“You keep saying that,” I say through gritted teeth. “I’ve cooperated. I’ve told you everything I know. Travis came to work for me, he handled the ranch while I was in Boston most of the time. Half of the documents you showed me that have my signature, I wasn’t here to sign. How could I possibly have handled the sales if I wasn’t even in Ember Falls? Travis and I had an arrangement and then he suddenly just left.”
“And then you brought Tessa in?”
Each time he says her name, I want to lose it. “As my publicist.”
“She’s more than that, though, isn’t she?”
She’s everything.
I don’t speak. I don’t acknowledge the statement because I won’t drag her into this. I have to protect her, and the less I say her name, the better. I have no idea if they took her in. If she’s scared in a cell, waiting to see if the worst thing she did was fall for me.
I hate myself for having her even remotely tangled in it.
And if she’s not arrested or being held, what does she think? Did they tell her I’m a monster who didn’t know he was one? She probably hates me, and I can’t even blame her. She had guns pointed at her head, was pushed to the floor, cuffed, and pulled out of that house like a fucking criminal.
“We haven’t arrested her. If you’re wondering.”
My chest lightens slightly. “Thank-you.”
“For now, she’s not a suspect, but we are still combing through things.” He leans back, steepling his hands in front of himself. “See, here’s the part that I can’t make sense of. You and Travis were involved in this together, you claim you have nothing to do with it, Travis disappears, and you bring in Tessato ‘fix it,’ as you said. All of it points to someone named Travis, but your name is on all the documents, so of course you had to do your part, right? You had to make sure the area sees you as a good guy, just a victim, while you were making money hand over fist. Your horses were selling at rates no one has ever seen, winning races, allowing the money to just keep flowing in. So did Travis catch on that something illegal was happening and go on the run? Did you force him out? Want a bigger piece of the pie?”
Dread starts to flow through my veins. This all looks bad for me. “None of that is true. Travis disappeared and the sales stopped, my boarding program collapsed, and I was left trying to pick up the pieces. I still am. Did you think of that?”
“I did,” he agrees. There’s a knock at the door, but Halsey continues. “Then I saw you at the rodeo. You had multiple people coming to see the horses, including this guy.” He places a photo of Nathaniel down and stands. “And I know you know who that is.”
Then he leaves, and I’m left staring at the photo, wondering what the fuck is going on.
Special Agent Halsey doesn’t return. Instead, another agent takes me back to the cell.
I’m lying here, staring up at the ceiling, trying to make sense out of anything.
Nothing so far has made any sense.
It’s been hours of my mind going in a million circles.
Why the hell did Halsey show me Nathaniel’s photo?
Of course I know who he is—he’s my best fucking friend. The one who was there when I struggled in college. The man who stood next to me, hand on my shoulder when my sister died. Thefriend who became a brother when I found out I had a kid and missed her entire life, when I was struggling to figure out how to make it right. The guy who came all the way to Ember Falls to make sure I was okay and offer his help.
But that’s not what the implication is.
I saw photo after photo of people who they wanted me to recognize as being part of whatever they’re assuming I’m involved in.
The only reason they’d show me Nathaniel is if they think he’s involved too.
twenty-eight
Tessa
All the guys went back to work or home to give the appearance of everything being status quo. We all agreed the best way to protect Killian was to just pretend he went back to Boston suddenly. Penelope came back to the ranch with me as I wasn’t ready to be here alone.
Thankfully, Killian lives far enough away from Ember Falls’ main drag that it offers some seclusion. Although, I’m not stupid enough to believe no one saw the entire fleet of black SUVs swarming through town in the middle of the day.
“Here, you need to eat something,” Penelope says as she hands me a yogurt parfait that Killian made and was keeping it in the fridge.
Do not cry, Tessa.
Stay strong. He needs you to keep it together.
