Once he'd left the room, I said, "Honestly, they aren't bad. I didn't ask them to treat me."
"Not important." Mr. Brown sat back in the chair. "It was his duty to offer, and he didn't. I derive great pleasure from enforcing the letter of the law, especially since Burke is a frequent guest of theirs."
"How is he?" I swallowed around the painful lump in my throat. I'd tried to push him from my mind so I didn't lose my sense of calm, but he popped up constantly.
"Pissed, but already released. Stewing in the limo Noah sent to pick me up. He waited impatiently in reception until I arrived and managed to convince him to sit in the car for a bit, have a whiskey and a smoke and settle the hell down."
My brows went up. "A smoke?"
Jasper smiled serenely. "Only smokes when he's extremely stressed, and only the finest cigars."
I rubbed my temples and tried to take it all in. The entire situation was ridiculous. "They didn't find anything to charge him with?"
"Tried to pin resisting arrest on him, but I pointed out his emotional distress after the two of you were shot at and then taken into custody when you were clearly the victims."
"And that worked?" I asked incredulously.
Shrugging, he replied, "They don't like it when I tangle them up in legal battles. Typically, they take the easy route."
All that time I'd tried to force aside my worry for Burke, and it turned out he was fine. "When do you think they'll let me go?"
"Oh, any minute now."
"That easily?" I dropped my voice. "But I killed a man."
"Who was aiming a gun at you and your spouse and said he would kill you out loud in front of plenty of witnesses after his men shot up the restaurant. You feared for your life and that of others, and you acted in defense of life and limb."
Attempting to absorb everything he'd said only resulted in a pounding head. "Wow, okay. I felt like it was justified, but I didn't know for certain."
"Ought to be working on the paperwork for your release now. They'll ask you to remain in the city for the duration of the investigation, yada yada yada. Legal jargon aside, you have no criminal record, Kinsley, despite who you married, and you're innocent."
"I don't intend to dabble further in illegal activity, either." The lie burned like acid on my tongue, but I didn't feel comfortable opening up to a stranger, even one who my husband apparently trusted.
"Doesn't bother me if you do or you don't."
"Good to know."
Derby returned with an EMT to check me over and then advised me to stay in Boston for the next few months before telling me I could go.
I walked beside Mr. Brown out of the interrogation room, spotting my husband in the hallway before we'd made it five steps.
"Burke."
Turning, his eyes widened and he broke into a sprint. He knocked the breath right out of me when he grabbed me around the waist, burying his face in my hair.
"Kinsley." With a ragged intake of breath, he pulled back to frame my face. "Tá mé agat anois, a chuisle."
"English, Burke."
"Sorry, sometimes I open my mouth and my grandfather comes out." He wiped the tears from my face and kissed me gently. "I've got you now. They won't touch you again."
"I'm okay, honestly."
Burke took my hand and headed to the doors. "I'm sorry they took so long settling everything. Are you injured?"
"No, they had someone look at my scratches. They're superficial."
He turned his head to speak to Mr. Brown. "Oliver has the Mercedes ready to take you home. Thank you for everything."
