Bound to Her - Deborah Pin (books for 9th graders .TXT) 📗

Seth wasn’t buying any of it.

“Whatever, Dad.” Seth ignored him for the rest of the drive.

Molly was no better that night and after the boys were out the door

headed to the soccer field two blocks away she lit into him. “So how’s Ms. Page?”

“You know I’m not having this conversation with you.”

“I’m not asking about her case. I’m asking about the two of you.” She

was staring at him, waiting for him to ‘fess up.

“There is no two of us and there’s also nothing to say. Sorry to disappoint.” He quickly stood from the table and started clearing dishes.

“You only do dishes when you don’t want to talk about something!”

She hollered after him and as he returned to the table for more dishes, she propped her feet up on one of the other chairs and rested her hands

on the back of her head casually. “But seeing as you never help in the kitchen, I’m inclined to let you keep your silence.” She smirked and he stared down at her before finally sinking into a chair.

“Fine. I like her.”

“Duh.”

“A lot. I…care about her. A lot.”

She dropped her feet from the chair and moved her hands to the

table. Now she looked concerned. “The case won’t always be a factor.

You’ll be through this someday.”

“First of all, she has to survive this and I’m not going to say more than that so don’t even ask. Second of all, assuming I can solve this fucking thing and keep her intact, there’ll likely be charges, court, testimony. This thing could go on for a year or more when it’s all said and done. Hell, longer! I’m not allowed any involvement with her until

this over, buried dead and over.”

“Then buckle in and be patient. You care. Isn’t she worth that?”

“Worth what? Listen to what you’re saying. I mean—what the hell are

you saying? That I should—what? Hey, Kat, let’s put this relationship that we don’t have on pause for the next couple years, okay? I mean I know we’re not seeing each other and maybe you won’t even survive long enough but can you just maybe not see anyone else for two years in

the event that someday we might be able to go out on a date and decide

if we actually want to see each other? Seriously, Molly?”

She cracked a small smile. “Then take yourself off the case. Make up a

reason if you have to. Dillon, you like her. You care. It’s been a long time since you’ve been like this. I don’t believe that’s a waste of your time for one second and you wouldn’t be this wrapped up about it if it was.”

“I’d rather be on this case than trust someone else to her safety. That’s

the most important thing.” He held her eyes and she pursed her lips as

her brow wrinkled. “And at the same time, how compromised is my perspective because of how I feel about her?” He shook his head in frustration. He cared. He wanted what was best for her and he no longer

had any idea what that actually was.

Dillon stood, grabbed more dishes and walked to the kitchen. When

Molly joined him at the sink as he rinsed dishes, she started taking them

from him to load into the dishwasher. They were silent as they worked

and once they’d finished she squeezed his shoulder before walking out of

the kitchen and leaving him staring out the kitchen window.

* * * * *

When Stephens called him at eight-thirty the next night, he and Seth

were watching TV. “Your girl’s house was broken into tonight. Just got

the call.”

Dillon sat bolt upright as Seth’s eyes flashed to his. “Is she okay?” His

heart was pounding loudly and he caught his hand on his chest as though he could still the racing speed.

“She’s fine. She’s with the patrol officer right now and they’re

securing the scene. You coming?”

“I’m on my way. Forensics has been notified?”

“Duh.” And then Stephens hung up on him.

“Do you mind staying at Aunt Molly’s?” He didn’t even need to ask.

They were used to this routine and Seth never minded. He was as

comfortable there as he was here and though that left Dillon with his moments of guilt—not to mention jealousy—he’d feel a whole lot worse

if Seth didn’t have such a great second home to go to.

He called Molly quickly before leaving and his worry took his mind

to places he really didn’t want to go on the drive to Katrina’s place. He

saw her leaning up against the squad car as he pulled to the curb. She was talking to Officer Anderson and she nodded subtly at something he

said. She smiled at him appreciatively and his heart raced for a moment.

It was an odd sense of jealousy that hit him. Anderson was young, he

was handsome and the way he watched her wasn’t completely innocent.

It also wasn’t lascivious. He meant her no harm but he was attracted to

her if nothing else and though he was being professional, Dillon could

see it clearly.

The moment Dillon stepped from his car and she caught sight of him,

she inhaled a deep breath and moved as though she was going to come

to him. But then something stopped her and she dropped her eyes to the

ground and her body stilled. He wanted to rush to her, pull her into his

arms and quiet the slight tremble that was running through her body.

It took considerable willpower to keep his gait calm and slow as he approached them and once he was there he struggled just as much to greet her casually. Her eyes flashed to his as he said hello and the hurt in her expression reached out and slapped him across the face. In all his worry and fear for her safety he’d completely forgotten what an ass he’d

been in the school parking lot the day before. She very obviously hadn’t.

“Officer Anderson, can you give Ms. Page and me a moment?” He

didn’t bother looking at the man and kept his eyes trained on hers. Once

the man was out of earshot he opened his mouth. “How are you?”

Her eyes flashed to his quickly and the hurt was replaced by anger.

“So you’re acknowledging me today? I wonder, Detective, what it is I did

today to earn your attention.” Bitterness was dripping from her tone. She

was more than angry.

