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She remains quiet, a step behind me.
“He came in here last night,” the shorter boy yells, unable to contain himself, earning a glare from Cooper.
“No, he didn’t.” I shake my head.
“The kids say he did.”
“And I’m saying he didn’t. I was here all night with Lara. Why would another man come in here?”
Cooper doesn’t have an answer.
“You’re sure Darrell went in?” he checks.
The two little shits nod. “We helped him get in,” admits the one with a bruised nose. You’d think he’d have learned his lesson from Kaleb the other night at the fire alarm. He’d be dead if Daniel had punched him.
Un-fucking-believable.
“You heard them,” Cooper challenges, like his words mean anything.
“I did.”
Leaning against the doorframe, I squeeze Lara’s hand. So far, my girl has stood quietly while worrying her bottom lip. I’d like to keep it that way.
“Well then, move so I can look inside.”
“No.” I shake my head.
“No?”
“I know you’re not too bright, Cooper, and itsounds like your nephew inherited that, but what about me makes you think you’re getting inside this room?”
I see it, the moment he realizes. This time, I do fight my smile. It’s one thing to beat his nephew to death because he deserves it. It’s another to gloat to his face . . . maybe when we finally kill him.
“Your perverted nephew isn’t my problem.”
“You’ve met him! Ha!” Cooper points his finger a little too close for my liking.
My right hand releases Lara’s to snatch his hand before he can make contact, not too gently shoving his hand away, disgust etched on my face.
“His friends just said he broke in here last night, which he didn’t, but if he did, it wasn’t for a good reason,” I stress. “Aren’t you Darrell’s girlfriend?” I ask the girl he’d been all over last night.
She looks at Cooper, then nods.
“He’s been missing all night,” she tells Lara, her worry clear.
“Maybe he found someone else for the night. Doesn’t sound like he was a good boyfriend,” I suggest.
“Was?” Cooper’s eyes grow three sizes. “You did it, didn’t you? You killed my sister’s boy.”
Lara steps away, backing into the room slowly like I won’t notice. She’s at her limit. Giving her as much of a break as I can, I pull the door close to my side, hiding her in the room.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s outrageous accusations like that, that cost you a career, Cooper. I saidwasbecause your nephew’s friends just ousted him as willing to spend the night in someone else’s room. I’m sure that . . .” I pause, waiting for her to give me her name.
“Cassie.”
“I’m sure that Cassie can find someone else.”
Cassie nods. “He’s kind of a shitty boyfriend.”
