AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to stand there holding her, their breath slowing as they relaxed into each other’s arms. God, it felt so right, more than anything he’d ever done.
“Mr. Sorenson?” An officer took a few steps out of the front door.
They let go of each other and turned to the officer. “Yes,” Wilhelm said.
“We’d like to ask you some questions.” The officer moved to the side and gestured to the door.
And then Juliette’s hand slipped into his. He glanced at her, and gave her a slight nod, everything about him feeling brighter, stronger, with Juliette gripping his hand. They walked into the mansion and only let go when another officer approached Juliette and asked her to repeat her story one more time.
By the time the officers were satisfied that there was cause to arrest Leanne, Wilhelm had heard Juliette repeat her story, exactly, at least three more times to different officers. One was concerned about Leanne’s bruises and pressed to make an assault case out of it. He antagonized Juliette in such a way that she quickly lost her cool and snarled viciously. In front of a very pissed-off weretigress, the cop startled and quickly groped for his weapon.
Wilhelm interfered. “Excuse me, officer. Ms. Crabtree is an outstanding member of society. She reacted this way because our kind is very protective to our young. She’s not the villain in this case—that woman is.” Wilhelm threw a venomous glare at the nanny. “But if you’d like to arrest and charge Ms. Crabtree for assault and battery, be my guest, but I assure you, I’ll get Ms. Crabtree out on bail before the lunch hour. If your case goes to trial, I’ll do anything in my power so that no jury can convict her for trying to protect my innocent infant niece and nephew, who you know just lost their parents in a car accident yesterday. So if you are finished here, please take that woman into custody while Ms. Crabtree and I address a more pressing matter. We have to take the babies to the hospital for exams. We don’t know what kind of damage that woman inflicted on them by drugging them daily.”
The lead detective quickly apologized and wrapped up the investigation. Leanne was escorted away in handcuffs. Juliette would have to go to the station also to make a formal statement at her earliest convenience.
As soon as the cops were out of sight, Juliette confronted him. “I thought you’re my lawyer? What’s up with ‘if you’d like to arrest and charge Ms. Crabtree for assault and battery be my guest?’ You were kind of throwing me under the bus there.”
Wilhelm grinned. He grabbed her arm and pulled her in a tight embrace. “Thank you,” he whispered. Her body tensed at first, then, she relaxed.
“You already said that. You don’t have to keep thanking me.”
“I’m forever grateful for your help. And the way you defended the twins, you’re an impressive tiger mom.”
Her breath caught in her throat.
Wilhelm thought he’d committed a faux-pas when he just wanted to compliment her fierceness in protecting Leah and Thomas. But then, Juliette let out a quiet laugh.
“Any woman would do the same thing in my situation, Wilhelm. It’s no big deal.”
“I must disagree. It’s a big deal for us.” Wilhelm put his hand over hers, pressing a kiss to her fingertips. “Are Leah and Thomas sleeping?”
“I don’t think so. Bonnie is watching them right now.”
“I’d like to see them.”
“Of course.”
The cubs were napping after Bonnie fed them. They slept peacefully in the same crib, holding each other’s hand. Thomas hiccupped a little. Juliette hurriedly patted his back until it passed.
“Poor baby,” Juliette whispered. “He’s so cute.”
Wilhelm agreed. Satisfied that his niece and nephew were safe, he motioned Juliette to follow him out. Bonnie could watch them while they took care of another matter. They went to Halgar’s study. “I haven’t gone through my brother papers yet to look for the twins’ pediatrician, but I’ll have my own physician take a look at the twins in the meantime. Juliette, I have to go to Aspen to talk to the detective who’s investigating my brother’s death. But I’m not leaving until tomorrow.” He’d said it as a way to make it clear he had all day to spend with Juliette, if she wanted. But her eyes went wide.
“Investigating?”
He nodded. “The detective has a hunch that it wasn’t an accident. And given what just happened here, I think he’s on to something. I told him I’d fly in tomorrow. I want—I need—to see things for myself.”
“Oh, Wilhelm. I’m so sorry. It’s bad enough to lose your brother, but the thought that he might have been murdered … I can’t even imagine how that feels.” She frowned. “What about the babies? You’re not taking them to Aspen, are you?”
The babies.
The nanny was in jail, and while the housekeeper seemed to be willing to help out, Wilhelm wasn’t comfortable allowing another of his brother’s employees to take care of the twins. Not until he knew what was going on and why. The only person he felt comfortable allowing to care for them right now was Juliette, and she had her business to run.
As if she’d read his mind, Juliette said, “Let me watch them.” She put both hands on Wilhelm’s chest and took a deep breath like she was prepared to argue with him when he refused. “You said yourself I was good with them. I can close the shop for the weekend and give Noelle and Andy some paid time off so I can stay here with the twins. I know there are other staff here who could do it, but frankly I don’t trust any of them after what Leanne did. And I feel … protective of them. Please let me babysit for you?”
Wilhelm smiled. “I was just thinking of asking you. You sure you don’t mind closing for a couple of days?”
“Not at all.”
