Page 40 of Savage

“The Cooper Valley station.”

“I’ll meet you there. They aren’t going to let you in, so don’t kick up a fuss when you get there. Tell them her lawyer is on her way. Let me handle things.”

I growled, not thrilled with what she said. “Fine. There’s something else. Something you need to know. Consider it client-attorney privilege.”

“Oh Fates. Tell me you didn’t kill him.”

I gripped the steering wheel until it cracked. “I didn’t. But it was a wolf shifter, for sure. His throat was torn out.”

She sighed. “What else?”

“I’m a council enforcer. I think I brought this on Becky. Someone’s out for revenge, and they’re fucking with my mate to make me sweat.”

“That’s a problem. A very big problem. Because if I can get Becky released from there today—”

“You mean when,” I snarled.

“I’ll do my best. But when I do, you won’t be able to leave town or go into hiding. She’ll need to stay where the police can contact her. If she’s a suspect in this murder case, she won’t be allowed to leave town.”

“Which means we’ll be sitting ducks.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

I roared my fury, stepping on the gas. Things couldn’t be any more fucked up. And all I knew was that I had to get Becky into my arms. I had to know she was safe and provided for, or I was going to lose my ever-loving mind.

17

BECKY

“Trash can,”I croaked, hand over my mouth.

Sheriff Duncan shoved it toward me as I lurched from my chair to puke again.

I couldn’t believe Todd was dead. Not just dead. Murdered. In my house!

They seemed to think I’d done it.

My body shook involuntarily, the nerves turning me into a rattling cage. I glanced down at my lavender scrubs. God, they’d come for me at work. I’d been late the other day and now this. No question I’d lose my job, and I’d be getting a call from the nursing board.

“Are you all right?”

I turned my head and glared at the deputy who had a gun on his hip but probably wasn’t old enough to buy himself a drink.

“So, you’re saying you haven’t been to your house at all in the past thirty-six hours?” Sheriff Duncan asked. The room was full of officers—the sheriff from Meade as well as probably every Cooper Valley deputy on duty. It wasn’t as if murder ever happened in this small backwater town. Until now.

I blinked away tears, feeling alone. Scared. I had no idea what to do. Todd had harassed me while he was alive, and he was still messing with me when he was dead. I stood and hugged the trash can to my chest.

“I left right after you took Todd away the night before last,” I explained, for the fourth time, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Clint took me to his parents’ place for lunch yesterday, and we stayed at Wolf Ranch until around seven. We stayed at Clint’s parents’ rental last night. Together.”

Clint.Clint.I’d told him I couldn’t have a relationship, and he’d seen why firsthand. Todd had destroyed my life, and I hadn’t wanted to pull Clint into it. I’dtoldhim! He’d see my words for what they were: the truth. There was no way he’d want to be with me after this. I wasn’t worth his time and energy. He should have listened to me before taking me to Wolf Ranch, letting me get a glimpse of what a real family was like. To fall for not just Clint but his mom and dad, too. Then to hang with the girls last night and get a glimpse of what it would be like to be in a relationship with Clint—because being with Clint meant being with his family and friends, too. He had a lot of them. It had been hard to push him away the other day. Now?

Fuck, I’d fallen for him. Stupid.

“Why didn’t you stay at your house?”

I took a deep breath, tried to swallow my tears and keep them and the dregs in my stomach, down. “Because Clint didn’t want Todd to know where I was.”

“So you were in danger from Todd? I’ve heard from witnesses it was the other way around.”