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“You knew I was lying.” The lines in his forehead deepened. “I heard you tested Cadence for gunpowder residue. She didn’t kill your uncle.”
I exhaled, leaning back in my chair until it squeaked in protest. “I know she didn’t and yes, I tested her hands for gunpowder residue.” I threw the damn pen down since it didn’t look like I would be finishing the paperwork anytime soon. “It may come as a surprise to you, Johnny, but I do know how to do my job.” I shook my head. “And I want to protect her as much if not more than you do.”
“By making it look like you think she did it?”
“By making sure I have the proof that she didn’t do it,” I gritted out. “He was the damn Chief of Police for close to twenty years, Johnny. I can’t investigate my own uncle’s murder. Whoever they bring in to look at the evidence, I want to make damn sure there’s no question of favoritism or any type of prejudice going on. The best way I can protect her is to make sure she’s cleared of any suspicion.”
“Shit,” Johnny muttered, rubbing his hand over his mouth. “You love her.”
I inhaled, then nodded. “As foolish as it is, yes. I love her. I want her to stay. I want to marry her and have kids with her. Can you be okay with that?”
“I just found her,” he grumbled, resting against the desk.
“She found you,” I reminded him and he sent me an irritated glare. “You’re not losing her to me.”
“I know, but she’s young.”
“She’s a helluva lot smarter than most,” I pointed out. “And I can wait. She’s worth the wait.”
“Who did that to her arms?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “But when I do know, they’ll pay.”
He looked at me. “Your hands stay clean.” My face must have shown my confusion because he continued. “You keep your hands clean,” he nodded at Cadence, “For her.” Realization dawned on me and he nodded. “Yeah. You stay squeaky clean. I don’t want her to ever question where you were or what you did, you understand me?”
“I do.”
“Promise me,” he said roughly. “Promise me that she comes first.”
“I promise,” I vowed, sincerity echoing in my voice. “She will always come first.”
His expression turned bittersweet. “Do it better than me.”
“I don’t know, Johnny. I think you did a damn good job.”
A knock on the door interrupted whatever Johnny might have said as Janet poked her head in the door, giving me a funny look. “Got another one.” My eyebrows drew together and she shook her head. “Apparently, everyone wants to confess to killing the Chief.”
She opened the door wider and Leroy stumped in, his expression resolute. “I did it. A .45 right to the chest.” Janet rolled her eyes and shut the door behind him.
“Leroy, you couldn’t have killed him,” I started and Leroy waved his hand.
“Nope, I did it. Swear it on my Molly’s grave.”
“Leroy,” I started again, speaking louder when he tried to interrupt me. “Leroy, I was with you when he was killed. I’m your alibi.”
He stopped, his gaze shifting around as he thought about it. “I still did it,” he finally said with a shrug.
I dropped my head on my hand, about to throw the towel in on the entire day.
“He didn’t arrest Cadence,” Johnny informed Leroy, gesturing to the couch where Cadence was somehow miraculously still sleeping. “He was trying to make sure she wouldn’t be considered a suspect.”
“So, we don’t need that hole out on old 51?” Leroy muttered out the side of his mouth and I lifted my head. Johnny gave a tight shake of his head and I sighed.
“Get the hell out of my office before I arrest you two for being a nuisance. I would like to go home some time before dawn,” I griped, waving them away. They shuffled out the door, elbowing each other as the door closed behind them. “I guess you heard them?”
Cadence sat up, a red crease on one cheek, and a bemused smile curling on her lips. “Is it weird I think it’s kind of sweet they tried to confess to a crime none of us committed?”
“Be sweeter if they’d waited until tomorrow,” I bitched and she came over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“So you’re planning on marrying me one day?” She asked, rubbing her hand along my jaw, the motion making a rasping sound. “We haven’t even gotten around to discussing religion or politics.”
“How about this? You tell me who to vote for and where to set my hat on Sunday and we’ll call it done.”
Her mouth curled. “I’d say you’re a mighty trusting man, Noah Breaux.”
“A man in love with a hurricane.”
She rested her nose against my cheek. “Good thing you’re as solid as the earth.” She kissed my temple. “Can we go home now?”
