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She turned back to me.
“But why were you alone in the room with Landry? Did you ask him to meet you there?”
“No!” My indignation died on my lips. My eyes flicked to Marco and then back to her.
Was I going to have to tell them that I had been in there with Toby first? What if they grilled him too? And what if the truth about the investment scam got back to Marco?
A hollow feeling swelled in my stomach at the realisation that Jonathan might tell the cops about Toby being in the room with me. Was there a chance they might put it down to me sneaking off to meet my ex? The thought made me feel sick.
I dropped my gaze from hers. “I just needed some air. The party was too busy. I was sitting in the booth by the window when Jonathan followed me in.”
“You needed fresh air, so you went to asmokingroom?” she said.
“Yes.” I knew how that sounded. Ridiculous.
“Why did you let Landry lock the door?”
“I couldn’t stop him. I was on the opposite side of the room!”
“Why didn’t you scream? Nobody heard you.”
“I had no reason to be scared.” I fidgeted in my seat in agitation. “He was a family friend. I didn’t know what he’d done.”
My breath was coming fast now, my fists balled on my lap. I couldn’t believe this. Why were they treating me like a criminal?
“Your five minutes are up,” Marco said coldly. “Get out.”
“Maybe we’ll take her down to the station to answer more questions,” the woman detective said.
He gave her a smile like a tiger’s. “Try me.”
She threw him a disgusted look and gave up, leaving the room with a parting shot. “You would be better off cooperating with us, Miss Woodstock.”
My head was spinning as Marco shut the door behind us.
“They think it’s a cover-up.” I was breathless with panic. “They think we made it up to cover up who really killed Dolly.”
They thought it was him who’d done it. But I couldn’t say it out loud because it would feel like accusing him.
Then I realised maybe they thought it wasmewho had done it and that he was the one covering up for me. After all, why should he be the guilty one?
I buried my face in my hands, shoulders shaking, crying out, “Jonathan’s going to get away with it!”
Marco sat beside me and pulled me on to his lap. Wrapped his strong arms around me and kissed my hair. “Not if I have anything to do with it.”
Chapter 22
MARCO
After Beth fell asleep from exhaustion on my lap, I carried her up to her bedroom and settled her into bed, pulling the sheets around her and tucking her in.
My every instinct had told me to take her into my bedroom, but I had a feeling I knew how she would react to waking up there.
I stood beside her bed, watching her sleep, her dark lashes flush on her cheeks and her hair spilling over her pillowcase like mahogany silk. My gut churned with fury.
I had known my plan might put her at risk, but I had not taken the danger seriously enough. I had nearly gotten her killed.
The image of that bastard Landry with his thick hands wrapped around her slender throat flooded my mind and made me want to punch something. Rage filled me. A rage that I had not felt in a long time.
