Chapter 15
GRANT
G rant’s fingers twisted into fists as his heart skipped a beat. The shock of the statement brought a wash of heat over him. Julia? His sweet Julia was the new suspect? He couldn’t believe it. Why had they gone after her? Was it to force a confession from him?
What if he didn’t confess? Would Julia pay for a crime she couldn’t have committed? “What? What do you mean Julia is a suspect? How the hell did that happen?”
Mitchell heaved a sigh, stepping into the room. “She was at Lydia’s after you were. She saw her alive following your visit.”
Grant screwed up his face. “What? How does she know that?”
The tension in Mitchell’s jaw increased as he allowed the door to close behind him. “This is rather complicated, and she isn’t being very forthcoming, but it’s my understanding that Julia has seen security footage that no one else has access to.”
“And she’s protecting me.”
Mitchell sucked in a breath. “You’re not the only one she’s protecting.”
“Who else?” Grant demanded.
“She won’t tell me.”
“Get me out of these. I need to see her.”
“They’ll be coming to take those off. With Julia’s statement, they’re going to move forward with her as a suspect, depending on the time of death. As far as seeing her, I’d need to clear that with the detective. Given her statement, I doubt they’ll let you see her.”
Grant let the handcuffs bang against the table as he sighed. “I have to see her, Mitch. Do whatever it takes.”
“You two really don’t like to make things easy, do you?” he asked as the door opened and a uniformed officer stepped inside.
“I’ll get those cuffs off you, and you’re free to go,” the man said.
Grant held his hands out for the man to open the handcuffs. “I need to see my wife.”
“Mrs. Harrington is here to offer information on the case. Mr. Harrington would like to speak with her.”
“I’ll have to check with the detective on the case,” the officer answered.
“I’ll come with you,” Mitchell answered as the man finished freeing Grant of the restraints.
“Right this way,” the man said.
The screech of the metal chair’s legs against the floor filled the room as Grant leapt from his seat and followed after them.
“Detective,” the officer said as he approached another man, “Mr. Harrington wanted to see his wife.”
“Absolutely not,” the detective answered, his eyes never leaving his file.
“That’s outrageous!” Grant burst as Mitchell held up a hand to quiet him.
“I have to agree with my client,” Mitchell said. “Mrs. Harrington is not under arrest, she has not been formally charged. She came to willingly pass along information. A spousal visit is hardly out of the question.”
“She also refused to directly answer the question about whether or not she was the responsible party in the death of Mrs. Knight.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Grant barked.
“Is it? Maybe you ought to see your wife, then. Because she absolutely refused to answer the question about whether or not your ex-wife was still alive at the end of their conversation.”
“You can’t possibly think Julia had anything to do with this,” Grant said, his voice heated.
The detective puffed his chest, taking a step toward Grant. “I can, and I most certainly do. Her behavior is bizarre, and her refusal to answer a simple question certainly makes her suspicious. I wouldn’t be surprised if we aren’t charging her within the hour.”
“All the more reason to allow my clients a moment together. Right now, she’s not being charged. She came willingly, and she can walk out of this police station right now if she wants to.”
“No, she can’t,” the detective said. “We have every right to hold her for questioning.”
“Then question her. You’re not. You’re standing out here, reviewing your notes.”
“I’d like to know the ins and outs of this case before I question her.”
Mitchell stood his ground. “Then familiarize yourself while you allow my clients five minutes to speak.”
The detective frowned down at his notes.
“Or we can sue this department. You’ve made it more than obvious that you’ve got a problem with my client.”
“Five minutes,” his partner said. “Five. Make it quick.”
“Thanks.” Mitchell nodded as he wrapped a hand around Grant’s shoulder and guided him toward the interrogation room where Julia waited. “Don’t say anything incriminating. They could be watching.”
Grant nodded as his stomach twisted into a knot.
Mitchell pushed the door open and motioned for Grant to head inside. “Five minutes, then they’ll be in to question her again.”
The door closed behind him. His heart clenched as he spotted Julia sitting at the metal table. Her features pinched as she leapt from her seat and threw her arms around his neck. He pulled her into a tight embrace, wanting to whisk her away from this.
He leaned away from her. “Julia, what are you doing?”
She stared up at him, her eyebrows knitting as something unreadable clouded her eyes. “I’m sorry. But they shouldn’t have brought you down here. You didn’t do it.”
“Neither did you,” he insisted as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb.
