Perfect Night (Mason Creek #4) - Terri E. Laine Page 0,39

one cuff. I left it hanging as I hauled him out.

“Maybe I’ll tell my lawyer you did this to me, and I’ll get off.”

I unlocked the back door and so far, he was compliant. I waited until we were inside before I said, “You do remember she has video, which would include me. There’s video all over the station,” I lied. “The timestamps will prove along with the video that I had nothing to do with your injuries.”

“That bitch is lying.” He bucked against my hold for the first time.

Wyatt appeared in the hall, and without words exchanged, he helped me get him in the cell.

“I want a lawyer,” Billy yelled again.

“After you’re processed. Thing about small towns, we don’t have overnight personnel to handle things like that. You’ll have to wait until the morning.”

He yelled at the top of his lungs, and we left the cell area. He was wasting his breath. He would be heading back to jail rather prison with no ‘pass go’ card in the morning.

When the door closed, Wyatt finally spoke.

“What the hell happened?”

“Emma called me about trouble at the bar,” I said and made my way to my office.

Wyatt trailed me. “Emma called you and not the station?” I shrugged. “So the rumors are true?”

“What rumors?” I asked.

“People have seen the two of you together a lot.” He made a point to exaggerate the last two words.

“People are always talking,” I said, dismissing it.

“Maybe, but I know you and you’ve been sweet on her since high school.”

Had it been that obvious to everyone? “She’s engaged,” I said.

“Yeah. She’s a sweet girl, Aiden.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m just saying there are rumors about you and Darcy too. And I know how you two are together.”

Darcy had come by with floor samples the other day. Apparently, that hadn’t gone unnoticed either.

I felt my anger rising. “How’s that?”

“You’d be with Darcy one minute and someone else the next. Then Darcy again.”

“I didn’t cheat on her if that’s what you’re suggesting. Darcy and I broke up, a lot.”

“Exactly. But you’d always end up back with her. Emma’s happy. Don’t play with her head if you aren’t sure.”

I leaned back because I was glad someone was looking out for Emma. “There’s nothing going on with Darcy and me.”

“Someone saw the two of you together in your house. Did they make that up?”

I opened my mouth as it hit me. Darcy had made that move. I thought I’d heard something at the door that night, but then I was holding Darcy off and telling her the score. After Darcy left, I had gone to see Emma and she’d acted so strange.

“They did see something?” Wyatt asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. “I’m just saying. You know how things were with my ex, Karlie. She almost came between Sadie and me. Don’t let something like that happen to you.”

I checked the time. “I’ll be back and when I do, you can go home to your pretty wife. Deal?”

“It’s my shift,” he said.

“Yeah, and I have paperwork to do. There’s no point in both of us being here.” I checked my phone. Emma had emailed me the video. I’d send it along with the report later.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’ll be back.” I wasn’t going to answer his question, not with all the rumors going around. I could have waited until the morning. But more eyes would be on me. I pulled to a stop in front of Emma’s house. I jogged to the door and knocked. It wasn’t hard enough to wake the neighbors, but loud enough to hear.

She came to the door, hair wet.

“You didn’t call,” I said, though she had emailed me.

“Oh.” Her lips curved, and I swear her name carved itself on my heart in that moment.

“Can I come in?”

She tightened her robe and then bobbed her head, taking a step back.

Inside, a large bouquet of red roses was on the kitchen island.

“Are those from Evan?”

She blew out a breath. “Yeah.” She didn’t sound happy about it.

“An apology or just because?” I asked. I did have my reasons for wanting to know the answer.

“Neither.”

“Is it none of my business?” I asked, keeping my eyes on hers.

“I um—broke things off. This is his way of getting me back, I guess.”

I held back a satisfactory smile. “You broke the engagement?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

We just stared at each other for a long moment.

“It didn’t feel right.”

I switched gears with purpose. “Why were you mad at me last Friday night?”

“I apologized for that,”