Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“Would be nice if sometimes you just came to visit family,” Duncan muttered.
Laken went to him and wrapped herself around him. Remington followed her.
“I’m guessing you think Opal did something,” Mrs. G stated. “But she couldn’t have.”
“Why not?” Kellan asked, looking confused.
“Because she was with me that day,” Mrs. G said. “So she couldn’t have done whatever it is you think she did.”
Whoa.
Had Mrs. G really just lied to an FBI agent?
That could get her into big trouble.
And Opal still wanted to know why they wanted to question her.
Eli scowled. “It’s an offense to give a false statement to a member of law enforcement. That can lead to charges.”
Opal sucked in a breath. Was he threatening Mrs. G?
All of a sudden everyone who was crowded around started to speak up.
“She was with me!” Butch Malone cried.
“And I was with him,” Raid added, pointing at Butch. “So, really, she was with both of us.”
“And I saw her that day too,” Mr. Oldsman cried out.
“All of you! Be quiet!” Eli said, holding his hands up.
They all ignored him.
“Pork Chop and I saw her too!” Clem cried. Her pig let out a snort as though in agreement and started to stomp toward Eli.
Eli didn’t falter, to his credit. He just stood there and stared at the pig.
Suddenly, Duncan let out a wolf whistle and everyone fell silent.
“What the fuck do you feed that?” Kellan asked Clem.
“Language, young man,” Mrs. G scolded Kellan.
“Dead people,” Clem answered with a grin. “But don’t worry, they were all mean.”
Opal stared at everyone in amazement. “What are you all doing?”
“We’re defending you, dear,” Elvis said. “Grace told me how you put yourself between her and her awful nephew.”
“You didn’t leave her behind when you could have to escape,” Mr. Oldsman called out.
“And you’re one of us,” Jaret told her.
“Means we come when you need us,” Maddox said with a dark scowl at Eli Jones.
Yikes.
“You’re part of Haven, Opal,” Laken told her. “And you’re our friend.”
“Shit. I don’t wanna cry,” she said.
Renard pulled her against him, and she buried her face into his chest.
“Look. I get you all care about Opal. But we still need to question her and before you all give me false alibis, you should know that the date in question is three years ago. When none of you knew her.”
Three years ago?
She frowned. “What date?”
“August tenth,” Kellan replied, giving her a serious look.
Well.
Fuck.
“What is it?” Renard whispered. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I think I might be in trouble.”
40
Opal glanced up as the interrogation room door opened.
A gorgeous looking man dressed in a beige suit and navy shirt walked in. He had dark hair and tanned skin.
Jake got up from where he’d been sitting and quietly left.
Hmm. There was only one person this could be.
“Hi, Opal. I’m Jardin Malone.”
“I don’t think I’ve got the funds to pay your fees,” she told him bluntly.
He grinned. “Well, I’ve been told you’re family. So you get the family rates. And since Alec is the one who called me, he’s the one footing the bill.”
She still couldn’t believe that Alec would do that. And that this man would fly here to help her.
“You don’t even know me.”
“Know that you’re family. When you’re a Malone, we take that seriously. Also, if I didn’t come, I risked one or more of my cousins turning up on my doorstep with a loaded rifle. I do not need that in my life.”
“They wouldn’t do that.”
“Sweetheart, they so would. Now, I heard you’ve been refusing to talk until I got here?”
“Yeah. That’s what I was advised to do. Was that the wrong thing?”
“Nope. That was the smart thing.” He sat and turned toward her. “You doing okay?”
“I’m tough and I’ve been in worse scrapes.” She tried to smile, but didn’t quite manage it. “Is Renard okay?”
When they’d reached the station, Renard had refused to leave her. Eli had threatened to arrest him, and she’d had to beg him to wait out of the room. But he still hadn’t gone until Jake gave his assurance that he wouldn’t leave her until Jardin arrived.
“Hmm. Not sure I should answer that.”
“Shit. That means he’s fucking losing it. He’s going to be so mad.”
“With Eli and Kellan?” Jardin asked.
“With me,” she whispered. “When he learns I was keeping stuff from him.”
“Let’s not worry about Renard since we need to worry about you. Here’s the thing, Opal. What you tell me is confidential and I need you to tell me the truth. Can you do that?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know why you’re here?” he asked.
“Eli told me, but I don’t . . . I still don’t get it.”
“They’ve brought you in to question you about the murder of Mark Lindon in Club Kitty on the night of August tenth, three years ago.”
She nodded. “I worked there. But I didn’t know a Mark Lindon.”
“It’s possible he used a fake name to hide his identity.”