“Now, Mr. Carter, if you could tell us what the detectives told you and the responses you’ve given before we arrived,” Louis asked.
I spent the next few minutes explaining everything to them, from their accusations to my alibi and even the clarity I’d tried to give the detectives.
“So, at no time were you alone with the governor, and the evening of her death you were at the Redamancy Hotel with your friends, and staff saw you?”
“Yes.”
“Seems pretty cut and dried.” Louis shrugged.
“Then he can leave?” Julian gripped my hand as if he were about to run us out of here.
“We need to speak with the detectives. I believe we can get him released for now,” Louis answered.
“For now?” Julian’s voice was gnarled. “I want him eliminated from the suspect list.”
“Your Highness, in order to do that, we will need your father, the king, to intervene.”
“Fine, I’ll speak to him.”
“Julian.” I grasped his arm with my other hand when he made to leave. “You can’t ask the king to get me out of jail. I didn’t do this. I’m sure these lovely lawyers can get the charges dropped fairly quickly, right?” I looked at the lawyers expectantly.
“While I believe we can get them dropped, the expeditiousness of such an endeavor is unknown. However, we are fully confident we can have him released within the next hour.” Adele was the one to answer.
“Julian, let’s just get me out of here, and we can figure out next steps.” I rubbed along his arm, relieved as he sighed and relaxed in the chair.
“Very well. I will be speaking to my father after we leave; I’ll hear no argument about that.”
I wasn’t going to be able to stop him, so I just smiled. “Okay, Julian.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Julian
It was closerto three hours before Wynn was released from the police station with instructions not to leave the island.
“I’m supposed to go to Korvanna tomorrow; it’s part of my vacation.” He slumped in the seat of my SUV. It was late and he was exhausted, so I was taking him to his hotel.
“I will speak with my father and get this to go away. It’s absolutely ridiculous.” I was seething. In my mind, I’d strangled Peters and Ridgeway at least ten times by now.
“I can’t ask you to do that, Julian.” He offered me a tired smile. “You already got me attorneys, and I know I didn’t do this and it’ll get cleared up. It just sucks because timing wise, I won’t get to see Korvanna by the time I need to fly home.”
I had to do something. I wouldn’t sit by and allow them to do this to him. I took his hand in mine and squeezed. “I’ll get you to see Korvanna—please don’t worry about that. As for my father, also let me worry about that.”
He rolled his eyes. “I feel like there’s no talking you out of this.”
I smirked. “You’re as smart as you are handsome.”
He rested his head on my shoulder, and some of the rage that was simmering below the surface calmed. He had that effect on me, which was strange because no one ever had. He also had the ability to control the beast from within to tear free and eviscerate all his demons, and I’d do it if they didn’t leave my Wynn alone.
We pulled up to the hotel, and he sighed. “I’m going to go pass out for at least eight hours.”
“Please call me after you’re up. I will speak with my father and hopefully have good news for you when you wake.”
He gave me a chaste kiss, and I watched him until he was inside the hotel. Right before we pulled away from the curb, my eyes snagged on something…more like someone. Detective Ridgeway sat by a fountain across from the hotel, glaring at my vehicle; then his eyes shifted to the hotel.
“Keep people on Wynn. I don’t want anyone who isn’t his friends talking to him.”
Edward followed my line of sight. “The detective included?”