She refused to meet his gaze.
His brow furrowed as he stared down at her. “Julia, why are you doing this?”
“I told you…I know you didn’t do it because I saw Lydia after you did.”
“How do you know that?” Grant asked. “What is going on?”
She pressed her lips together. “I have to do this.”
He clenched his jaw, frustration coursing through him at her refusal to answer his questions. “Why?”
She finally raised her gaze to him. “Go home. Talk to Alex. You’ll understand.”
“No!” he said, his voice raising. “Julia, I’m not leaving until you’re with me.”
“Grant…” she said, her tone sounding like a warning.
“Julia,” he answered, matching her tone, “that is not an option. You either tell me what’s going on, or I will wait here until I can take you home and ask you there.”
She slid her eyes closed as she licked her lips.
“Julia?”
She lowered her voice, leaning closer to him. “Alex pulled security footage. It shows multiple people going to Lydia’s earlier tonight. Kyle–”
Grant’s nostrils flared with annoyance. “What? Please tell me you are not here protecting Kyle?”
She shook her head. “Kyle was there before you. I was there after, then a few other people followed. The last person there…Grant, I have to protect them.”
His muscles stiffened as her eyes bored into his. Sierra. “No,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry, but I’m doing what I have to do.” She cupped his face in her hand. “Alex can give you more details.”
“Julia…we’ll figure out another way.”
“I’m already working on that. When we have another way–”
“No. Julia, I don’t want you doing this.”
She sucked in a breath as she gave him a blank stare. His muscles tightened as frustration boiled below the surface. His wife stood in front of him, willing to protect his daughter…their daughter. And while he admired her bravery, he hated every second of this.
He wanted to protect her. To take her from the police station and hide her in the safety of Harrington House. But he couldn’t.
He reached for her hand, their fingers intertwining. No words were needed, their shared glance spoke volumes of fear, love, and their unbreakable bond.
The door burst open before he could react, and two detectives entered along with Mitchell.
“That’s a very touching scene,” the detective said as he collapsed into a chair. “Sorry to interrupt it, but you’ve got some questions to answer, Mrs. Harrington.”
“I’ll be okay,” she said to him with a fleeting smile.
“Julia, do whatever Mitch tells you, okay?”
She nodded before she gave him a peck on the lips. “Go home.”
“Like hell,” he said as he pulled her tighter against him. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she said.
“Again, it’s all very touching, but we really need the room, Mr. Harrington.”
Grant stepped back, glaring at the man. “I’m sure this makes you feel like a man, treating a woman like this. If I find out you’ve stepped out of line even once–”
“I’ve got this handled, Grant,” Mitchell said as he placed a firm hand on Grant’s shoulder. “We’ll speak as soon as I’m finished here.”
“I’ll be in the waiting room. I’m not leaving without my wife.”
Mitchell nodded as Julia sank into her seat. He backed from the room, pushed by Mitchell toward the hall.
His last glimpse of Julia burned into his mind, her pinched features, worry etched into her face as she faced the detectives. It twisted his gut into a knot that refused to leave even after he’d settled into a chair in the waiting room.
He leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his knees as he scrubbed his face.
The tension made him want to punch a hole through the wall, but he held his temper.
The urge to burst back into the interrogation room, grab Julia, and run coursed through him, driving him to leap from his seat and pace the floor.
Each step through the cold, sterile waiting area added to his fear and frustration. His fingers curled into and out of fists. His wife was facing those hostile detectives to protect his daughter. He needed more information. He dug his phone from his pocket and dialed Worthington’s number.
“Mr. Harrington, wonderful to hear from you. Will you be home soon?”
“No. Julia’s…” He slid his eyes closed, barely able to get the words out. “No. Have Alex Stone call me immediately.”
“Yes, sir, of course. I will pass the message along now.”
“Thanks,” Grant said.
“Is there anything I can do, sir?” Worthington asked, his footsteps echoing through the phone’s speaker.
“No,” he said, squeezing his eyes closed, his voice coming out as a plea instead of a statement.
“Mr. Harrington, has something happened? Are you being charged?”
“No, I’m not.” He shook his head before he sighed. “But Julia may be.”
“Mrs. Harrington?” The incredulousness in Worthington’s voice couldn’t be missed. “But why?”
“She admitted to being at Lydia’s after I was.”
“What time was she there?” Worthington questioned.
“I don’t know. I don’t…why?”