“What about the gun?” Officer Asshole says from behind him. I glare, not realizing he was there, watching from afar—like a creeper.
“The gun has been collected into evidence, but as there are no signs it has been fired, I stand by what I said.” Keith snaps.
Hmm...seems I’m not the only one who doesn’t like the guy.
“Doesn’t matter. She isn’t allowed a gun in her vicinity. It’s a cause for her arrest.”
Shepard growls. “I cannot begin to explain to you how thin the ice is you are skating on. The way you handled this case from the start has been atrocious. I want you and Hollis back at thestation. I want both of your reports on my desk before you finish your shift, and I want you to wait for me in my office until I get there. Do I make myself clear?”
“I—”
“I said, do I make myself clear?” Shepard snarls.
“Crystal,” Andrews bites out before stomping away.
Shepard sighs before looking at Keith once more. “Anything else I should know?”
Keith looks unsure for a second before he squares his shoulders. “I was one of the first on the scene. I did the initial walkthrough with Mills while the EMTs worked on the victim. I saw no gun in the vicinity then. Miss Hart had already been detained by that point. By the time the tech team came and we took point, the gun was on the table.”
“God dammit. EMTs?”
“Perhaps, but doubtful.”
“They say anything?”
“Only that they suspect a heart attack. We’ll have to wait on the coroner’s report for confirmation.”
“I’m failing to see what crime was committed here.”
“That makes two of us,” Keith replies.
Wow, even I couldn’t have predicted that. In all honesty, I’m not mad about it. This is just going to help me in the long run.
“Does this mean I’m not under arrest anymore?”
Shepard looks at the sky and curses. “How did I know you were going to be trouble the second you turned up on my doorstep?”
“First of all, this is my doorstep. Second of all, I’m the only one here who hasn’t done anything wrong. In fact, I did everything right. What else was I supposed to do? Worse than that, what if this had gone sideways? What if Dale had attacked me and I’d killed him in self-defense? Something tells me I’d begoing back to jail, whether I was innocent or not, because this town doesn’t care about the truth. It just likes to cast blame.”
“Calliope—”
“Just go, Shepard. Take your men and your cars and go. I’m having security installed and getting a guard because clearly, I’m not safe in my own home. And those who are supposed to protect me are the same people hell-bent on persecuting me.”
I get up, shrug the jacket off, and hand it to him. “Can I go now, or do I need to be humiliated a little more first?”
He grits his teeth but refrains from whatever it is he really wants to say. “You may go.”
“Thank you.” I walk away, careful not to bump into Keith, who is trying to look like he’s not listening. As soon as I walk inside, the door closes, and a feeling of peace washes over me. We’re alone, and the house feels proud, perhaps even a little smug. Seems I’m not the only one with a vengeful streak.
“Thank you,” I whisper as the breeze slides over my skin.
I head upstairs to take a nice hot shower and get dressed—might as well get ready to face the day.
I make a cross against my mental tally. One down. Let’s see how many more dominoes fall before I’m done.
Chapter Twelve
After getting a jump-start on my to-do list, I work through the morning, cursing and crossing things off until my eyes feel gritty and my brain feels like mush.
