Grayden had been some part of my life since the day I was born. First as my best friend’s brother. My older brother’s best friend.
And then, as a terrible absence.
It would be impossible to explain how important he was to me now, and how quickly it had happened. Grayden’s good heart, though? To me, that was beyond question.
Suddenly, I knew what I had to do.
I grabbed Teller’s sleeve. “I need to talk to you.”
We went out to the hallway. There was a vending machine area with terrible coffee, and I found a deserted corner. The hum of quiet activity and other nearby voices filled the air.
“Do you have anything to share about you and Grayden?” Teller asked.
Ugh. He was using his dad voice. Teller wasn’t even a father yet, but if and when he and Ayla decided to start a family, he was ready.
“We’re dating. He wants to be with me, and I…I want to be with him. Ollie likes him a lot too.”
Teller wiped a hand over his face. “Piper, I realize what a big deal it is for you to be open to a relationship again. But whyhim?”
“I’m not a teenager rebelling with the local bad boy. Don’t treat me like one.”
Teller held up his hands. “I just don’t understand how this happened.”
“I hardly do either. Grayden and I just fit. It’s our history and who we are now. Everything. You and Ayla weren’t a likely couple, in case you forgot.”
He gave me a look. “Grayden has a history of violence. Did you forgetthat? Chief Nichols is interrogating him right nowbecause he’s suspected of putting your ex in this hospital. I know you don’t believe that, but…”
“If you knew everything, you would have as much faith in Grayden as I do.” Then the wording my brother had used clicked in my mind. “Wait, have you spoken to Chief Nichols?”
Teller glanced around. “I have. Yes. I called her on my way to town. She gave me an update. Very unofficially, since I can’t be involved in the investigation given my connection to Danny and Grayden.”
“Tell me what you know.”
“Piper, I can’t?—”
“Spill it.”
He put his hands on his hips. “There’s plenty of circumstantial evidence. Grayden’s motive is clear. He’s protected you in the past. He’s had confrontations with Danny.”
I groaned. “And I’m the one who told Nichols about it.” I’d been trying to do the right thing, and I’d given the police information to use against Grayden.
“But Susan—I mean Chief Nichols—is far from certain,” Teller said, dropping his voice even lower. “She couldn’t tell me much, but she’s seeing what she can get from questioning Grayden. The department is working on gathering evidence. They also have to investigate the possibility that you were involved, regardless of how ridiculous we know that is.”
“What?Me? You didn’t lead with that?”
“I didn’t want to scare you by mentioning it first thing.”
But if Grayden was worried I might get pulled into the investigation, what would he do to protect me?
God, I hoped he wasn’t that foolish. Not after everything he’d been through in his past.
I poked my finger into Teller’s chest through his jacket. “You’re going down to the station, and you’re going to help Grayden. I don’t care how. You’re going to do it.”
This was why I’d pulled Teller aside in thefirst place. He knew everything about police procedure. There had to be something he could do.
“Piper, I cannot interfere with this investigation. It would be a gross violation of my duties as a member of Silver Ridge PD.”
“Then quit! I don’t care! Grayden is alone down there. He didn’t do anything to Danny. Iknowit. If I didn’t have to stay here, I’d be at that station right now raising hell.”
