He wouldn’t hear it at all. It wasn’t the kind of honesty that served any purpose. And we weren’t the kind of couple that needed to share every damn thing.
A statement was fairly straightforward anyway.
David cleared books from a wood chair in one corner and picked it up by its seatback.
“That’s not sturdy,” Cooper warned.
David placed the chair next to mine, still gripping the back. “I’d like us to give our statements together.”
I wanted David there. Just his presence comforted me. And his association with Cooper made this a safe space. “Stay.”
His hardened features eased and his hand twitched, as if he’d been about to reach for me. Instead, he took a seat so each of us faced the desk.
Cooper heaved a sigh and opened a drawer. “Alvarez number two is now in custody for violating his parole,” he explained, rummaging through the drawer. “He not only had a gun on him, but cocaine as well. Dumbass. Since he’s a felon, he’s going to get it even worse.” Cooper looked from me to David. “Between us, he’ll probably take a plea bargain.”
“What about retaliation?” David asked.
“Unlikely at this point.” Cooper shook his head. “When Lou and Mark went away, their gang fragmented. I’ve heard rumblings they think Mark gave the cops info to reduce his charges. It’s not true, but that doesn’t matter. The Alvarez family is out, and that’s why Mark is so worked up. He’s got no one left.”
“So you don’t think they’ll come after us?” I asked.
“They got no reason to stir up trouble with our department for two guys who’ll be locked up for a while. But first, let’s make sure Mark stays put.”
The detective held up a tape recorder, hit a button, and spoke into it. “Witnesses Olivia Germaine and Lucas Dylan, incident involving Mark B. Alvarez on May seventeenth,” he said into the recorder.
May seventeenth?I’d completely forgotten it was almost my thirtieth birthday. I supposed that everyone else had, too, since nobody had mentioned it.
“All right, Miss Germaine,” he began.
“Olivia, please,” I said.
“Olivia. Can you give me a general recount of what happened?”
“I was working late when I heard the elevator. I got up to see who it was. When I opened my office door, Mark was standing there.”
“So your office door was shut?”
“Yes,” I said. “Is that important?”
“It must be a loud elevator.”
“Coop,” David said, his brows lowering.
“Just trying to get the facts as straight as possible. That’s why it would’ve been better to do this last night, while her memory was fresh.”
I cleared my throat. “Yes, from my desk, I probably wouldn’t have heard it. But, now that I think about it, I was actually standing against the door.”
Listening.Waiting.Hoping against all sense you’d come back. . .
I raised my gaze to David’s.
He seemed to read everything in mine.
“What happened in the time it took for Mark to walk from the elevator to your office?” Cooper asked, then lowered his voice to the recorder. “By my estimation, it’s about twenty-five to thirty yards.”
“I—I just stood there,” I said. “I guess I should’ve called security, but it never crossed my mind I was in danger.”
“Who’d you think would arrive at the office that late?” he asked. “A co-worker?”