“I’m sorry. I have no excuse for my behavior yesterday.”

“Yes you do. It’s just not an excuse you’re willing to say out loud.”

Fuck, she was pissed and more than that, she was dead-on.

He inhaled slowly and let it out just as slow. He deserved her anger

and though it left him defensive, he was going to give this one to her. But

she needed to stow it fast. He had a job to do and her anger could wait

until later. “Like I said I’m sorry but this isn’t the time. I need to know

what happened.”

“Yeah? Well, Stephens already knows what happened so I suggest

you talk to him.” She wasn’t stowing it at all.

“I’m talking to you. I want answers and I want to hear them from you.” And then he leaned toward her, speaking through gritted teeth.

“Be angry with me later. Not now.” Her jaw clenched but her emotions

got the better of her. He watched as tears welled on her lower eyelids.

Her tears were perfectly and beautifully restrained and he swallowed painfully over a lump in his throat.

“I let class out early, got home and the side door wasn’t latched. It wasn’t open but it was pushed slightly in. The floodlight didn’t come on

either. I panicked and I ran down to the patrol car.”

“So you didn’t enter?” She shook her head. “And did you touch the

door, the door handle, anything?” She shook her head again.

Stephens was walking casually down the driveway to meet them but

Katrina’s back was to him. “Can I go in and make sure Kitty is okay?”

Stephens shook his head as he heard her words and he watched Dillon closely.

“I’ll check on Kitty.” He said it to make her feel better but he wasn’t at

all sure what to make of Stephens’ response. Was the cat dead or was he

implying something about the crime scene?

When she finally noticed Stephens as he stepped up beside her, she turned to him. “Did you see my cat?”

“I didn’t but we’ll check on her.” His voice gave nothing away.

“Well, can’t I just go in and check? I won’t touch anything.”

“Sorry. Forensics is in there and there’s evidence we need to

preserve.”

“What evidence?” Katrina’s question was met with silence. Stephens

took a deep breath and looked away. Dillon’s head cocked to the side and his eyes narrowed as he studied Stephens’ expression. There was entirely too much going unsaid at the moment and he didn’t like it.

“Do you have somewhere you can stay tonight?” Dillon broke the

silence.

“Yeah, Imogen should be here any minute.” Dillon was itching to get

inside her house but he wasn’t quite ready to leave her alone yet. They

stood by awkwardly for a few minutes until Imogen finally pulled up.

When she looked up to him, her expression had softened. “Please check

on Kitty?”

He nodded but said nothing else. He didn’t even know if the poor old

bat was still alive and given he couldn’t outright ask Stephens who was

still standing by silently, all he could do was agree.

He and Stephens walked toward the house together and it wasn’t

until they were getting ready to enter the side door that Stephens stopped him. “There’s gonna be questions on this one.”

He said nothing else to Dillon before he walked through the door.

Dillon followed and the moment his eyes lit on the kitchen counter he sucked in a quick breath. The crime scene technician who was studying

the countertop peered nervously up to Dillon the moment he saw him.

Dillon swallowed, forcing the lump in his throat down and then he stared until he couldn’t get the images out of his mind.

“I want eight-by-ten copies of all of these by tomorrow afternoon.”

The tech looked at him wearily but nodded. Dillon finally made it out of

the kitchen and followed Stephens back to her bedroom. He froze in the

doorway, refusing to go any farther.

Stephens was standing beside her bed looking down but when his

eyes moved back up to Dillon’s, he shook his head. “Like I said, questions. I can’t I say I don’t have some myself.”

Fuck. How was he going to have this conversation with her?

Chapter Thirteen

 

“What did they find?”

“I don’t know, Imogen. That’s what I’m saying. Detective Stephens

said there was evidence to collect but he didn’t say anything else. I don’t

even know if Kitty is okay.”

She was calming her nerves with a rather large glass of wine as they

sat on Imogen’s back deck. Imogen’s property was on the lake, along with a multitude of others but it was still secluded. It was buried in trees and they surrounded the deck, closing out the rest of the world. There was little backyard and it was a rocky steep incline down to the water below. There was no place Katrina felt safer at the moment.

When her phone started vibrating on the arm of the lounger she was

sitting in, she snatched it up, seeing Dillon’s number. “Hello.” She sounded desperate.

“Kitty’s fine. She was hiding under the spare room bed. Forensics is

still here and I’ll stay until they leave to make sure everything’s locked up. I’ll leave some food and water for Kitty. I found a spare motion bulb

the technician left and I’m replacing it before I leave too. The lightbulb was broken out at some point. I’m guessing he slipped by during the day

and broke it. We have a patrol car drive by your house twice an hour during the day when you’re not at home but that leaves it uncovered for

much of the time. Can’t be sure when he broke in but I’m guessing it was

when you were in class or earlier in the afternoon.”

“What did you find? I mean, evidence. Detective Stephens said there

was evidence.”

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” His voice was awkward, strained

perhaps. He was hiding something and there was no guessing what it could be. “I’ll leave enough food and water out for Kitty for a couple days. I want