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“I have to go. The police are here.”

CHAPTER 8

THE POLICE SHOWED UP

AND WHAT HAPPENED NEXT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!

VANESSA

Can I help you?” I asked, leaning halfway out of Adrian’s apartment.

The officer looked over at me. “I’m looking for a Vanessa Price.”

“I’m Vanessa.”

He glanced at a clipboard. “Do you own a white 2018 Kia Rio?”

Shit.

My heart launched into rapid fire. “Yes, is everything okay?” I swallowed.

Adrian came up behind me and peered out into the hall. “Officer Sanchez,” he said, over my shoulder. “How are you?”

Recognition crossed the cop’s face and he broke into a smile. “Copeland! You live here?”

“Going on five years,” Adrian said. “How’s the wife?”

He laughed. “Pregnant again. Haven’t seen you at the gym lately.”

“Been busy. In the middle of a jury trial. What seems to be the problem?”

Officer Sanchez looked back at me, still smiling. “Yeah, we found your car wrapped around a tree over by the fairgrounds this morning, Ms. Price. Nobody in it. Do you know anything about that?”

His posture had gone casual the moment Adrian popped out. There was nothing accusatory about the question. But I could feel my pulse thrumming in my throat anyway. “No,” I said, hoping I sounded normal.

“Did you give the vehicle to anyone to drive?”

Adrian squeezed my elbow discreetly from behind. “Sounds like it was stolen. Probably a joy ride,” he said.

Officer Sanchez looked over my head at Adrian. “The keys were in it. It wasn’t hot-wired.”

Adrian’s breath tickled my ear as he spoke to me. “Didn’t you say you lost your keys, Vanessa?”

He was coaching me. And standing sooo close. Ridiculously close. It was on purpose. He wanted the officer to think we were together.

He was lending me his credibility.

He’d known me less than a week, he knew nothing about what was going on, and he was stepping in to defend me, giving me the benefit of the doubt and protecting me from whatever repercussions there could be from this. I didn’t know why he was doing it, but I couldn’t be more grateful. I was freaking out.

I nodded. “Yeah, actually. I lost the keys a few weeks ago,” I lied. “I’ve been using the spare.”

Officer Sanchez nodded, but his eyes felt like they were studying me all of a sudden. “Where were you last night at around three a.m.?”

Adrian laughed. “Where do you think she was?”

Officer Sanchez looked back and forth between us. Then he chuckled a little. “All right, buddy. I’ll write it up as a stolen vehicle.” He looked back at me. “It’s in the impound. Here’s the info.” He handed me a card.

I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, um…was there any blood or anything? Do you think anyone got hurt?”