Catching Him(How to Catch an Alpha #1) - Aurora Rose Reynolds Page 0,77
house?”
“I don’t know, baby,” he says, running his fingers through his hair. “Detective Miller wants me to take you down to the station to ask you some questions.”
My chest gets tight, and nausea turns my empty stomach. “Why? Does he think I had something to do with what happened?”
Tyler’s expression softens, and he comes closer to me, wrapping a hand around the back of my neck. “No, he just wants to see if there’s anyone you might suspect, anyone you’ve made mad or fought with recently.”
“There is no one.”
“Talking with him might lead him somewhere, might give him a clue.”
“But they have a full print. Can’t they just put that in the system and see if it matches someone?”
“No, unfortunately, just because they have a match doesn’t mean they’re going to be able to rush the process. And in the meantime, Detective Miller doesn’t want something to happen again.”
“You need to go talk with him,” Dad inserts, and I pull in a shaky breath.
I know he’s right, that they are right. I need to go talk to him. I just don’t want to. I now feel like I’m somehow the cause of all this, but I don’t understand how that could be possible. I don’t have any enemies that I know of. I’ve never even cut someone in line or sneezed without covering my mouth. I get along with everyone I meet. It just doesn’t make any sense. “Okay, I’ll go talk to him. I just need to shower and change first.”
“I’ll walk you over to my place so you can do that; then we’ll go,” Tyler says.
I nod at him and look around the room. “Thank you all again,” I say, then listen to their sweet replies. I hug my parents, Chrissie, Angie, and my brothers. Tyler walks me to his house, with Bruce coming with us, and I take a shower and get dressed while he talks to his parents and fills them in on what’s going on. He’s standing in the bathroom, watching my every move with worry-filled eyes. By the time I’m done getting ready, my earlier hunger is nowhere in sight, and my nerves are a mess.
“It’s going to be okay,” Tyler says as he opens the door and helps me into his truck. “You’re not in trouble. You’re just answering a few questions.”
“I know, but now I feel like this is all my fault.”
“It’s not. Whoever’s doing this is obviously sick and in need of help. That’s not on you.”
“I just keep trying to think of someone, anyone, I’ve upset, but no one’s coming to mind,” I tell him, letting out a frustrated hiss when I can’t seem to get the seat belt to work.
He takes the buckle from me, then slides it around my waist and latches it in place. “Breathe for me and relax, baby. It’s going to be okay.” He kisses my forehead, then steps back and slams the door. As he comes around the driver’s side, I take a few deep breaths to relax. It works, and I settle back against my seat. When he gets behind the wheel, he grabs my hand, placing it against his thigh before turning on his truck and backing out of his driveway. “Have you had anything more than coffee today?” he asks me, and I turn to look at him before I answer.
“No, there wasn’t time, not with my parents showing up and everything else that happened.”
“We’ll stop on the way and grab you a sandwich,” he says as he rests his hand over mine.
“I don’t think I can eat right now.” Even the thought of food makes my stomach turn.
“You’re gonna eat something, even if I have to force-feed you,” he informs me, turning to look at me when he stops at a red light.
When I see the determined look in his eyes, I grumble, “Fine.”
“Also, Mom and Dad are worried. They’re driving up the day after tomorrow to spend a few days with us.”
“What?” I cry. “I don’t want them here, not if someone’s really trying to hurt me.”
He ignores me and continues. “I placed an order for a mattress for your bed this afternoon. It should be delivered by tomorrow evening. We’ll stay at your place and let my parents have mine while they’re in town.”
“I don’t like that, Tyler. If someone’s trying to hurt me, your family could end up caught up in things. That’s not okay with me.”
“Would you have any luck convincing your parents or brothers to