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“It was bloody great.”
“But if you distrust me—”
“I do.”
“Then—”
“Did you fuck Pettijohn?”
Her features went slack. “What?”
“Were you lovers?”
Hammond advanced on her, backing her into the wall. This was what was really bugging him. This was what had driven him to act like he had taken complete leave of his senses, to rant and rave and behave with reckless disregard for his career and everything else he had previously thought important. The desire to know the answer to this question was so imperative, the cautious, careful, and controlled Hammond Cross was ranting like a lunatic. “Were you ever Lute Pettijohn’s lover?”
“No!” Then her voice dropped from a shout to a hoarse whisper. “I swear it.”
“Did you kill him?” He pressed her shoulders between his hands and lowered his face to within inches of hers. “Tell me the truth about this, and I’ll forgive all the other lies. Did you kill Lute Pettijohn?”
She shook her head. “No. I did not.”
He struck the wall behind her with his fists, then left them planted there. Dropping his head forward, he aligned his cheek with hers. His breathing was harsh and loud even above the rain that continued to lash at the windows.
“I want to believe you.”
“You can believe that.” Turning her head, she spoke to his profile. “Don’t ask me anything more, because I can’t tell you anything more.”
“Why? Tell me why.”
“Because the answers are too painful for me.”
“Painful, how?”
“Don’t put me through this, please. If you do it will break my heart.”
“You’re breaking mine with your lies.”
“I beg you, if you have any regard for me at all, spare me having to disillusion you. I would rather never see you again than for you to know…”
“What? Tell me.”
She shook her head hard, and he realized it was useless to press her further. As long as her private torment had nothing to do with the Pettijohn case, he must respect her wish for privacy.
“That’s not all,” she continued. “We’re going to be on opposite sides of a brewing crisis.”
“So all this does relate to the case,” he said dejectedly.
“I knew our being together was going to result in a mess, but I still made it happen. I wanted it to happen. Even at the gas station, I could have said no to you. I didn’t.”
He raised his head and tilted it back to better see her face. “Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again…”
“That’s unfair.”
“Would you do it again?”
Her answer was to steadily hold his gaze for a very long time as a tear slid down her cheek.
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