Hart arched a brow as he eyed Colton.He took the seatacross from me.“I know you’ve already given your statement to Officer Hun, butwe’re going to want you to start from the beginning, okay?”
I nodded slowly.“I was leaving the bar Pixie’s and walkingto my car.It was parked a couple of blocks away.Maybe three or four blocks.It was early.Maybe around eight-thirty.I was on a…a date, but the guy was atotal douchebag.”My cheeks heated as my gaze darted to Colton.“I’m sorry.That’s not really important.”
Colton’s lips twitched.“Everything is important.”
I forced myself to take another slow, steady breath.“Allright.I was walking to my car and I really wasn’t paying attention.That areaof the city isn’t bad and so I wasn’t expecting anything to happen, you know?Iwas just walking and I saw my car up ahead.I was thinking about going home andreading this book,” I continued, knowing I was rambling again.“I heard someonegroaning and it was like I had no control over my feet.I stopped and I lookedto my right.There was an alley and that’s when I saw them.”
Extending an arm, Colton snatched up the file on the tableand flipped it open.His brows burrowed together as he quickly scanned it.“Yousaid you saw three people.”
“Yes.There was a man just standing there.He had…he had ascar on his face and bleached blond hair.The other man, the one with the gun,his head was shaven and he had a huge tattoo on his arm.I couldn’t make outwhat it looked like.It was too dark.I’m sorry.”
He glanced up at me, his gaze roaming over my face.“That’sokay.You told the officer you could recognize them, right?”When I noddedagain, he smiled tightly.Not the big, warm smile I’d seen him throw aroundwhen we were teenagers.Not even a hint of it.“They’re compiling some mugshots of those who’ve met your description right now.So we’ll go over that ina few.”There was a pause as he sat back in the chair.“How many times did youhear the gun fire?”
“Once.No.Twice,” I said.Detective Hart was scribblingsomething down on a small notebook he must’ve had hidden somewhere.“He shot…heshot that man in the alley, and I dropped my keys like a dumbass.Oh!”Ismacked my hand over my mouth.“I’m sorry.”
The blue hue of Colton’s eyes had lightened.“Honey, sayingdumbass around here isn’t going to offend anyone.”
“No truer words ever spoken,” Hart added dryly.
The smile that curved up the corners of my lips felt weakand brittle.I’d also never in a million years thought I’d hear Colton call mehoney.Hell, never in a million years did I think I’d be sitting in front ofhim.
I really needed to focus, but now it was a struggle.Adrenaline had long since faded and it was way past my normal bedtime ofeleven-thirty.“Um, after I dropped the keys, the man with the gun, he turnedto me.I saw him.He…he saw me.”My fingers tightened around the poor tissue asa slice of panic cut across my chest.“I turned and ran.He must’ve fired atme, but missed.The bullet hit a nearby building.”I raised my hand toward mycheek and then immediately dropped it back to my lap.“I kept running andthat’s when I ran into the man.”
Detective Hart asked a few more questions.Did I notice ifthey had gotten in a car?No.Was a name even spoken?Not that I recalled.Didthey say anything to the man they shot?I wasn’t sure.Eventually, he got upand left the room to retrieve some photos they wanted me to look at.
I was alone with Colton.
Any other time I probably would’ve been beside myself withnervousness, but at this point, I barely registered his presence.All I wantedto do was go home and forget this night.
“Abby?”
My gaze slowly lifted at the sound of my name.His voice wasdeep and gruff—a morning voice.
He leaned toward me, placing his arms on the table.Shortdark hairs dusted powerful forearms.The few times I’d seen him over the years,I hadn’t been in close proximity to him, but now I could see the tinydifferences between the Colton I’d admired from afar in high school and the onesitting in front of me, some ten years later.Fine lines had formed around thecorners of his eyes.His jaw seemed harder, and the five-o’clock shadow wassomething new.
Something sexy.
I really needed to stop thinking in general.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Abby?”he asked, and real concernfilled his voice.
I shook my head slowly as a shiver raced down my spine.“Yes.No?I’m sorry.I’m so tired.”
“I can imagine.”He glanced at the door as he moved hisshoulders, as if working out a kink.“We’ll get you home soon.”
Slouching in the metal chair, I sighed.“Is this…the startof your shift or…?”
Colton’s cobalt gaze tracked back to me.“I usually get offaround eight, but we work in cycles for homicide calls.It was our weekend.”
“Sorry,” I whispered, and then frowned.“I don’t even knowwhy I apologized.It’s got to be hard working those kinds of hours, having tobe on call.”
“I imagine it is for some, especially those with a family.”One side of his lips quirked up, and despite the dire situation, my stomachdipped a bit.He lifted his left hand.“Obviously, I’m not married.I wouldn’tknow.”
I thought about the beautiful blonde I’d seen him with atthe movies.“No girlfriend?”My eyes widened.Did I seriously just ask that?
That half grin spread, revealing the one dimple he had inhis left cheek.“No.Not really.”
Not really?What in the heck was that supposed to mean?Didit matter?No.Not at all.I dropped my gaze to the table.A moment passed andI didn’t think about what I was saying.It just…came out.“I’d never seenanyone die before.Never saw the exact moment life was snuffed out.I’d livedthrough death.With my parents and then with Kevin, but…” I’d seen my husbandafter he’d passed away.He’d been a pale, waxy shadow of himself and astraumatizing as that was, it was nothing compared to witnessing a life end.“Iwon’t ever forget tonight.”
