CHAPTER TWELVE #4
“Thank you, Olivia.”
“You’re welcome.” Olivia steps back and pulls her messenger bag off her shoulder, and collects her black framed glasses and a notebook and pen.
She is now in attorney mode. “Okay, Everly, the officers are going to be asking you a lot of questions, sometimes repeating the same thing but in a different way. Answer to the best of your knowledge and if you truly can’t remember then just say that.
I’ll make sure that they are aware of the pain medication you’re taking.
This might not be the only trip they come to ask questions so don’t be alarmed by that.
If for some reason you want to stop the line of questioning just say my name and I’ll end the conversation immediately. Okay?”
Olivia is one of the best attorneys in the state of California. Hell, maybe even better than me. She’s focused and driven and gets results, and that’s why I knew she’d be perfect for my firm when I branched out on my own.
The two officers come in and introduce themselves as Detectives Everett and Smith.
“Ms. Bryant, thank you for speaking with us,” Det. Smith starts. She’s a tall blonde-haired woman and is all business.
“Call me Everly.” Her voice screeches and I hand her a cup of water to help soothe her throat.
Mr. Bryant is standing off in the corner of the room messing with his phone as Olivia and I take up either side of Everly.
“Can you tell us how you know the assailant, Linley Lewis?” Det. Smith jumps into the questioning.
“I don’t really know her. We met one time before, very briefly maybe three minutes tops, if that. I don’t even think we were properly introduced,” she answers. “I know she’s a model and has her face on every inch of this town.”
“Who introduced the two of you then?”
“Linc.” She nods over to me and I give her hand a light squeeze. She’s doing well but I can tell she needs to rest. Her eyes are staying closed longer with each blink she takes. This is a horrible time to interrogate anyone.
“And you are?” Det. Everett condescendingly asks.
He knows exactly who I am, his entire force knows me from all the cases I’ve represented from their arrests.
I know this drill like I know my ABC’s. The female is to speak with the victim and play the sympathy card while the male is to play the tough role.
“Lincoln Thorne, her boyfriend.”
Olivia leans in and hands Det. Everett my card and I see the wheels turning. My name is nationally recognized for getting convicted people off.
“Well, that makes things a little easier,” Det. Everett mumbles. “And how do you know Ms. Linley Lewis, Mr. Thorne?”
I tell them that Linley is a client and that we went to several functions together, as dates.
“Was your relationship sexual, Mr. Thorne, with Ms. Lewis?” Det. Everett asks as they both take notes.
“I don’t see how that’s relevant, officers,” Olivia butts in.
“It is relevant when the suspect tells us that she and her fiancé, Lincoln Thorne, both conspired to commit this act,” The detective states.
“Bullshit!” I burst out and jump up from my position next to Everly.
“I would never do something like this and that bitch and I aren’t engaged.
She’s a nutcase, obviously. We had an arrangement for those functions and outside of that we didn’t see each other.
” My outburst has me shaking with fury. How dare she try and mix me up in something like this.
Everly goes rigid next to me and tries to pull her hand out of mine. Not happening . Mr. Bryant is eating this up, just trying to find some ammunition to get rid of me, and I think he’s got his way in.
“According to her, you and her planned all this yesterday evening.” Det. Smith reads from her pad and a wave of relief rushes through me.
“I think it would be better if we didn’t do this here in front of Everly,” Olivia says watching my angel, and I can tell from the frequent beeping of the monitors that this is upsetting her.
The last thing I want is for her to endure any more pain or a setback in her recovery.
“We’d be more than happy to come down to the station to answer any questions—”
“Can you at least give them your whereabouts last night?” Mr. Bryant smugly asks. He thinks he’s got the upper hand but little does he know what he’s asking for.
Looking down at Everly I give her a wink before training my gaze back to him. She knows exactly where I was yesterday evening and I can’t help the satisfied smirk.
“I’ve got nothing to hide.” Leaning down I give Everly a soft kiss to the temple then nuzzle her neck.
“Everly and I were together from the hours of five-forty in the afternoon yesterday to eight-fifty.” I pause as the detectives are writing down the information.
Everly’s dad is about to speak up and say something but I cut him off.
“This morning.” I finish the statement purposely leaving that part for last, as to make a statement to her old man that were together.
