“Okay.” Knowing that Douglas already has an insight and probably checked over the photo himself gives me more confidence.
The policeman slides the photo over. I’m a little surprised it’s not a police issued one. If anything, it looks more like it’s from someone’s family album.
“Never seen him.”
I barely finish before the detective is interrupting. “Does it make a difference if I say he’s dead?”
Douglas barks something, but the man ignores him, his eyes locked on me instead.
“Dead?” I ask. I’m not sure what I was expecting but that was not it.
The man continues, not giving me too much time to absorb, which I suspect is part of his interrogation techniques, but it works fine. “Early this morning he was assaulted and left bleeding on the doorstep of my residence. He subsequently died. By the time I got to my office, I had an Alpha waiting for my arrival. That man admitted his involvement in the assault against the man in that photo who we know to be the man who attacked you.”
Without anyone saying a thing, I know it was Ayden. I have no clue how he tracked down the man responsible for hurting me, but I also know without a shadow of a doubt that he did. And I’m honestly not sure how to feel about it either.
“Anything to add?” the detective prompts.
“I never saw or scented the Alpha. I’d have nothing useful to add at this point. But it also sounds like the case is closed,” I offer coldly. It feels callous to be so flippant over the revelation that the man who attacked me is dead, but his death is his problem, not mine.
“You can understand we needed to ask.”
I shrug, not agreeing before I drop my eyes to stare at the smoky grey cable knit blanket on my lap. I watch my fingers digging into the loops of the cable knit as I try to sort through the fallout of what he said Ayden did.
I obviously get completely lost in my thoughts because when I look up next, the room is empty except for an envelope on my hospital tray along with a yellow sticky note written in Douglas’s trademark scratching.
He asked the detective to give this to you. I think we should burn it, but I’ll leave it up to you. Call me if you need me or want someone to talk to.
Rolling over onto my good side, my nail hooks under the lip of the sealed stationery from the police department. I unfold the note and speed-read Ayden’s note. I have to read it ten times before I make sense of anything, and then the only thing I feel is angry.
Heidi,
I crossed a line, but you made it hard not to.
Ayden
Six Years Later
PART TWO
ChapterSeven
HEIDI
“Where did you put it?” I ask slower this time because this bitch acts like she’s got selective hearing sometimes.
There’s a pause that stretches out, making me struggle not to dissolve into laughter. I ready myself for her snarky come-back. It’s gathering, I can see it in her challenging glare.
“Well, Heidi, if I fucking knew where I put it, don’t you think it wouldn’t be lost?” Raney’s green eyes bore into mine as her words explode out of her.
I stare her down before rolling my eyes at her dramatics. “Personally, I think it’s a good thing you did lose it. That thing was ugly as shit. What even was it?”
“That thing is necessary for me to pass Sculpting for Alphas.” Her lips pull against her teeth. Raney has always been snarky about all the courses and classes we need to pass at Unity Collegiate. It’s the easiest way to rile her up.
And much like she’d do to me, I push her a little more. I mean, that’s what besties do, right?
“You didn’t want to find it before you left for a weekend away? Where did Koz take you this time, anyway?” I ask her, dropping in a tut here and there.
Raney’s always been whip quick, and she gives me the finger and an update in one breath. “You’re right, I didn’t want to find it before I left, useless waste of my fucking time anyway. You know what, just leave it, Ho, I’ll do a summer class instead.”
