I listened carefully. If Randy was dumb enough to talk, I wasn’t going to stop him.
Randy shrugged. “Dunno. He works out at that seed company on the border, and his stuff is always the best.” He turned red, his gaze shifting to me. “At least, that’s what I’ve heard. I mean, this was my first joint.”
Aiden didn’t even attempt to hide his chuckle at that.
I struggled to unfreeze my brain.
Pierce had to be an inch shorter than Aiden, which still made him tall. “Did you recognize the shooters?”
“No.” Randy shook his head. “I saw the gun, and then this guy shoved me to the ground before landing on top of this lady lawyer.” He flipped his shaggy hair toward Aiden.
I glared. “I think you mean to say thanks for saving my life.” Ugh. I sounded like a mom correcting a toddler.
“Oh. Yeah. Thanks, man.” Randy stood. “Can I go now?”
“No.” Pierce curled his lip. “I need a list of who’d want to kill you.”
“Nobody, man. Really.” Randy eyed the cops swarming the grounds and taking witness statements. “If I think of anyone, I’ll call you.”
Pierce exhaled slowly and turned his focus on Aiden. “We all know you were the target. Too bad they missed.”
Randy’s head swung around, his mouth dropping open. “Hey—yeah. You were right in the line of fire.” He brushed dirt off his skinny jeans. “Maybe this had nothin’ to do with me, dude. It’s all about the big man in black.”
Aiden crossed his arms. “I can’t be sure.” His eyes darkened.
Tension spiraled through the already hectic afternoon. Pierce’s lids half-lowered. “What are you involved in now?”
Now? I squinted to read Aiden’s suddenly unreadable face.
“Nothing.” Aiden peered down, his tone remaining level.
“We’ll see.” Pierce tapped his pen again.
Aiden’s smile held more warning than humor, and my breath caught all funny in my chest. “If I am up to something, then no doubt you’re the guy to figure it out,” he said softly.
Red spiraled across Pierce’s sharp cheekbones. “That cocky attitude is gonna finally bring you down.” He eyed both Randy and me. “You’re all coming into the office right now for an interview.” He nodded at Aiden. “Devlin—I’m looking forward to it.”
“I hope you’re well rested, then.” Aiden’s expression didn’t change.
Okay. Where had Aiden been the last twelve years, and what the heck had he been doing? Besides being arrested for dealing drugs. Sure, he’d been a wild youth, but there had been a sweetness in him I’d never forgotten. And he had saved my life.
“Five minutes. My office.” The detective hurried off to speak with a couple of uniformed officers by the door.
Randy cleared his throat. “I, uh, have to go call my work and let them know I’ll be late. Meet you in the sheriff’s office.” Without waiting for an answer, he pivoted and made a fast exit toward the parking lot.
“He’d better come right back,” I muttered.
Aiden dropped into a crouch at my eye level. “Feeling better?”
No. “Sure. Um, why does a police officer want to take you down?” I asked. Aiden just couldn’t be the bad guy. There had to be some mistake, right? He’d saved me from being shot, and he’d saved me from a fate worse than death when I was only ten years old.
Aiden lifted one muscled shoulder. “Cops have never liked me. It’s that simple.”
No, it wasn’t. “Aiden—”
“Pierce is the asshole who arrested me, and we might’ve gotten in a bit of a scuffle. Not your problem.” Aiden tugged a small stick from my hair to toss to the grass. “I’m fine, though.”
Fair enough. I tried to straighten my spine and look tough. Good manners won out. “Thanks for rolling me to the ground.”
