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“Not really, but I’m hanging in there.” She glanced over. “Thanks for being here.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say I was being paid to be there, but I bit it back. It felt callous in the moment, but more than that, being with her felt like so much more than a job, and that was the most dangerous part of the mission. So, instead, I said nothing and just nodded.
After a while, she said, “I don’t think Sofia is buying the story about you being my old college friend. Maybe we should tell her the truth too.”
“Bad idea.”
“What? Why?”
“We agreed the fewer people read in the better.” I shot her a glance. “Did you tell her about the studio?”
“No. I just told her we had plans I forgot about. Kept it vague.”
I nodded. “Good.” I signaled to turn onto the highway. “But if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been thinking on it, and I’m inclined to put her ex toward the bottom of the suspect list. For now anyway.”
“Really? Why?”
“No motive.”
She frowned. “No motive? What about screwing with Sofia and I’m just caught in the crosshairs?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say I’m ruling that out; it just doesn’t make sense. My gut says this is all about you.”
She didn’t say anything, which told me whether she wanted to or not, she agreed.
We eventually pulled up to the dance studio, and I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the absolute lack of action wasn’t it.
I scoured the well-lit parking lot as I made a circle, scoping everything out. No movement. Nothing. If it weren’t for the lone police cruiser parked in front of her dance studio, I would’ve thought she’d been tricked.
She was visibly tense as I parked in the main lot several feet diagonal from the front door and killed the engine.
I turned to her and waited until she looked over at me. “Stay with me the entire time until I can fully assess the situation.” It was not a request.
Her eyes widened. “You don’t think it’s safe in there?”
“I have no idea what’s in there. That’s why you’re by my side until I say otherwise. Got it?”
She swallowed, the gravity of the situation seeming to settle on her in a whole new way. “Justin...”
I opened my door and stepped out, double-checking my concealed weapon. “With me you’re safe.” Our eyes met. “Now let’s go. We don’t need to keep the officer waiting.”
She didn’t say another word as I helped her out of the truck and she stayed by my side as we walked over to the patrol car.
A tired-looking officer stepped out to greet us, his dark eyes sliding from her to me, then back to her. “You Mrs. Creed?”
“I’m Olivia Creed, yes. This is my studio.”
His gaze tracked back to me. “And you are?”
“With her,” I said. “Can you please provide Ms. Creed with your report?”
He scrutinized me closely for a moment before seeing he was clearly not getting more. “Of course.” He turned back to her. “As you know, we were dispatched when the folks at Nationwide Security called us. Apparently, the security officer saw something suspicious while he was making rounds...” He flipped to the notes in his report. “He said he saw some lights and movement inside that are never there this time of night, so he knocked on the door to investigate and make sure everything was alright and nobody needed assistance. He got no response, so he made his way to the back entrance, where he found the door ajar. He made entry to make sure no one needed aid. What he found upset him quite a bit so he called it in.” The officer’s gaze lifted to Olivia at that time.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I think it’s best if you see for yourself.”
She nodded and stepped forward, but I put out a hand to hold her back, causing a brow lift from the officer.
