“That was my first thought because he blamed me for his attack before. He was very vocal about it.”
The detective looks at me, and I wait for him to imply it was me, but Delphi beats him to it.
“No detective, not that I got someone to beat him up, that I did it myself. I don’t know if you’ve ever met Josh before, but there is a huge size and weight difference between us. And though I might be scrappy when I need to be, I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have the skills or strength to take down a grown man. I mean, he was in the hospital for a month. I don’t know what his injuries were, but they had to be bad, right?”
“Do you know who attacked him?”
She shakes her head. “I saw a guy with a hoodie or a hooded jacket of some kind running away from the trailer when I got there, but my focus was on getting to Theo.”
“Alright, back to today. What happened next?”
“Diane kept swinging the gun between me and Josh, who was still yelling, but she started shouting over him, accusing us of having an affair. She’d found his bags half-packed in the bedroom, apparently. I just froze. I didn’t know where Theo was or if he was hurt. I kept glancing around, but I couldn’t see him. I tried to talk to her. I figured if I could just reason with her, she’d calm down. But her eyes were wild, and she was scratching at her arm.”
The officer murmurs something that the detective nods to before looking back at Delphi.
“He was yelling that nobody was after a used-up hag like me. Theo was where the money would be—young, easily breakable.” She swallows as if she might puke. “Diane shot him twice. I thought I was hallucinating at first, but his face was just gone.” She covers her mouth with her hand.
I reach for the cup of water on the table and hand it to her. “Drink this, chestnut.”
Her hands shake, so I help guide it to her lips. The cops wait as she composes herself.
“I’m sorry.”
“Take your time, Miss Anders. We understand how difficult this is.”
She nods before continuing. “I thought what he said about Theo pushed her over the edge, but then she pointed the gun at me. I tried to move. I remember thinking I needed to get the gun off her, but then pain exploded in my arm, and everything just went blank after that. I briefly remember coming around dazed, calling the cops and puking. She was across the room, shoving a needle in her arm. I think I must have passed out again becausethe next time I came to, my head was in Kruger’s lap and I could hear sirens.”
I lean down and press my lips to the back of her hand before filling them in on what happened after, even though I’ve already given my statement. They run over everything again twice more, but her answers don’t change.
In the end, the detective cracks his neck and straightens his jacket. “I think we have everything we need. But if you think of anything else, please give the station a call and ask for me.”
“I will. Is…how is Diane?” Delphi asks.
“I can’t give you specifics.”
“I don’t want them. I just need to know what to tell Theo.”
The detective looks at the officer before he shrugs. “As of right now, she’s still alive, but it’s not looking good. The heroine she took was laced with fentanyl.”
“Oh god.”
“She’s not dead yet, ma’am, but I’d prepare him for the worst,” Office Marks adds.
She nods. I get up and offer them my hand. We shake, and I walk them out before closing the door behind me.
I stalk to the bed and lean over her. “You’ve got some explaining to do, woman.”
“I know.”
“Was any of that story true?”
“How about you let me sleep and I’ll explain it all to you tomorrow when I get out? Somewhere where the walls don’t have ears.”
I growl, kissing her hard. “You’re lucky I fucking love you.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
DELPHI
