AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He walked over and asked if we’d seen his car service. That’s when Pamela asked him for a ride. She told me and Annie that she met him the day before by the pool when he helped her friend. She left with him. Since she was shaken up and I didn’t know Lucas, I asked for her number. We exchanged a text about an hour later. She said she was home safe. I asked her about Lucas. She said he’d been nice. I saved that text if you want to see it.”
“Yes. Thank you. Who is your mobile carrier?” Billings continued.
I gave them the information. “Since it’s saved in your account, we can get the text from your carrier. More official that way.”
“Was your coworker Annie outside with you the whole time?”
“Oh yeah, she saw it all. I can give you her number too.”
I pulled up the contact and gave the number to Detective Rivers.
“What about the video surveillance? I guess you have that too,” I said.
“The outside video camera points at the portico and the front of the house. You said you were off to the side.” The detective reviewed her notes.
“There was a video camera on the outer corner of the portico too. I don’t know how long the footage would be kept, but there was definitely a camera there, and it probably recorded the entire conversation Annie and I had with Pamela and Cole and Lucas.”
Detective Rivers wrote in her notebook.
“When was the last time you spoke with Lucas?”
“He texted me this morning to say he was going to Seattle to meet with you. Here’s the text. Sorry about the sexting comment.”
Detective Rivers took my phone, and I saw her slight grin before her face was back to stony. “Okay. Thank you, Ms. Patree.” They both stood. “I think that’s all we need. We’ll contact you if we need you to make a formal statement.”
“Pamela, is she really okay?”
“Yes. Or at least, she will be. Take care, Ms. Patree,” Detective Rivers said.
What the hell just happened? I needed Lucas to answer his phone.
Lucas:Hey Sweetness. Sorry it’s so late. I got your messages. I didn’t call back because I didn’t have access to my phone for a while. I’m home now. Well, my apartment in Seattle. I should be back in Perry Harbor tomorrow. Can I see you?
Me:Hey. Are you okay? What’s going on?
Lucas:I’m okay. It’s a long story. Cole is a seriously bad dude. Pamela is pressing charges about what happened at that party. I think Cole’s going down not only for the IP thing but for sexual assault.
Good. Dickhead. I’m sure his cellmates won’t care if he’s a ten or a four.
Me:So, the case is over?
Lucas:My part in it, yes. Your friend Annie corroborated our stories. Detective Rivers said it was only a matter of days until the investigation wrapped and everything was turned over to the prosecutor.
Lucas:When can I see you?
Me:I’m doing a Friday farm meal tomorrow at your folks’ house.
Lucas:Right. I’ll see you there.
The case was over. Soon he would go back to his real life, where he belonged. The tears welled up unbidden, and I brushed them aside. I wouldn’t ruin these last days with him by being sad. I loved him and had a few more nights to let my body show him. We’d enjoy our time, and I’d hold tight to whatever was left of my heart. I’d have to grow a whole new one from that little piece after Lucas went back to Seattle with the rest of it.
“I missed you, Sweetness.”
I relished the feel of Lucas’s arms coming around my waist from behind. “I missed you too.”
In one move, he turned me to face him and captured my lips with his.
“Have you eaten yet? I was about to get the leftovers,” I said.
