Free Her Destiny by Monica Murphy Page A

speak to Reverie. About me.
    I leave her alone so I can’t hurt her any longer and it works. The minute I come near her again, I bring trouble with me. If she refused to talk to me before, she’ll probably try and call the cops on me now. Not that I can blame her.
    I’m so pissed I want to break that freaking detective’s smug face with my fist. But that would be about the stupidest thing I could ever do so I lie in wait, sitting in my truck in the parking lot across the street from the restaurant. How I missed him walking in there I have no clue but there’s no telling what he might’ve said to Reverie.
    There’s no telling what Reverie might have said to him either. Not that she’d chuck me or make up lies about me because I’ve never been anything but honest with her. I just…I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t like it.
    The detective—I think his name is Jacoby—glances in the exact direction of where my truck is parked and I sink low in my seat, my head barely above the steering wheel I’m slumped so low. He stares hard into the darkness, looking right at me before he starts walking, headed straight in the direction of where I’m parked.
    I slouch further but it’s no use. He’s coming for me, stops right by the driver’s door and raps his knuckles on the window. “Open up, Fairfield.”
    Reluctantly I reach out and roll down the window, bracing myself against the brisk gust of air that blows inside my truck. “You’re following me.”
    Jacoby doesn’t bother to deny it. “We thought it was odd, that you were leaving town.”
    “You’ve been keeping tabs on me this entire time?” How’d I miss them trailing me? I got lazy I guess.
    He doesn’t answer. “Spoke to your girlfriend. Though she denied being your girl.”
    His words probe under my skin, dig at nerves. “Leave her out of this.”
    “Seems like she’s the whole reason you came here though, right? I mean, it’s not like you to took a joy ride to Los Angeles. That’s pretty far to go, costs a lot of money in gas. Money you don’t really have. And then she rejects you? Man, that’s gotta be tough.” He slowly shakes his head and makes a tsking noise.
    I sit up in my seat, clenching my hands into fists. Trying to provoke me and get a reaction, see if I’ll say or do something stupid. All cops are assholes. I contemplated being one and then told myself to snap the fuck out of it. “There’s nothing you need to ask her so leave her alone,” I mutter.
    “There’s plenty to ask her. Hell, if all goes as planned, she’s going to be coming to the station Sunday morning so we can go over the events of the night your ex was murdered.” He says the words so casually, like no big deal, but they explode like tiny bombs in my brain, giving me a headache.
    “Why are you questioning her about Krista’s murder?” I did my best to protect her and keep her out of the investigation. Yeah, Reverie is my alibi and I wouldn’t have to deal with half this shit if I’d come out from the start and told the truth about my being with Reverie that night but I did it to protect her. She didn’t need to deal with my shit. She had enough to handle already. “I’ve told you before she knows nothing.”
    “She said otherwise.”
    Shit. Closing my eyes, I thunk the back of my head against the headrest, wishing I could take back what Jacoby just told me. “What are you talking about?”
    “Your little girlfriend finally came clean with me. Don’t understand why you’re so upset, considering her statement is going to get you off the hook. That is, if she’s telling the truth. Why you’ve been hiding this for so long, I have no idea, but considering you’re not the brightest bulb in the light socket, there’s no explaining what you do or why you do it.”
    I practically growl with frustration. I’m so over cops and their attitudes. “Anyone ever tell you you’re a complete asshole?”
    Jacoby grins, looking strangely pleased.