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“I appreciate the apology,” I tell him, keeping to myself that despite it not being my duty, I still feel responsible for what happened.
Chapter 25
Lennox
The drive back from the hospital is silent. Despite willingly participating in the exam, I still feel violated. I know the hospital staff are just doing their job, even after Colton had to insist that Camryn, the doctor who showed up to perform the exam, recuse herself because of her connection to the club.
“Are you okay?” Colton asks as he pulls into my driveway.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
I don’t see Sawyer parked anywhere near my house. I know he followed us to the hospital but I didn’t see him when we left. It’s dark outside now, so he could easily be lurking around the corner.
I don’t know what to believe. I’d like to think I’m a better judge of character, but honestly, does anyone ever really know someone? How many times have I heard about people living double lives or friends and family claiming someone wasn’t capable of XYZ until proof of what they did was right in their faces. Some, even with all the evidence, still can’t accept the truth.
I wonder which camp I’m falling into, but I know I’ve gone back and forth more than once. I know it would be foolish to claim never for anyone, but at the same time, I don’t want to be left with egg on my face if it turns out he did hurt those women.
“I don’t know what to believe,” I say, unable to look him in the eye.
“We follow the evidence,” he reminds me.
“I can’t help but run it through my head over and over. I just don’t think he did it.”
Colton is silent, but I know better than to presume to know what he’s thinking. He’s a very analytical man. His emotions and opinions have always come secondary to the evidence.
“I know he’s capable. I know he’s strong enough. Physically he could do it.” I turn to look at him. “But why hurt them and not me? Is he torturing me? Is this about Elle?”
Colton clears his throat. “Sawyer Maddox isn’t old enough to have been involved with your sister’s murder. He had no connections to New Mexico prior to joining Cerberus.”
“So he’s innocent.” I take a deep relieved breath, wanting to cry with the way that news settles inside of me.
“Or the cases aren’t connected.”
I frown, my head shaking immediately.
“You told me to trust my instincts, and I know I’ve brought my sister’s case up trying to link it to others more than once, but I feel it in the bottom of my soul that I’m right about this.”
Colton nods, telling me he hears me, but it isn’t an agreement that he feels the same way. There are still too many unanswered questions for the man to make that call yet.
“What I… what is she doing here?” he questions.
I look over my shoulder to see a dark SUV pulling in behind his car in the driveway. I climb out of the car, waving when I see that it’s Sophia, Colton’s wife.
She doesn’t wave back.
“What’s wrong?” Colton asks, fear in his voice. “Are the kids okay?”
Sophia ignores her husband, walking right around him, her eyes locked on me.
“He wouldn’t do it,” she says, her voice pleading. “My dad and uncle don’t make mistakes. They’d never hire a man capable of hurting—”
“Sophia,” Colton snaps. “This isn’t appropriate.”
I head to my front door, leaving Colton to deal with her.
“You’re both wasting your time investigating Ugly!” she yells at my back.
It’s weird coming home to a house with the television and lights still on, but I remember not being able to think of anything but the possibilities Colton was hinting at before going to the hospital. I stand in my doorway, watching as Colton tries to calm his wife down. She’s almost frantic in the moonlight as he pulls her to his chest.
I can assume two reasons why she’s here. She’s afraid the investigation into a Cerberus member will reflect poorly on her family’s business or she knows Sawyer in an intimate way Colton hasn’t surmised yet.
Instead of coming back inside my house, my mentor nods at me as his wife drives away. I know he’s following her home, making sure she’s safe. I commend the man for being such a caring, loving husband, but it also makes me wonder if he’s got blinders on where she’s concerned.
The sweep of my eyes down the street reveals an SUV that’s out of place, but it also doesn’t seem to be trying to hide exactly. I press my forearm to the gun holstered at my hip before walking back outside. What I won’t do is live in fucking fear.
My upper lip is twitching in irritation as I approach the SUV, not hesitating for a second to lift my hand to knock on the driver’s side window.
