Chapter 30
Briana
Outside the office building, I stop in front of Kade’s red Ford. Tail wagging, Becca leaps into the back. I yank open my side door, climb in, and punch the dashboard.
“I need to go back up on that mountain. No way am I sitting around, waiting for the State Police.”
Sensing my mood, the dog whines. As she wedges her nose between the seats, Kade gives her a reassuring pat. “S’okay, girl.”
After, his hand slides to my shoulder. “This evidence will clear you, I’m certain of it.”
His little squeeze makes me want to scream.
Teeth clamped, I lower my voice. “Right. Then I’ll marry a prince to live happily—yada yada yada. Don’t sugar coat it, Marine. We both know how this plays out. Deranged, suicidal woman kills ex after discovering his affair.”
How the hell do I convince him to go after Mr. Mumbles? If not for me, then for all the hikers who have no clue of the danger out there.
I soften my tone. “Can we stop for coffee. Talk about it?”
“Yeah, sure. If you can wait, we’ll hit the place near my house.”
A sleepless night of marathon sex weighs heavy. My eyelids start to slide closed. The next thing I know, we’re pulling into a diner.
Once we settle into a corner booth and order breakfast, I rub my eyes, sip my coffee, and study the bell over the front door.
When it rings again, I do a double take, then freeze.
Oh, hell to the no. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Kade swivels, following my gaze.
“See the woman with my brother and my lawyer?” The lethal edge in my voice is instantaneous. “That’s Andrea Bratner.”
The bitch struts over like she owns the place, straight toward our table.
“Hello, Bree.” Her blood-red, gleaming nails wiggle in front of Kade’s nose. “I’m her very best friend. I drove all this way to explain the tragic circumstances of her poor Brett’s murder.”
She pauses, just long enough to draw attention from nearby tables.
“It’s not her fault,” she says, projecting for the cheap seats. “He and I had an affair. She went off the deep end. I never should’ve told her.”
Then she turns her fake, watery eyes on me. “I’m so sorry. Will you ever forgive me?”
What. The. Actual. Hell?
“I didn’t kill him, Andee.” Voice steady, my fists clench under the table. If looks could kill, she’d already be a chalk outline on the floor.
Kade’s chair scrapes as he rises, jaw tight. “Miss, why don’t we take this across the street—to my office?”
Innocence smothered in baby-voiced pity, Andrea takes his arm. “Her brother said she doesn’t remember a thing. He said you found her out of her mind, wandering around in the woods.”
“I wasn’t out of my mind, I was drugged.” My clenched molars make it damn near impossible to speak clearly.
“No wonder.” She gasps, smacking both palms to her chest. “Ohmigod. Addiction explains so much. I also read how people block out traumatic memories. Isn’t that right, Sheriff?”
If he agrees with her, I swear to God, I will dump this whole cup of coffee in his lap.
Neck muscles pulsing, my man doesn’t even blink. “It’s too soon to make assumptions, miss. Have you given your statement to the FBI?”
Fake lashes flutter. “Of course, I did. I called the moment I heard about my dear friend’s predicament.”
No doubt. Probably right after I threatened her. I’d pray for lightning to strike me dead, but at this point, fate is having too much fun watching me squirm.
Even though I’m not done eating, I tug on Kade’s arm. “We should go.”
Any more of this and I may puke.
Ignoring my body language, my clueless lover hands her his card. “Can you stop by my office? I have some questions.”
“I’m free right now. Would that work?”
“What about Becca?” I blurt out, dialing down the crazy with a fake smile. “She’s… uh, in the car. Needs to be fed. Probably starving.”
There is no way I’m letting him fend off this woman without me.
The sheriff’s brow quirks up. “The dog will be fine. We should get her statement. Puzzle pieces, Bree. Remember?”
My frown deepens. What good are those pieces if they belong to a whole different box?