happened trickled through her consciousness.

Someone tried to kill me. Actively tried to end my life!

Goosebumps rose on her skin, and she looked at the door where James had gone. He was a comforting presence, all rigid control, but Dahlia wanted Luke. She wanted him to smile at her again and tell her everything was going to be okay.

It made no sense. Dahlia barely knew him, but already she felt better when he was nearby. Safer.

Edgar wasn’t done looking at mugshots when Luke and James retrieved her. But he waved them off when Luke offered to stay until he finished going through the photos.

The ride back to her home was thick with a tense silence. James gave them a strange look when Luke joined her in the back seat of James’s car. Luke’s hand slid across the seat, and when his warm fingers took her hand, her muscles relaxed.

They were safe.

For the moment.

Fortunately, James found a parking space directly in front of her door. Dahlia had always felt safe in this area. It wasn’t themost expensive part of Buckhead, but she’d always felt secure. Now, she noticed how far apart the streetlamps were in the parking lot. And how, with the lights in her townhouse off, her front door was shrouded in darkness.

James opened the glove box and, to Dahlia’s shock, pulled out a holstered gun.

“I’m assuming you don’t have yours?” He looked over his shoulder at Luke.

“I don’t carry it on me regularly anymore.”

James opened the door. “I’ll clear the house. Lock the doors.”

Luke scoffed and unbuckled his seatbelt, opening his own door.

“What are you doing?” Dahlia heard James demand before the door shut. The alarm beeped, leaving her locked inside. Through the car windows, she could hear the two men arguing.

“Don’t be stupid! You don’t have a weapon. Wait out here.” James’s jaw locked.

Luke wore an identical stubborn expression. “You’re wasting your time. I’m not letting you go in there by yourself.”

“I have military training. You don’t. This isn’t the time for your classic recklessness.”