AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Avalon Trahan.
Beau would not be able to save her again. After all, the dead couldn’t save anyone. And if Beau didn’t get the hell out of his way, the bastard would be a dead man.
The first thing she found was the murder charge.
Avalon’s breath shuddered out even as her body leaned toward the computer. Beau had been locked away because…a patron of his bar had been found beaten to death. Witnesses reported the dead man had become rough with one of the waitresses in LeBlanc’s. Beau interceded. The two men fought and, the next day…
Dead.
Her fingers tapped on the keyboard as she fought to learn more, but even as she explored and pushed deeper into Beau’s life, his voice whispered through her mind.
You’ve been under my protection for quite some time. Consider it seriously amped up until I find out who the hell was driving that car tonight—and I destroy him. I will destroy him. That’s a promise.
Chapter Six
“How long have you known Beau LeBlanc?” The detective tapped a pencil on the edge of the desk.
The cops—detectives this time, not uniforms—had arrived at Avalon’s hotel room shortly after eight a.m. They’d seemed a bit annoyed with the very friendly hotel manager who’d been with them. Avalon had no idea what had set off the detectives, but when they’d asked her to go down to the station with them in order to answer questions, she’d willingly obliged. Not like she had things to hide from the cops. And she did want her case solved. She’d picked up some new clothes from the shop in the hotel, changed quickly so she didn’t have to wear the dress that still smelled of smoke, and they’d been on their way.
Now, they wanted to know about Beau. How long had she known him? Well…
“Years,” she answered with a roll of one shoulder.
The detective to the right—a woman with short, red hair and sharp eyes—stopped tapping her pencil. “When did you first make his acquaintance?” she asked.
Detective Lynn Baker. Avalon had chatted with her a few times before. She’d chatted with most of the detectives at the station since she’d moved to Savannah. Tenacious. That was how Avalon would describe the other woman. Lynn never gave up on her cases. “June twelfth.” Two days after her birthday. Her parents had thrown a big party for her at the country club. All of her friends had been there.
And then, on the night of June twelfth, no one had been there.
She’d been alone and terrified.
Beau came.
Lynn’s brows climbed.
“It was a very hot night in New Orleans. One made even hotter by the fire that swept through my house and almost killed me. But Beau was there. A much younger Beau.” Her hands remained in her lap, hidden below the table. “He got me out of the house.”
Lynn turned and glanced at her partner. Now the partner? Campbell Cunningham? Avalon was not as much of a fan when it came to him. He tended to be a prick who made up his mind way too quickly about suspects. And he liked to maintain his high case-closure rate at all costs.
Lynn’s stare darted back to Avalon. “The arsonist who burned your home in the Garden District was never apprehended.”
She wasn’t surprised the detectives knew that bit about her past. Not like it would be hard to access the info. And, considering that last night?—
“Now two fires have been set in your homes. One when you were a teen, and one last night.” Campbell blinked his hazel eyes at her. Charming eyes. No, disarming eyes. Only they neither charmed nor disarmed her. “Two incidents and one common denominator.”
Yes. She’d figured this was coming. She glanced toward the clock on the wall. Almost nine thirty. And, just as she’d had the crazy thought last night as she fought with her attacker, she wondered…
What is taking you so long to arrive?—
Just as the door to the small interrogation room flew open. “I can’t believe you all had a party and didn’t invite me.” Beau filled the doorway. Seriously, filled it with his wide shoulders that brushed against the wood. He exhaled heavily. “I mean, come on. I was at the fire last night. If we’re going to get witness statements, shouldn’t I be invited to participate? Don’t you care at all about getting my story?”
Campbell’s chair legs screeched as he leapt to his feet. “What in the hell are you doing here?”
“Joining the party. Told you that already. Thought I was pretty clear and loudly vocal.” Beau didn’t even glance his way as he kicked the door shut and strolled for Avalon. His features darkened as he studied her face. “Sweetheart, you have shadows under your eyes.” He stopped near the table. “Didn’t sleep at all, did you?” His hand reached out, as if he’d touch her cheek.
The chair legs screeched again. She flinched.
Beau’s hand froze. “Busy doing research, were you? Too busy to sleep?” He leaned toward her. “Found out anything interesting?”
