“Obviously, I can't let you do that.”
Devon snorted. “Obviously.”
“You were in shock, Devon. You suffered a trauma. I sincerely doubt any court would find you guilty should I feel the need to arrest you.” John jotted something down and both men jumped at the pounding on the door.
“Let me get that,” John said in a warning tone.
Devon followed John out of the kitchen. The pounding was harder by then, and John held an arm out to keep Devon behind him. Looking through the door scope, he sighed heavily.
“You need to keep your mouth shut and let me handle this.”
Devon raised an eyebrow. “Who is it?”
John shot him a look and opened the door.
Devon gasped. “Anna!”
“I want him arrested!” She directed her shouting at John, but pointed at Devon. “Did you see what he did to my husband?”
“Ma’am, lower your voice.”
“Don’t tell me to lower my voice! Why haven't you arrested him yet? I’ve had a dozen phone calls in the last half hour from people telling me he attacked my husband unprovoked!” Everything about her was indignant, from her body language to the tone of her voice.
Devon seethed silently, desperate to unleash some of his anger on Vince’s wife. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but he was trying to abide by John’s orders.
“Mrs. Buckley, you need to leave. You’re on private property. If you wish to discuss the matter of your husband’s case, you may go to the station and speak to someone there.”
That seemed to deflate her entirely. “His case? What case? What are you talking about? Why does Vince have a case, but Devon doesn’t?”
Devon closed his eyes. He had a feeling Anna was in the dark, but it was hard to know. With his trust smashed to pieces, he was no longer certain of anything.
John sighed. “I can repeat my previous statement if necessary.”
Anna gaped at the two of them, tears coming to her eyes. Covering her open mouth with her hand, she glared at Devon and turned to go. After they watched her make it down the front walk to her car, John shut the door.
“All the time he spent with me. The times he came here and collected the stuff the neighbors left. Helping us search for her when he knew exactly where she was, for Christ’s sake. He grieved with me, or pretended to. He knew I feared she was dead, and he never said afucking word.”
“I can’t pretend to understand how you feel, Devon, but I can assure you, when all is said and done, those actions will weigh against him.”
They went back to the kitchen and dumped out what was left of their lukewarm coffee. An unnamed feeling sat in Devon’s gut. It was a pebble at first, the kernel of emotions all mixed up to make him feel nauseated. It had grown over the course of the day until it became a marble slab weighing him down. The events of the day, the thought that someone he had loved like a brother could betray him in such a brutal manner, gutted him. Why in God’s name would Vince want to harm Hailey? With no request for ransom, it hadn’t been for financial gain. Devon was positive he’d never treated Vince as anything other than his dearest friend, his surrogate brother. Jealousy didn’t make sense. Sowhy?
“Want me to take you back to Merrimac Valley Hospital?”
Devon jumped as John spoke. His mind had been a million miles away. “Uh, sure.”
On the ride, he stared out the car window, thinking about where to go from there. He had no clue what he was doing with his life anymore. Everything had fallen apart. Whatever he touched turned to shit until he was left with next to nothing. Hailey didn't deserve to suffer because of his shortcomings. How would he nurture her, raise her, when he was terrified of fucking her up more than she already had been? If his mere presence was the catalyst for disaster, then where did he fit in?
He was afraid the answer was nowhere.
He thanked John for the ride and walked calmly into the building that felt like his second home. He took the elevator up to the correct floor and wondered how many family members he’d have to face. He didn't have the right words for what they would surely ask. How could he answer questions when he had so many of his own?
“Devon.”
Stopping, he waited for her to catch up without turning around. Coming to a stop beside him and merely standing there, Chloe reminded him how low the circumstances had brought him. He wished he could suck up her strength through osmosis. For a second, he wanted to physically lean on her for support, but he straightened his spine and looked at her expectantly.
“I wanted to apologize in case I overstepped.”
“No, you were right.” He looked into her dark brown eyes and saw the sincerity. But Vince had looked sincere, too. “I shouldn’t have attacked him.”
