Free ToServeAndProtect by KyAnn Waters

a person usually becomes desensitized.”
    “I’ve only been up here once since Elliot was murdered,
and that was when the cleaning crew was here.” She sat up and wiped the corners
of her mouth with her finger. “I’m fine.” She pushed his hand away when he
tried to help her to stand. “Let’s just get through this.” She pointed to the bathroom.
    Dustin handed her back her coffee and picked up his.
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
    “I went to wash off my feet, and that’s when I
realized it wasn’t syrup, but blood.” She relived the horrible memory. “Blood
was everywhere.” She turned and stared Dustin in the eyes. “I thought Elliot
was hurt. I called for him. I must have slipped and tipped the table. My feet
were wet and the blood was slick. I know I had glass imbedded just about
everywhere.” She looked down the hall at her father’s bedroom. “I don’t remember
opening the door, but I remember seeing his bed soaked with blood.” She glanced
at her hands, took a breath, and then changed her mind about telling him more.
    “You were about to say something,” Dustin encouraged.
    She shook her head. “No that’s it. I woke up in the
hospital.” She stood and took a step down the hall.
    “I heard you take a breath. You were about to say
something else. I’ll find out eventually. You insist you didn’t have anything
to do with Dr. Porter’s murder. There’s no way I’ll believe a word you say if
you’re not up front with me. The truth McKenna, your choice.”
    She snapped her gaze to his. The way he said he name
sent heat skittering down her spine. Albert had warned her not to trust the
police. They had their agenda, and it was up to her to look out for herself. He
had warned her that Detective Pearce was not her friend no matter how
nice Dustin became. But then she remembered Dawn’s words.
    McKenna needed the detective on her side. She had to
be honest. With dogs out the window and with whatever happened upstairs, she
didn’t need to borrow more trouble. The plan was to stick to the facts and keep
the detective close.  Until she understood her situation and until he solved
the case, they were going to become good friends.
    McKenna shifted her stare to her father’s door again.
“I thought I saw him.” She slowly turned to Dustin. “Until they told me there
wasn’t a body, I could’ve sworn I saw him lying there.”
     
    Dustin watched the walls go up. One minute she was at
ease, talking with him, and now he was the enemy once again. “McKenna’s that’s
not possible. There wouldn’t have been enough time between the neighbor’s call
to the police and the time units arrived on the scene for someone else to
dispose of his body.”
    “Someone else? As in only enough time for me to do
it.”
    “That isn’t what I said, but you make a good argument
for the prosecution.”
    She huffed out a breath. “Enough about the body. Ask
me something else.” She stalked down the hall. “Ask me something I know,
because I don’t know any more than you about the night Elliot was murdered.”
    “Okay, what happened today? You pulled in the drive
like Jeff Gordon and took after Elliot’s car like Mike Tyson.”
    She suddenly looked embarrassed having a spectator for
her actions. “Mike Tyson is a boxer. I didn’t punch the car, I kicked it.”
    “A technicality,” he said, following her down the
hall. “Do you want me to guess? Hmm, you found a glitch in your alibi? No?
Maybe your boyfriend called it splits?” He grinned. “Don’t you have something
to say? Come on, just a little joke. Tell me, what happened?”
    “Fine, I got fired. Happy? I hope so because it’s your
fault.”
    “My fault? I came in after the fact, remember?”
    “The police department has shed a suspicious light
over me. I’m under a public scrutiny microscope. Dustin,--I assume I can call
you Dustin?”
    He nodded.
    “I work in an insurance agency. Unexplained deaths
aren’t good for the life insurance