Erik’s voice was a bit growly as he answered the call. “Yeah?”
He listened for a moment before his eyes flicked to hers and his jaw clamped tightly shut. Chloe’s passion from a moment ago dried up as dread pitted her stomach. This was about her. Whatever was being said on the other end of that call was about her, and it was nothing good.
The one-sided conversation continued, and Erik’s expression turned progressively darker before he finally said, “Okay. Keep me posted.”
He disconnected the call, still holding Chloe’s gaze. “Daniel Drayton was killed last night.”
Chloe blinked, her mind failing to comprehend the words. That couldn’t be right.
She shook her head in denial as her eyes welled with tears. “No.” Danny couldn’t be dead. This had to be a mistake. She’d just seen him…
But when she searched Erik’s face for the truth, his expression, a mix of anger and sympathy, drove the point home.
The tears spilled over as her face crumpled. Her shoulders shook, and a choked sob left her as she buried her face in her hands. She was still shaking her head no. The words, “He can’t be dead,” came out on a keening cry. Danny was her friend…
Erik pulled her into his arms, and she grabbed onto him, clinging to the strength of him as she broke. She sobbed, her tears dampening his T-shirt, and every breath that left her came out asa ragged cry. She felt like she couldn’t move, and at the same time, like shehadto move, had todosomething.
Pulling back, she swiped at her eyes and then gratefully accepted the tissue Erik handed her. “What happened?” she managed to choke out.
“Police responded to a neighbor’s 911 call of shots fired. When they arrived at the scene, they found Drayton dead, his home ransacked in a way that suggested a home invasion and robbery.”
Chloe gripped the damp ball of tissue in her hand. The way Erik said that last part was as if he doubted that was actually the case. “You don’t think so?”
Erik’s jaw clenched as he looked at her. It was clear he didn’t want to tell her. “Please.” She grabbed his hand. “Tell me.”
“Drayton was severely beaten before he was shot. Whoever did this was angry, and Savoy’s time on the force means he would know exactly how to stage things to look like a robbery.”
Chloe’s breathing hitched as hot tears flooded her eyes again, and she nodded.
“There were security cameras outside, monitoring the property. The police may be able to ID a suspect from it.”
She had to clear her throat before she could say, “But you don’t think that’s likely.” She could hear the skepticism in his voice.
“Those cameras were installed recently, because of what happened with Drayton’s car. I’m now also doubting it was a coincidence that Drayton’s brakes were tampered with around the sametime Savoy came to town. Not after what you told us about him. Which leads me to believe you’re not the only one Savoy has been watching.”
Chloe felt like she was going to be sick, but Erik wasn’t done.
“I think Savoy saw Drayton as a romantic rival who was in his way, so he eliminated him.”
Like Tyler…
Gagging, Chloe lurched up from the couch and ran to the bathroom. Over the toilet, she retched painfully, her entire body trembling as tears stung her eyes and her throat burned. Erik, behind her, rubbed her back and held her hair even though there was nothing more than bile in her stomach to come up.
When she finally flushed and sat back, he handed her a washcloth and, since she was still shaking, wrapped her in one of her large, fluffy bath towels. Chloe hugged it around herself gratefully, but it did little to stop her shivers. She felt cold to the bone.
Guilt was a hard knot in her chest that made it hard to breathe, hard to swallow. She’d had no romantic interest in Danny, but the old her, the Chloe that Jackson knew, she would have dated him. He’d been just her type. And he’d been murdered for it…
A strangled sound emerged from her throat, and Erik wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll get him, Chloe.”
She nodded half-heartedly. She had every confidence he would, but it wouldn’t bring Danny back, or give the dancer, Thad, whowas in the ICU, and might be facing permanent brain damage – if he even survived – this time back.
A wave of exhaustion hit her so hard, she grew lightheaded. “I think I need to lie down.”
With a nod, Erik scooped her up off the floor and carried her into her bedroom. As he lay her down, he asked, “Do you want me to stay with you?”
Part of her wanted to tell him that he should get as far away from her as possible for his own safety, but she didn’t want to be alone right now. “Yes.”
He crawled into bed behind her, his warm body spooning her as his strong arms wrapped around her. Brushing her hair back from her face, he kissed her temple. “I’ve got you, Chloe. I’ll keep you safe.”
