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Once her door was shut, Holt turned to Vince. “Are you sure about this?”
“Not at all, but nothing we said was going to keep her here.” He jingled the keys. “At least this way, I can keep an eye on ... things.”
“You like her a lot, don’t you?”
Vince shrugged. “Of course. What’s not to like? She’s become a good friend.” He tried not to wince at that last statement. Then again, it was true. She was definitely a friend.
Holt’s eyes narrowed. “Hmm.” His phone pinged, pulling his attention away from Vince, who breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Of course he liked Raina. He more than liked her, but right now, she had to stay in the friend category. Especially after that kiss.
Holt looked up from his phone. “They’ve resumed questioning the guy, but while he refuses to disclose who hired him, he insists that he didn’t put anything in Raina’s drink and he was just there to watch someone for a client.”
“Watch who?”
“Wouldn’t say. Hold on, there’s more. Ryan said even when they presented the video evidence to the guy, he stands on his claim that it’s not him, but...”
“But?”
“But his cell phone pinged off the hospital tower.”
“Of course it did. Because he was there to kill Raina.”
Holt frowned. “Well, your phone would show the same information and you definitely weren’t there to kill Raina.”
“Cute. You know it’s him.” Vince curled his fingers into a tight fist. “And we both know he’s the key to finding out who beat Raina within an inch of her life.”
Holt nodded just as Raina stepped back into the kitchen. “I’m ready.”
Vince turned to her. “Do you mind if I drive?”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before shrugging. “I don’t mind.”
“All right.” He looked at Holt. “What’s your plan?”
“I have cases that need my attention, so Penny’s choppering me to Columbia. I’ll be there for the next few days, but just holler if you need something. I’ll keep you up-to-date on anything that comes through. I’ll also see if we can be clever about getting the ring from your parents’ home.”
“Okay. Thanks.” They followed Raina out the door and Vince waited while she set the alarm.
????
Raina walked into the police department with Vince at her side. She crossed her arms and scanned the area. Two front desk officers looked up at their entrance, and Vince showed them his badge. “We’re here for Ryan Byrd. He’s expecting us.”
“I’ll let him know you’re here.” The nearest officer picked up the phone.
Raina’s gaze skimmed the two people sitting huddled in the corner in the hard plastic chairs. She couldn’t help but wonder what their story was.
The side door buzzed and opened, distracting her from her musings. A man in his midthirties with a neatly trimmed mustache and sharp blue eyes waved at Vince. “Hey, man, good to see you.”
“You too.” Vince shook hands with the guy, then introduced her. “This is our friend Holt was telling you about, Ryan Byrd. Ryan, this is Raina. The one your prisoner almost killed.”
Ryan’s eyes softened with sympathy. “So sorry about that. You sure you’re up to this?”
“I’m sure.” The words rolled off her tongue, confident and assured, but the truth was, she wasn’t sure at all. She just knew she had to do it.
With her heart pounding hard enough to echo in her ears, she walked between the men to the viewing area for the interrogation room. Ryan pushed the door open and held it for her and Vince. Once inside, she turned to see her attacker sitting at the table, handcuffed, fingers clasped. He was staring at the mirror as though he could see right through it. He couldn’t, but she shivered anyway. “That’s Freddy Harper?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Ask him why he—or whoever hired him—wants me dead. I mean, I have a pretty good idea, but...”
