Chapter 12
Ice slid through my veins as blood roared in my ears. They knew.
“I’d like you to leave. Now,” Colt said, rising to his feet.
Daniels’s brown eyes flashed. “This isn’t a conversation that involves you.”
“That may be the case, but I’m the owner of this home. Unless you have a warrant, then I’m within my rights to ask you to leave.”
Ruiz sent a glare in Daniels’s direction. “Mr. Carrington, we’re just trying to figure out why this anonymous tip came in. I’m sure it was someone’s disgusting idea of a prank, but we need to sort it all out. If we can get an alibi for Ms. Carmichael, we’ll be done with all this ugly business.”
“I’m afraid Colt is right,” Baldwin said, widening his shoulders. “Leighton is under my care. If I’d known you were here to question her, I’d have insisted legal counsel be present. You’ll have to leave now. Leighton won’t be saying another word.”
I’d never been more relieved not to have to speak. Because I knew my voice would shake if I did. I knew I’d reveal far too much in my tone alone.
“If she doesn’t have anything to hide, then she doesn’t need a lawyer,” Daniels snapped.
Baldwin motioned to the door. “I’ve seen far too many innocent people end up in prison to believe that. If you’ll head this way, please.”
Daniels’s heated gaze flashed to me, nothing but suspicion there.
“Come on,” Ruiz said in a low voice.
Daniels’s teeth ground together. “Tell your lawyer we have questions.”
Baldwin jerked his head in a nod. “If you have a card, I’ll have him call you directly.”
She scoffed but pulled a small piece of cardstock from her pocket, shoving it at Baldwin. “I won’t hold my breath.”
He didn’t respond, simply guided them out of the room.
No one said a word as we listened for the sound of the front door opening and closing. But I couldn’t help the tremble that took root in my muscles.
Dash wrapped his arms around me, pulling me onto his lap. “It’s okay, Mon Coeur. You’re safe.”
“What if they arrest me? Take me away?” I choked.
“Never going to happen,” Ronan gritted out.
“I’ll slit their throats first,” Trace growled.
Colt stared down at his phone. “Darius is on his way. We’ve got a pack member on the force. I’m hoping they can give us more information.”
I hadn’t been the biggest fan of the temporary alpha, but he’d stood up for us recently. Maybe he’d come through now.
“Are you sure we should be getting him involved?” Declan asked.
Colt glanced at him. “We need people on our side right now. And he’ll just be pissed if he finds out through other avenues.”
Dash rubbed a hand up and down my back as he nuzzled my neck. “He likes Leighton now. I think he’ll do what he can to protect her.”
Baldwin strode back into the room, his expression thunderous. “They’re gone.”
“For now,” Trace muttered.
“The guards won’t let them back on the property unless they have a warrant,” Baldwin assured us.
“Will you let the guards know that Darius is on his way?” Colt asked.
Baldwin nodded and quickly typed out a text. “I’m glad you’re looping him in. He’ll have insight into how we should handle this.”
“We need to get the lawyer on it now,” Colt said.
“I already texted Bruce. He’s gathering information, and then he’ll call you.”
Colt let out a breath. “Thank you. For everything.”
Baldwin’s expression gentled a fraction. “You know I’d do anything for any of you.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He squeezed my shoulder. “Don’t you worry, cherub. We’ll figure this out.”
I wanted to believe him. So badly. But I couldn’t quite get there.
The front door slammed, and heavy footfalls sounded on the hardwoods.
“Colt?” Darius bellowed.
“In here,” Colt called.
The footsteps changed direction, and a second later, Darius’s large frame filled the doorway. He scanned the room, his gaze stilling on me. “Are you okay?”
My brows lifted in surprise, but I nodded. “I’m okay.”
“Good. I’m sorry this happened,” he said gruffly. “Have you called Bruce yet? He’s the only one who should be dealing with the police.”
“He’s already in play,” Colt answered.
Darius jerked his chin in a nod. “No conversations with the police unless Bruce is present. I talked to Gene on the way over here. He had no idea the body they found was Maryanne’s. He wasn’t on duty this morning. But he started digging.”
“What’d he find?” Ronan asked.
“Her body was found on the beach this morning. No sign of injury, so they’re doing an autopsy now.”
Panic raced through me. “Are they going to find something? Some evidence of my magic?”
Darius’s brows hit his hairline. “Your magic?”
Colt winced. “Leighton broke through her block. Her magic manifested, and her anchor mark emerged when she fought off her mother.”
Darius’s jaw went slack as he stared at me in awe. “I’ve never heard of anything like that ever happening.”
“We’re all trying to figure it out,” Colt explained. “We’ve got Saoirse helping.”
Darius scrubbed a hand over his face. “That’s good. We’ll need her. There shouldn’t be any magical evidence left behind, but someone’s trying to pin this on Leighton.”
The room went deathly silent.
“Explain,” Trace snarled.
Darius’s gaze flicked to Trace, a wariness there. “An anonymous call came in a couple of hours after the body was found. They said that Leighton knew what happened to her mother, that she was involved.”
Purple sparks flew around Trace as he struggled to control his rage.
Colt’s eyes flashed gold. “There’s only one person it could be.”
Ronan let out a rumbling growl. “Damien.”