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“You want coffee now or after you’ve eaten?”
“I’ve got a soda in my fridge. I’ll drink that now and have a coffee in a half hour.”
“Very good.” She nods before leaving my office and closing the door behind her, completely unfazed by my lack of clothes.
I place the food on the desk and get dressed. Once I have my pants and shirt on, the jacket currently hanging on the back of my chair, I take the soda from the fridge and place it on my desk. Next, I open the bag of food and pull out half a dozen containers.
Grinning like a fool when I find a juicy steak and all the fixings, including sour cream and cheese baked potatoes and roasted asparagus with garlic butter, I dig in, thankful I don’t have to worry about anyone seeing me eat like a pig.
Of course, the second I think it, I’m interrupted by the sound of my phone buzzing. I hit the button to connect me to Fauna, but I continue eating.
“Mr. Ward, Detective Hask is here to see you again.” The tone of Fauna’s voice can only be described as professional, with a shot of hostility.
I bite back a sigh. “Send him in.”
Looking at my food, I wipe my mouth with the napkin just as Hask shoves the door open and strolls in like he owns the place.
“And to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Cut the bullshit, Ward. Where were you between two p.m. and five p.m. this afternoon?”
I glance around the room as if it’s obvious. He takes in the files scattered all over my desk, floor, and sofa, not to mention the empty water bottles and takeout containers. “I’ve been working nonstop for the last few days trying to save a merger that is in danger of falling through. I haven’t had time for anything else.”
“Apparently,” he snaps, making me frown.
“Wait, is Rue okay? Is that what this is?” I stand up, ready to leave.
“She’s fine. We were at the movies?—”
“You were what?” I snarl.
His lips twitch. “At the movies. You know, like a date.”
“You son of a bitch. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing?—”
“Oh, fuck you. I took her as a friend. She was going crazy locked up in that house.”
I sit down and grip my hair as I curse.
“I guess by your reaction that you weren’t downtown at the movie theater today.”
I blink and look up at him. “No. If I’d seen you out with my girl, I would have walked up and punched you in the fucking face.”
He sits in the chair opposite my desk.
“What happened?”
“After the credits finished, everything went black. Before I could get her out of there, a home movie started playing of Rue in the grave before I found her.”
“Jesus.” I rub my hands over my face.
“There’s more. After that, it switched to footage of Rue sleeping in her bed at home.”
I jump up. “That motherfucker was in her house?!”
I grab the phone and dial, ignoring Hask as he stares at me while I wait for them to answer.
“Valen?”
