“Don’t apologize for doing your job.” Even behind bars, he was full of kindness. “I can tell you there are more factors to this than I can explain, but my attorney knows what’s going on and he’s working on getting me out of here.”
“But I can help. I want to help. I know about the boat,” I blurted out. “They impounded it. All of it.”
Garrett’s brows knitted together in the middle of his forehead. “You don’t need to help, Rylie. I don’t want to put you in danger. I didn’t kill Boy Boy, but someone did, and that person is still out there. If you’re sticking your nose into this, he or she might come after you.”
“But I—”
“No. Please. Just take care of Babbitt for me. That’s all the help I need. I have a fantastic attorney and a clear conscience. Everything is going to be fine, Rylie. Trust me.”
“Have they set your bail?”
“Not yet. I have my hearing this afternoon, but as soon as the judge determines the amount, I’ll post bail and be back on the outside.”
The receptionist had returned and impatiently tapped her toe behind me. “I think my time is up.”
“I’ll see you this evening,” Garrett smiled. “Maybe we can order in?”
I nodded and tried to return his smile. “Sounds perfect.”
“You know, he’s pretty cute for a murderer,” the receptionist said as she led me back to the front of the building.
“Not only is he good looking, but he’s also a great guy. And he’s not a murderer.”
“Not as great as Luke, though. That man, mmmm.” She was practically salivating. “I’m surprised you let him get away. If I had a chance with him, I’d—”
“Luke’s dating someone.”
“Nikki,” she rolled her eyes, “I know. She’s a peach.”
“I work with her.”
“I hear they’re only dating because—”
“Because why?” Luke asked as we nearly ran headlong into him when we rounded a corner.
Her face turned an almost purple shade of red. “No-no reason. Because you like each other, of course.” She tried to regain her composure.
“Of course.” Luke let out a laugh. “Thanks for taking Rylie back, I’ll escort her to her car.”
The receptionist looked as if she might pass out from Luke’s smile.
“I can walk to my car alone, thanks,” I said.
“I need to talk to you.”
“I think we’ve done enough talking the last few days.” I pushed open the heavy glass doors leading to the parking lot, not bothering to hold them open for Luke.
“Garrett isn’t who you think he is.”
I turned on a dime coming nose to nose with the man I’d kissed only months before. The man I’d wanted a relationship with but who turned me down because he didn’t want to be my rebound. Now I wanted to punch him in the mouth more than kiss him on it.
“How do you know who Garrett is?”
“Because I interrogated him last night.” The bags under his gorgeous brown eyes verified his story.
“And what did you find out?”
Luke looked down at the ground. “I can’t tell you that.”
I let out a grunt of anger and frustration. “Then why are you even talking to me?”
I turned towards Cherry Anne, but Luke grabbed my arm and spun me back around to face him. “Because I care about you, Rylie. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I cursed the butterflies that always danced in my stomach when I was in such close proximity to Luke. “Do you really think Garrett is going to hurt me?”
Luke started to talk but then stopped himself. “I don’t know.” He admitted. He loosened his grip on my arm, but his fingers still rested on my skin.
“So then why—”
“There are things you don’t know.” He dropped his hand to his side. “This case is a mess. It’s dangerous. And your boyfriend isn’t making it any easier. What we do know is Boy Boy was head of a gang—a horrible gang. A gang that will stop at nothing to keep their secrets.”
“I don’t know their secrets. I’m in no danger.” I crossed my fingers behind my back. The money alone was a big enough secret to kill over. If it was gang money which it probably wasn’t.
“But if you keep poking your nose in places it doesn’t belong, you might come across something you don’t even know is a secret. Please stop.”
“How did Boy Boy die?” I blurted out.
“Boy Boy had toxic levels of prescription medication in his bloodstream which could have impaired his ability to swim causing him to drown.”
My mind rushed to the nearly empty pill bottles in my glove compartment. “So he wasn’t dead when he went in the water?” My insides clenched. I could have saved him.
Luke shook his head. “Nope. Not that I should be telling you this. God, why do I tell you these things?” He turned and stormed back towards the station. “Just stay out of trouble.” He yelled not looking back at me.
Yeah, not likely.
18
I had a couple of hours to spare before I had to be in for my shift, so I decided to take Fizzy and Babbitt to the dog park to get rid of some of their energy.
The dog park consisted of what I assume was at one time a patch of grass but was now dirt surrounded by a wire and log fence with various play features within. I had taken Fizzy here a handful of times, but every time he nearly pulled me over to get inside. Babbitt, on the other hand, stayed close by my side, not wanting to join the group.
Dogs of all shapes and sizes ran around playing and jumping and rolling in only God knows what. Bose headphone guy with the mastiff was busy with his phone, bobbing his head slightly to a beat only he could hear. The bronze goddess, who looked like she spent several hours a day in the tanning booth, held her fluffy white poodle in her lap as they watched
