“Then support my anger instead of making sense.”
“I can’t because I don’t think you two are done yet,” Bel said. “Ewan clearly loves you. He’s like Eamon. They see problems and fix them, sometimes overstepping boundaries, but it doesn’t change the fact that they’d do anything and everything for us. And like I said, I’m not pushing you to reconnect with him, but you need to discuss what happened since this isn’t a normal breakup.”
“You’re annoying.”
“I know.” Bel flipped her hair like a supermodel on a runway.
“Fine!” Olivia threw open the SUV door. “I’ll talk to him, but that’s it. Just talk.”
“Really talk?” Bel asked. “Not fight. Talk.”
“Yes, Mom.” Olivia rolled her eyes, but before she could make it halfway to her ex-boyfriend, an irate intruder stormed across the parking lot.
“What did you say to Ondine?” Erik shouted as he charged the blonde detective. Bel surged toward her partner, but he was faster. “What lies did you tell her because she isn’t talking to me?”
“We simply asked her some questions.” Olivia retreated from Erik’s anger.
“Well, you must have said something because she’s ignoring me.” Erik got in her face, but Bel cut between them, shielding her partner with her body.
“Back up,” she ordered. “We interviewed Ondine, the same as you.”
“No, you accused me of killing Ariella.” He jabbed a finger into Bel’s face. “You’re poisoning her against me.”
“Mr. Prince, you need to calm down,” she warned.
“Don’t tell me to calm down,” Erik spat. “You accused me of killing my girlfriend, and now you’re turning Ondine against me. You won’t get away with this. This is slander.” His agitated movements triggered warnings in Bel’s brain, but before she could react, Ewan’s mass consumed the space that had been shielding the detectives.
“That’s close enough,” he growled.
“This is none of your business, bro,” Erik said, but before he could finish his sentence, Ewan inhaled, his chest inflating as he rose to his full height, and fear flickered in Erik’s eyes. If she weren’t so concerned with his behavior, Bel would’ve laughed at his reaction to the bear hovering below Ewan’s surface.
“Fine.” Erik retreated at Ewan’s wordless demand. “But you better fix this.” He jabbed his finger at the women and then left like a dog with its tail between its legs.
“That was almost a threat,” Olivia said. “Erik isn’t helping his case.”
“That was a threat.” Ewan’s protectiveness bristled in palpable waves.
“And Ondine seems to be having doubts,” Bel said. “We may be able to use that. She might spill his secrets now.”
“Is that kind of behavior normal?” Ewan gawked at the detectives and their lack of reaction to being accosted in the parking lot.
“I don’t know what’s normal in this town anymore,” Olivia flashed her ex a glare.
“People get angry when we accuse them of crimes.” Bel shrugged. “They get especially angry when we’re close to uncovering their secrets.”
“You two are something else.” Ewan shook his head. “This guy rushes you in a parking lot, and you both start chatting about how that’s a good thing.”
“It is,” Bel said. “We’ve rattled him.”
“We’ve also faced worse.” Olivia deepened her glare.
“Yup, got it.” Ewan raised his hands in surrender. “Well, I just came to drop off your car. I fixed it for you.”
He turned to leave, and Bel raised her eyebrows at her partner. “Talk to him,” she mouthed.
“Fine,” Olivia mouthed back. “Ewan, wait up. Do you have a minute?”
“Sure.” His eyes widened, and Bel took that as her cue to leave.
