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“No. Of course not.” Her spine straightened against me. “I would never do this, and I would never hurt children on purpose.” The waver in her voice told me she was close to breaking again, and I tightened my hold on her.
Charlie fixed on me. “You ate one too?”
“I did. But no sickness here. And there are kids who didn’t get sick either, right?”
He nodded. “Right. But the only common denominator is the cupcakes and the hot chocolate. I’ll be speaking to the owner over there too. But given the incidents at Thanksgiving…”
“I know it looks bad,” Lena whispered. “I know.”
The man stood, closing his notepad and putting it away. “I don’t have anything to arrest you on, but I need to ask you not to go anywhere. I’ve put off the parents pressing charges since we don’t have proof, but it’s the best I can do.”
Lena wasn’t even breathing, but she nodded. “I understand.”
“I also can’t allow you to open Deja Brew. I’ll need full access to it so we can sweep for evidence. You haven’t been there since you left?”
“She hasn’t,” I answered. “She’s been with me the entire time.”
She stood, pulling away from my hold. “I’ll get you an extra key to the front door.”
“Appreciated.”
I stood too. “I looked into Allison DeVries, and I didn’t find anything. But I’m going to look again, and I might take a look through the town’s security footage if Jerry will let me.”
“Let me know if you find anything.” He looked toward the kitchen where Lena had gone. “But I don’t need to tell you this is bad, right?”
It was. Even if we could fully and completely prove Lena’s innocence, her business was likely finished. That kind of broken trust didn’t just heal, even with proof. “You don’t have to tell me, no.”
“Here you go.” Lena handed Charlie a small silver key. She looked…tiny. The weight of the world was on her shoulders, and there was nothing I could do to lift it.
“Thanks, Lena. I’ll be in touch soon.”
I walked him out and watched him drive away. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I answered without even looking. “Hello?”
“Hey,” Daniel said. “I’ve heard. Through the grapevine. You guys okay?”
“Lena is very much not okay. I’m going to be MIA for a few days to stay with her. Until we figure out what the hell is going on.”
“Understood. Tell me if you need anything. We all know Lena would never do this, and whatever we can do to clear her name? We’ll do it.”
“Thanks, Daniel.”
Lena was on the couch when I came back inside. “I guess that went about as well as it could have, huh?”
“I’m glad it didn’t end with you in handcuffs that aren’t mine.”
That, at least, drew a tiny smile from her. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the despondent blankness which had been on her face since she’d stopped crying.
“We’re going to figure it out,” I said, sitting down and pulling her to me again. I couldn’t stop touching her, and I was glad she didn’t seem to mind. If anything, she melted into me, accepting my hold. “I promise.”
Lena sighed. “Yeah. But we both know it’s already too late.”
She meant for her business and reputation. I didn’t fully agree, but I wasn’t going to argue. Not when she felt like this. I just tucked her in closer to my side and kissed her hair. Together, we would get through this. And when I found out who was targeting her, there would be hell to pay.
Chapter 24
Lena
Jude and I spent an entire day in my house doing nothing but watching movies, avoiding calls, and pretending the rest of the world didn’t exist. He made love to me slowly. No handcuffs or begging. Just him taking control and loving me in the way only he could do.
