18. Home to You – Roman
Chapter 18
Home to You
PLAYLIST: “WARRIOR” BY BETH CROWLEY
ROMAN
As we walked back toward the house, my heart sank. Two Blackwell Sheriff’s Department SUVs were parked outside the big house, lights on but sirens off, and Landon Blackwell was striding across the lawn to meet Roman and me.
I wrapped a protective arm around Zoe’s shoulders, pulling her close as Landon stopped in front of us, hands on hips.
“What the hell is all this?” I growled before Landon even got the chance to open his mouth.
Landon swore softly and blew out a long-suffering sigh, staring down at his boots for a long moment before clearing his throat and speaking.
“A Twisted Creek Ranch truck was caught on camera firebombing the evidence repository last night…” He paused, glancing at Zoe before continuing, his voice softening as he continued, “Zoe, you know I wouldn’t be here if this wasn’t serious. The sheriff asked me and Deputy Barton to bring you both in for questioning. He thinks it was done to destroy evidence connected to Missy’s death.”
Zoe took a half-step toward Landon, her green eyes blazing with frustration. “Landon, this is my family. Do you really think Roman or I would ever do something like that? You’ve known us our whole lives.”
Landon blew out a long-suffering sigh and removed his hat, running a hand through his hair. When he spoke again, his tone was quieter, almost pleading.
“I don’t, Zoe. You know I don’t. But this isn’t about what I think—it’s about what the sheriff thinks. And with the Twisted Creek name attached to that truck…”
Landon’s voice faltered and he let the sentence trail off, clearly uncomfortable with the direction it was taking. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and turned his gaze to me.
“Look, Roman, I don’t want to be here any more than you want me to be. Your father-in-law just got home from the hospital, and this is the last thing your family needs right now. But my hands are tied. You can come quietly, or I’ll have to cuff you. I’m hoping you’ll make this easy—for everyone’s sake.”
I stepped forward, my protective instincts blazing to life.
I bared my teeth, barely resisting the urge to grab him by his shirt and shake him until his teeth rattled. When I spoke, my voice was a near-feral growl. “You’re not cuffing anybody, Landon. Not where Zoe’s dad might see it. He’s been through enough already?—”
Zoe reached up and pressed her palm against my racing heart, her gentle, insistent touch instantly grounding me.
“What Roman means to say is that we’ll cooperate fully because we have nothing to hide. But you’d better believe I’m going to be calling Sheriff Spencer personally to set this straight. We didn’t firebomb anything, Landon. Roman and I both want whoever killed Missy brought to justice, same as you.” Her voice was surprisingly steady, but laced with quiet anger as she stared Landon down.
Landon nodded, his expression a mix of relief and regret. “I know, Zoe. I know you’d never?—”
He stopped himself short, clearing his throat, remembering that he needed to remain neutral because of his job, regardless of the fact that he’d graduated with Zoe, regardless of his personal thoughts about who she was and what she would or wouldn’t be capable of. He swallowed hard, schooling his features into a neutral expression before he spoke again.
“Let’s get this over with quickly, alright? I’ll make sure you’re treated with respect at the station.”
I reached out, catching Landon’s elbow in a light grip, keeping my voice low. “Somebody’s going to have to explain to Mr. Brandt about where we’re going and why. Between you and me, I’d rather it be you than Deputy Barton, Landon. If you’re doing it, I know you’ll do it with tact and respect? Him? Not so much.”
Landon nodded. “I can send him on to the station with one of you. Who would you rather that be? ‘Cause he’s going to start interrogating whoever it is as soon as you get there, and being that he’s good buddies with Michael Carter… he might not use the kind of neutrality and respect I’d be inclined to use in my own line of questioning, if you get my drift.”
I stepped forward without an ounce of hesitation. “I’ll go ahead with Barton. Zoe can ride in with you. That way, I know my wife will be treated with the respect she deserves, and this situation will be handled with tact?—”
Just then, Miss Smith stomped out onto the porch, hands on hips, scowling as she strode over to us. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but Mr. Brandt is going to be out of the shower soon, and I think it’d be a good idea for the deputies to cut their damn lights off before he sees them. Stress isn’t conducive to the healing process, and he’s had a stressful enough morning as it is?—”
Zoe ducked her head, her cheeks burning with shame, and I shot the nurse a warning glare that made her snap her mouth shut and reassess how she was wording things.
“Sorry, Zoe, I didn’t mean to sound like I was judging you. I’m not, I promise. It’s just that stress really isn’t good for the healing process, and these police lights are for sure going to set him off. As his live-in nurse, I don’t want it to affect his healing or his treatment program, so please have the cops cut the damn lights off, and do it quick.”
Landon nodded and pulled out his radio. “Barton, cut the lights off on both the trucks before Mr. Brandt’s nurse eats us alive.”
Deputy Barton killed the lights in the SUV he was sitting in, then got out and ambled over to Landon’s SUV, taking his sweet time to do the same.
Olivia glared at him, still hands-on-hips. “That one’s a real asshole, isn’t he?”
Landon snorted and covered his mouth to hide a wicked grin, fighting to school his features into a mask of neutral professionalism before he responded. “It wouldn’t be professional of me to comment on that, ma’am.”
