Bud frowned. “How come you let him be bossy?”
“He’s bringing ice cream,” I said.
Bud gestured me in front of him. “There are reporters out the front, so let’s go the back way where my truck is. We have the alley cordoned off right now.”
“Good.” The last thing I needed was another picture in the paper. So I tugged my purse up my arm and reached Bud’s truck without incident. He drove us to the station, and we hustled inside. It almost felt like a miracle that I’d been spared. Bud nodded at the cop behind the reception desk. “I have to meet with my captain. Do you mind waiting here?”
“Nope. I’m good.” I waited until Bud had disappeared before moving up the steps to the next level and walking to Pierce’s office. It was empty. Then I walked through the bullpen, waved at a few friends, and somehow ended up near the interrogation rooms. Only one had a light on, so I slipped around the hallway and into the observation room, which was also vacant.
Pierce sat with his back to me, while Aiden sat across from him next to a man with a round face, also wearing a Lorde’s cut. Aiden was slouching and looked insolent, so he must’ve been in character.
I flipped on the audio system so I could hear.
“Listen, Carbine,” Pierce was saying. “I want to know where you were yesterday and last night. Start talking and now.”
Carbine crossed his arms. He had muscled arms, a big belly, and a long beard that was pure brown. No gray. His hair was thick and fell to his shoulders, and it was also brown and possibly unwashed. “I was home.”
“What’s your given name?” Pierce asked.
Carbine rolled his eyes. “Carbine. That’s my name.”
Pierce’s shoulders stiffened. This was no doubt a voluntary interview, and if Carbine wanted to leave, he could. So Pierce could only push so far. “Did you live with Bev?”
“Not anymore. I kicked that bitch out after she caused the truck accident and food fight.” Carbine showed no emotion.
Pierce must’ve looked at Aiden. “On your orders?”
Aiden shrugged.
I swallowed. Aiden had told Carbine to break up with Bev because of me?
“Devlin, answer me,” Pierce barked.
Aiden slowly turned his gaze to Pierce. “I don’t get involved in my men’s love lives, detective. However, I made it clear that if Bev went after Anna Albertini again, her man would no longer be one of mine or a Lordes club member. He made the decision to either talk some sense into Bev or end things. I couldn’t care less which he decided.”
Pierce sat back. “Why break up with her, then?”
Carbine scratched his chin. “I needed a change, anyway. Bev was a lot of work, and I was done.”
Pierce angled toward Aiden. “I thought you and Albertini broke it off, and you were dating a redhead.”
Aiden crossed his arms. “We did end things, but I still don’t want anybody crashing a truck into her. We had some good times.”
Pierce set his pen down. “I see. You know, a case could be made that you want her back and left her a gift of a dead woman, the woman harassing her, in her office.”
Aiden barely smiled. “I’m more of an emeralds or flowers kind of guy, Pierce.”
Chapter 29
Around nine that evening, I settled onto my sofa with Quint on one side and Tessa on the other after having dished up bowls of ice-cream. The doorbell rang, and Bud hustled from the kitchen to the front door, peering out before straightening. He opened it.
Donna swept inside dressed in cute shorts and a shirt with a bottle of Baileys in her hand. “You didn’t start without the Baileys?”
“Of course not.” Tess grabbed Donna’s bowl off my coffee table. “Here’s yours. Bud won’t join us.”
Donna turned to the already blushing police officer. “You don’t like ice cream?”
His Adams’ apple bobbed. “I like ice cream.” He gently drew her inside and locked the door. “But I’m on duty.”