All. Night. Long. “You are more than welcome to check the cameras at my apartment. We were there all night and didn’t leave till this morning for work. ”
“Everly can you verify Mr. Thorne’s whereabouts last night?” Det. Smith turns her attention back to my angel for confirmation.
A light blush flushes her cheeks and neck, as I know Everly is thinking about last night and how wonderful it was.
“We were together.” Everly can’t hide the smile as she says it and our eyes are fixed to each other’s. She looks so tired and I hate that she even has to answer these questions.
“Including,” Det. Smith looks down at her pad and flips a few pages. “The hours of six-thirty and eight-thirty yesterday evening?”
“We had dinner last night at an Italian restaurant before going back to Linc’s place. I’m sure there is a picture out there because the paparazzi were everywhere.”
I give them the name of the restaurant and they write everything down. We go back and forth with more questions and answers for several more minutes. Once they’re satisfied with the answers, they pass us all their cards.
“We’ll be in touch,” Det. Smith says and they leave as nurse Sam comes in.
“It’s time for some rest for our patient and her pain medication.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow, Everly, and check in with you,” Olivia says, then leans down to give her a hug, trying to avoid her injured arm.
“Only one person is allowed to stay the night in the rooms,” Sam informs us as Olivia leaves, leaving Mr. Bryant and myself. She’s just pushed Everly’s meds through her IV and I can tell she’s barely hanging on to consciousness.
“Dad,” Everly starts and my stomach drops, thinking she picked him to stay with her instead of me. “You go and stay at my apartment. Get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning.”
My heart grows two sizes as Everly picks me to stay instead of her father. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
“Sweetheart, I think I should be here in case something happens in the middle of the night.”
“She’s safe with me. I’ll call if there’s a problem, Mr. Bryant,” I sweetly say and can’t hide my victorious tone. I’m an asshole, what can I say . I make a show in front of Everly, getting my phone out. “What’s your number?” He grunts out the number as he narrows his eyes at me.
“I’ll be fine dad. Go and get some sleep.” She shifts, trying to get comfortable.
“Okay, well, it’s time to let her rest.” Sam motions to Everly dad, towards the door, to follow her out. With a huff, he comes over to the bed and kisses her forehead.
“I’ll be back first thing in the morning.” He raises up, taking one last look at his daughter and then shoots me murderous eyes that says I’m gonna kick your ass .
The room is dead silent except for the sounds of the monitor that Everly is attached to once Tommy leaves. Sam made sure Everly had her arm propped up with several pillows. As I start to walk over to the most uncomfortable chair in existence, Everly stops me.
“Lay with me,” she mumbles as her eyes are starting to close.
“I don’t want to hurt you, baby.”
“You won’t.” Her eyes are closed but she scoots over, leaving enough room for me to get in with her.
Weighing my options, it only takes me half a second to make up my mind.
I climb in under her blanket, after removing my shoes and belt.
Immediately, she snuggles into me, but softly whispers for me to remove my shirt.
One thing I love about this woman is how she clings to me while we sleep.
It’s as if I’m her lifeline, her next breath, and I plan to make sure nothing changes that.
Carefully, I’m able to remove my shirt and we settle in.
My thoughts drift over the day and how easily I could’ve lost the most important person all because of my stupid past. I recall the choices I have made and how they are now affecting my present and future.
Starting tomorrow, I vow to purge those actions but first I need to come clean to Everly about my dating arrangements through Blaire’s modeling agency, and how Linley and the others before her were set up.
I also need to meet with Dale and see about getting Everly some protection.
I’m a huge public figure and handle some of the worst cases that are played out on every news outlet.
The threats I get weekly because of who I represent could start bleeding over onto her and that’s the last thing I’d ever want.
She’s my main priority and that needs to come first and foremost.
“I love you, angel,” I whisper in her ear as she sighs contently. My lips kiss the top of her head.
“Love you,” Everly mimics. I know she’s asleep but her confession grips my heart in a tight squeeze.
She doesn’t even know it but she’s changed me in ways I never thought possible.
I’ve grown as a man, just being in her presence.
Things that others have that I never thought was in the cards for me are almost in reach.
We have a lot to weather through before then but that can be for another day.
Right now, we need to focus on getting her better and protecting her so something like this never happens again.