The nurse arched a brow at him and offered him a sharp half-smile. “Who’s asking you to be professional, deputy? I don’t recall asking any such thing.”
Landon’s eyebrows shot up and he grinned. “Lady… you’re trouble.”
“Probably.” She shrugged, flicking an invisible piece of lint off her scrubs. “I’m going to go check on my patient now that y’all aren’t set to give him a damn stroke with those idiotic cop lights of yours. Have a nice day, deputy.”
“Not fucking likely, considering what’s on the agenda today,” Landon muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face.
Deputy Barton ambled over to where we were standing, hands-in-pockets, a shit-eating grin splitting his face. A sudden realization struck me. He was the same asshole who was off-duty and watching Zoe at the airport, the one who followed us into the elevator, the one I kissed Zoe in front of her first day home, hoping it’d make him uncomfortable enough to get the hell away from us. Now, his eyes were practically dancing with glee as he surveyed us, eyeing Zoe like a hungry wolf.
“Well, well, well… looks like somebody finally fucked up trying to destroy evidence in a truck with your daddy’s ranch’s name on the side of it. That wasn’t real smart now, was it, sweetheart?”
Zoe crossed her arms and stared him down, her expression ice cold. “Or your best buddy Michael is so desperate to frame us for Missy’s death that he borrowed a truck from the ranch last night to make it look like one of us was trying to destroy the evidence your father willingly covered up until he was on his deathbed. Did you ever stop to consider that angle?”
Deputy Barton tapped a mock-thoughtful finger against his chin, that shit-eating grin of his never faltering.
“Well, that’s quite the theory, Mrs. York. But it’s a little hard to believe, don’t you think? Sounds like somebody’s grasping at straws.”
He took a step closer to Zoe, lowering his voice to a mockingly conspiratorial tone.
“Or maybe you’re just deflecting because you know we’re getting too close to the truth.”
I stepped between Zoe and Barton, using my broad frame to block the deputy’s view of her, speaking in a low, dangerous growl.
“If you’ve got something to say, Barton, say it to me. Leave my wife out of your bullshit.”
Deputy Barton smirked, unfazed, and leaned slightly to the side to catch a glimpse of Zoe around me.
“Oh, don’t worry, Roman. I’ll be asking both of you plenty of questions down at the station. But right now, I’m just enjoying the view.”
I balled my fist up, ready to punch Barton in the mouth as Landon stepped in between us, his voice sharp and authoritative.
“That’s enough, Barton. You’re here to do your job, not run your mouth.”
Landon turned to Zoe, then, his tone softening.
“Zoe, I’m sorry about this. You know I don’t believe for a second that you or Roman had anything to do with this, but we have to follow protocol.”
Zoe exhaled sharply, her frustration clear but tightly controlled as she met Landon’s gaze with a sharp nod. “Fine. But if Barton says one more word to me that isn’t strictly professional, I’m calling the sheriff personally and filing a formal complaint for harassment.”
I glared at Barton over the top of Landon’s shoulder, irritated that he was still standing in between us.
“She won’t have to. I’ll take care of it myself.” I held Barton’s gaze as I said it, my voice firm and final, daring him to come at me.
“Is that a threat, Roman?” Barton sneered. “I’d love to have some new charges to add to the list?—”
“No, it’s a promise. I don’t just let people talk to my wife any type of way and let it slide… I don’t give a damn if you’re a deputy or not.” I stepped forward and Landon planted a hand in the middle of my chest, holding me back, shaking his head.
“Whoa, whoa. That’s enough. Let’s not give him a reason, Roman.”
Landon glared at Barton over his shoulder and spoke through clenched teeth, his tone sharp.
“Barton, stand down. Now.”
Miss Smith stomped back out onto the porch, arms crossed and glaring at Deputy Barton as she spoke, her sharp voice cutting through the tension in the yard like a knife.
“Is there a reason why you’re all still standing here? Mr. Brandt doesn’t need this stress!” She flicked her gaze at Landon, then. “You, get him out of here and come explain what’s going on to Mr. Brandt before I make it my problem.”
Landon looked a bit like he wanted to throw up at the thought of facing Mr. Brandt and sending me to the station with Barton now, and I couldn’t really say I blamed him on either count.
Landon fisted his hand in my shirt and gave me a shake to snap me out of my stare down with Barton. “Can I trust you not to do something stupid if I send you to the station with Barton, or am I going to have to send Zoe in with him instead?”
“No! Don’t send Zoe with him.” The thought of Zoe being taken into the station by Deputy Barton was like having a bucket of ice water dumped in my face. I shook my head and straightened up, squaring my shoulders. “I won’t be a problem, I swear. Just... don’t send Zoe with him. Please.”
Zoe threw her arms around my neck and kissed me, her body trembling against mine. I could feel fear and adrenaline rolling off her in waves as I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight.
“Be careful, baby. I love you,” she whispered the words against my lips, still shaking, her eyes wide with terror. “I know we didn’t do what they think we did, Rome. You better come home to me, you hear?”
I nodded, and prayed I wasn’t lying when I told her, “Of course I’ll come home to you, baby.”