“Don’t look,” he murmured.
Both officers closed in.
The taller one looked toward the agent. “You federal?”
“Secret Service,” the agent replied, handing the officer what looked like a wallet. “Agent Webster, and this is Callum Whitmore. He forced entry into her suite with a knife.”
The officer’s posture shifted immediately. “You see the knife?”
“Yes,” Agent Webster answered. “It’s inside the bedroom of the suite.”
The other officer looked past the agent toward the door. “Is anyone else in there?”
“Negative,” Agent Webster answered.
The first policeman stepped in, taking control of Callum. “All right. We’re taking him.”
Callum twisted, trying to turn his head toward us. “But she attacked me! I’m the one bleeding!”
The second officer’s gaze shifted to Faye. “Ma’am, are you injured?”
Faye tried to straighten and winced, her hand coming up to her shoulder. “My shoulder hurts a bit.”
The cop keyed his radio. “Dispatch, confirm medical en route to Aria Sky Suites, fifty-second floor. Have them stage at the elevators.”
The other policeman kept his grip on Callum. “What’s the victim’s name?”
Dylan’s jaw flexed. “Faye Donnelley.”
“And you two are?” the cop asked, his eyes moving between Dylan and me.
“Jase Matthewson,” I answered. “And this is Dylan Statler.”
Agent Webster cut in. “Ms. Donnelley is my protectee. I’m relocating her from this hallway. I’ll provide a written statement and walk you through what I observed. The FBI will likely be taking over the investigation and they’ll coordinate with you.”
“All right,” the first officer said.
The other cop glanced toward the suite. “We’ll go ahead and get that room secured as a crime scene.”
One of the hotel security guards was already there, hovering a few steps back. Agent Webster pointed without looking away from Callum. “Lock this corridor down. No one is allowed in this area until the investigation is complete.”
“Got it,” security replied.
The officer with Callum started toward the elevators. “Walton, stay with them for now. Get names and quick statements. I’m taking him down.”
Callum jerked again, trying to talk over them. “You can’t do this! Do you know who my father is?”
The policeman didn’t blink. “Save it.”
The officer marched Callum down the hallway toward the elevators, with security clearing the way as more police officers stepped off the elevator.
One cop approached us. “EMS is coming up. Where do you want them?”
“My room.” Agent Webster pulled a keycard from his pocket and opened the door.
Dylan’s head snapped up. “We’re not leaving her.”
Faye hesitated, her eyes flicking to the latch as if it were going to hurt her.
