As Lexi walked, he assessed her from behind, checking the gate of her walk to make sure she didn’t limp or appear to have any neck or back injuries. He breathed a little easier when she appeared to move with relative ease.
“Damn, man. I must have really pissed someone off to have to deal with your ass twice in one week.”
Trevor looked over to where Eric West was walking toward him with two uniformed officers. The detective had the same, smartass smirk his brother typically wore.
“He’s back,” Trevor stated bluntly. “Lockwood’s back, and tonight he broke into her home and tried to hurt her. Threw her through the fucking window.”
“Whoa. Trevor Matthews just threw out an f-bomb. Shit must be getting real.”
“I’m serious, Eric.”
“So, am I. Been around you long enough to know that language comin’ from you only happens when you’re severely pissed off. From the way that vein in your neck is popping out right now, I’d say you’re there.”
“I almost missed it. The team just got back in town, and I almost went home instead of coming here.”
“But, you didn’t. You came here, and you stopped the bastard.”
Trevor clenched his teeth. “He got away. I heard her scream, so I busted the door down. The asshole had her in a choke hold. I threatened to shoot if he didn’t let her go. I...I never dreamed he’d pick her up and throw her like he did. I caught her, but her momentum pushed me backward, and we both went through the glass.”
One of the officers whistled through his teeth. “Damn, man. You’re lucky neither of you were seriously hurt.”
Trevor glanced over to the ambulance. Its back doors were open and the interior lights were on. The paramedics’ shadows were moving around inside as they worked, and Trevor felt a slight relief that she was being taken care of.
Eric put a comforting hand on Trevor’s shoulder. “The good news is, she’s going to be okay. I do have to ask, though...how certain are you that Robert Lockwood was Lexi’s attacker?”
Trevor looked at him like he’d lost his damn mind. “Who else would it be? The guy assaults her a few days ago, vanishes, and now this? Come on, West. You can’t seriously tell me you think it’s all one big coincidence.”
“Easy.” The detective held a palm up. “I had to ask. It’s not uncommon for neighborhoods like this one to be a target for burglars or sexual deviants. Speaking of...did the guy take anything? Was anything missing or out of place? Did he touch her in a sexual manner at all?”
Suddenly, Trevor became extremely nauseated. The thought of someone hurting Lexi was bad enough. Hurting her inthatway? He couldn’t even let his mind go there.
“I don’t think he was there to rob her. You’ll have to ask her, but when I came through the door, his entire focus was on her. My gut’s telling me it wasn’t about that. As far as the other”—he inhaled deeply to keep from puking all over her grass—“you’ll need to ask her that, as well.”
Eric nodded silently as he took notes in his small, spiral-bound notebook. “What time did you first get here?”
Trevor looked at his watch. He was surprised that it actually hadn’t been all that long since he’d first pulled into her drive. “About ten minutes ago, give or take. You should ask her neighbor, Mrs. Siemens, what time she heard the big crash.”
“That the older lady over there with Lexi?”
Mrs. Siemens was standing by the ambulance doors barking orders at the paramedics and Lexi. Trevor almost smiled. He could see why Lexi liked her so much.
“Yeah. Lex says she’s a good neighbor.”
“And you think she may have seen something?”
“I have no idea. I just know she heard us crash through the window and came running to see what happened.”
Eric shook his head as he wrote. “Not smart.”
“No, but she’s sure brave. About took me out when she thought I was hurting Lex.”
Derek’s brother raised his brows. “Seriously?”
“Dead serious. That woman may be old, but she’s a spitfire.”
“You say the team just got back?”
Trevor nodded. “A few hours ago. We debriefed with Ryker then went our separate ways. Far as I know, everyone else went home.”
