The last thing I wanted to do was return to the scene.
A shaky breath puffed out as the door opened, causing mychin to jerk up.Two men entered.The first thing I noticed was that both weredressed like I expected detectives to be.The first man wore tan trousers andthe other one had on black.The first man’s dress shirt was slightly wrinkled,as if he had gotten the call in the middle of the night and had picked thefirst thing up from the floor.He was older, possibly in his fifties, and hisdark gaze was sympathetic as he moved closer to the table.The scent of freshcoffee wafted from the cup he held.He placed a closed file on the table.
“Ms.Ramsey?I’m sorry to keep you waiting.I know you’vehad a long night.I’m Detective Hart.”He stopped, turning halfway.“And thisis Detective…”
I was already looking up at the other guy, taking in how thepressed, white polo was loose at his trim waist and a bit tighter along aclearly defined chest and shoulders.Right now really wasn’t the best moment tobe checking out a guy, so I forced myself to look up.My gaze had just moved tohis face when Detective Hart introduced the second detective.
My heart stopped for the second time that evening.
Oh my God.
I could feel my eyes widen as I gawked at the second man,who was openly staring back at me with the same look of disbelief on hisunbelievably handsome face.I didn’t even need to hear his name spoken.I knewwho it was.
Colton Anders.
Oh my God, there was no mistaking him.Those high, angularcheekbones, the cut line of an often stubborn jaw, his full lips and thosebright and piercing blues eyes had spawned an embarrassing amount of fantasiesin high school and beyond.
God, it probably made me a terrible person.I had aboyfriend all through high school—a boy who ultimately became my husband—butthere had always been Colton.He was the untouchable god in high school, theboy you went to school for and lusted for from afar, even though an icicle hada better chance of surviving in hell than you did when it came to gaining hisattention.
Colton was classically handsome, just like his youngerbrother, Reece, and he looked more ready to arrive at a fashion shoot for amen’s health magazine than he appeared ready to investigate a homicide.
So shocked at the sight of him, the question blurted out ofme.“I thought you worked for the county?”
“I did, but I transferred to the city.”Colton lifted hisarm, running his hand over his dark brown hair.Did he still live in PlymouthMeeting?Had he moved to Philadelphia?Those questions were so inappropriate,and I was amazed I kept my mouth shut as he stared at me.“Damn, Abby.I had noidea it was you in this room.”
He knew my name?Let alone, remembered it?The Kool-Aid dudecould burst through the one-way mirror and I wouldn’t be any more surprised.Colton and I hadn’t run in the same circles, and I was sure, a hundred percentpositive, I hadn’t been on his radar in high school.
“You two know each other?”Hart asked with a frown as heglanced between us.
Colton gave a tight shake of his head.“We went to highschool together, but I haven’t seen her…” He lowered his arm.“I haven’t seenyou in years.”
Oh, but I had seen him around town.Not often.At thegrocery store once in a while.Once at the movies.I’d been with my friend andhe had been with this statuesque blonde.
“I…” Swallowing hard, I glanced at Detective Hart.Offkilter from what had happened, I already felt like I was stuck in a dream.Or anightmare.“I left for college and then moved to New York after I graduated.I’ve been back for about four years.”
Colton stepped around Hart and those blue eyes, framed by aheavy fringe of lashes, narrowed.“Are you okay?”His head jerked back towardthe other detective.“Has she seen an EMT?”
“From what Officer Hun said, she was treated and refused togo to the hospital.”
That narrowed gaze landed on me sharply.“You need to get—”
“I’m fine.”How bad did my face look?I resisted the urge toglance at the one-way glass window.“Really, I am.”
“You were shot at,” Colton stated.
I flinched, unable to stop myself.Either the respondingofficer had filled him in or that info was in the file.“The bullet must’ve hita nearby wall.It was chunks of brick.”Pausing, I wetted my lips.“It’s not…”
Colton’s gaze dipped to my mouth for a second too long forme to have completely imagined it.His eyes met mine quick enough as he slidinto the seat closest to me on my left.“Have you called your husband?”
What the…?I blinked once and then twice.He knew I’dmarried?Granted, it wasn’t like it had been a secret or anything.Kevin andI…we’d gotten married right after graduation, during the summer, and by winterwe had moved.Yes, we all went to school together, but I had been completelyinvisible to him.
Drawing in a shallow breath, I loosened my grip on thetissue as I refocused my thoughts.“Kevin passed away four years ago.It was acar accident.”
“Shit.”Colton straightened as the look in his steeling bluegaze softened.“I didn’t know.”He reached over, placing his large hand on myshoulder.The weight was shockingly comforting.“I’m sorry, Abby.”
“It’s…” It wasn’t exactly okay even though I’d long come toterms with the loss of Kevin.Some days it was still hard.Something small,like a certain scent or a song on the radio would remind me of him and howuncertain life could be.“Thank you.”
He squeezed gently and then lowered his hand, the tips ofhis fingers brushing the bare skin of my arm.“Okay.Let’s get this over so youcan go home.”
