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Briar is so lucky she has me to keep her safe.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
BRIAR
A police cruisersits in my driveway when I pull in. I almost hope they’re here to investigate my touchy-feely boss, but of course, there’s no way they could know about Dr. Barrett since the administration blew me off when I reported him.
The scowls on both the officers’ faces deepen when they spot me.
I climb out of my car and allow myself a small sigh. All I wanted to do was come home after a long day of dodging Dr. Barrett’s unwanted advances and curl up on the couch with Cookie, a glass of wine, and a slasher film about a young woman who exacts bloody revenge on all the men who wronged her. Is that too much to ask?
“Can I help you?” I call.
The male police officer is the first to step forward and extend a hand to me. “Briar Shea?”
I take his hand reluctantly and shake it. I can’t remember whether you can avoid identifying yourself to a police officer, but I know it’s illegal to lie about your identity. “Yes, that’s me.”
“I’m Officer Rosario.” He nods to the female officer at his side. “This is Officer Smith. We’d like to ask you a few questions about Austin Emmons.”
At least now I finally know Austin’s full name. I manage to nod and offer a “Sure,” even as my body temperature rises. Mack was right—I could’ve been the last person to see Austin alive, and now the police want to know what I know. So this should take no time at all.
“Great,” Officer Rosario says, and Officer Smith flips open a notepad. “So you spent your evening with Austin Friday night. Is that right?”
“Not the whole evening,” I correct in a rush. “Only, like, two hours or so.”
Shit. Did that sound guilty? I could’ve just said yes. God, I hate talking to cops.
“Can you tell us a little more about what you and Austin did during that time?”
I nod, spotting Cookie hop up onto the windowsill behind the officers, meowing for her dinner. “Um, we met at the pub a couple blocks down, we walked back here, we chatted for a few minutes inside, and then he left.”
“Did he say where he was going?” Officer Smith asks, not looking up from the notepad she’s scribbling on.
“No, he didn’t,” I admit, not realizing this until now. I just assumed Austin would head home, but he never actually told me where he was going. “Have you found out yet whether the overdose was accidental?”
Smith finally looks up from her notepad and lifts a sculpted brow. “You think it wasn’t?”
Shit. That was the wrong question to ask. “Uh, no. I mean—I have no idea. He and I literally met that night. We didn’t know each other very well.”
Now it’s Rosario’s turn to raise his brows. “You didn’t know him well, but you invited him into your home?”
Great, now I have to combat slut-shaming from a cop. “Look.” I plant my hands on my hips. “I was looking to get laid that night. But I quickly realized there was zero chemistry between us, and I asked him to leave. He didn’t seem like a rapist or a serial killer, so I took my chances.”
Rosario flushes and Smith clears her throat. “Right. Thank you for your...honesty. Did you and Mr. Emmons engage in any recreational drug use that evening?”
I quickly shake my head. “No, I don’t do drugs. I mean, I used to smoke weed on occasion, but I didn’t smoke with anyone other than my best friend because she’s the only one I trust to keep me from eating all of the food in my house when I’m high. To be honest, I didn’t even know Austin did drugs. The topic never came up.”
Mack would be elbowing the shit out of me right now. I’m definitely oversharing. A bad habit whenever I feel any sort of tension in a social interaction.
“So you didn’t observe Mr. Emmons taking or acquiring any sort of illegal substance that evening?” Rosario asks.
“No, definitely not.”
“Great. Well, we’re very sorry for your loss,” Rosario says, making me shift and bite my lip before I can accidentally blurt,Don’t be. We weren’t close.
“Um. Thanks.”
“Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Briar.” Rosario extends his hand to me again as Smith finishes scribbling and flips her notepad shut.
