The minutes tick by as the guys talk, then the two uniformed officers take off in their squad car, leaving Miles, Tucker, and Clay on the porch. When the three of them disappear inside, a sense of unease washes over me and I look around. Unlike the building I live in, Carly’s apartment complex is open, and her neighbors have already started decorating for Halloween which will be here in just a few weeks. Normally, I’d love the orange and purple glow of lights and spooky decorations, but tonight they do nothing to put my mind at ease.
I swear I see the shadow of a tall figure move behind a tree. I reach over to the keys in the ignition, shut it off, then shove open the door and hop out. I run to the front door of the apartment that is open, the light like a beacon in the dark. Then, just like I did when I was a kid and I thought there was something under my bed, I jump over the threshold into the light of the apartment where nothing bad can get me.
“What happened?” Clay asks as all eyes come to me.
I right myself. “I—I thought I saw someone behind a tree.” My chest heaves and my heart pounds as he walks to me, ducking his head and placing his face close to mine.
“Someone was out there?”
“It was probably my imagination.” I glance between all three men, who don’t look at all convinced—and I know they aren’t when Miles pulls his weapon and heads out the front door with Tucker right behind him. “I really think I just freaked myself out,” I say quietly, meeting Clay’s gaze.
“We’ll let them figure that out.” He wraps his arms around me tucking my face against his chest.
I don’t know how long we stand like that, but soon a throat is cleared, and I turn my head to find Tucker standing in the doorway.
“We didn’t see anyone out there. Miles is grabbing some evidence bags and stuff from the car.”
“You guys believe me?”
“Why wouldn’t we?” Tucker asks.
I shrug. “Those other officers made it seem like Carly leaving her bag and stuff wasn’t a big deal.”
“A woman with no apparent reason to run away from her life is a big deal,” he says.
I relax into Clay’s hold, beyond relieved that they believe me. “Am I going to be arrested?” I ask.
Clay growls. “Why the fuck would you be arrested?” His hold on me becomes almost suffocating.
“Because I broke in here.”
“You had a key.” Tucker tells me, then adds, “Your friend told you about it and said you could use it anytime you needed to get in.”
“She—”
“She told you that you could use it anytime you needed to get in.” He gives me a stern nod.
I nod along, because it’s obvious that’s what he wants me to do, and honestly, knowing Carly, she would be okay with me using her key to get into her apartment. Or at least I think she would have.
“Do you need more from Willow tonight or are you and Miles good here?” Clay asks.
I tip my head back toward him.
“You’re good to get her home.” Miles says, stepping inside the apartment, then his eyes come to me. “We’ll wanna talk to you tomorrow and get a full statement.”
“I’ll bring her to the station when she gets off work,” Clay tells him.
Miles lifts his chin in agreement before Clay ushers me out of the house.
When we get outside, he looks at my car then his. “Where are your keys?”
I pull them out of my pocket, and he takes them from me.
“I’m gonna pass these off to Miles. He can drive your car then drop your keys off when his shift’s over.”
I start to open my mouth to tell him no, that I’m not going to his place with him, but instead I give in. There is no way I’m going to be able to sleep tonight, and I really won’t be able to do that with Leah gone. Plus, he and I need to talk, so being with him will give us a chance to do that.
Ten minutes later, with him driving and me in the passenger seat with my bag and my coat on my lap, I look out the window as he heads toward the city. When he takes the exit that leads to my building, instead of getting off at the one that would take us to his place, I look over at him. “Where are we going?”
“Taking you home.” He glances over at me quickly then continues talking as he focuses back on the road. “I’ll get your number for Miles, so he can call you when he’s downstairs with your keys, and you can let him in.”
Closing my eyes, I turn my head toward the window, as that weight on my chest that’s been there for days gets heavier. I don’t know why I assumed that him showing up tonight was something more than what it was. I should have realized that he’s just that guy, the kind of guy who would show up when his brothers call. The kind of guy to offer comfort and give forehead kisses to a woman who’s freaked about the fact that her friend is missing. He’s not the kind of guy to make a statement like he did days ago in my office and not follow through on the promise he made of leaving me alone.