Untouchable (Private 3)

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It just came out. Sorry. I'm from Bumblefuck, Pennsylvania, remember? Can't be responsible for my sense of decorum while my new boyfriend is being hauled off for murdering my last one.

The detective backed me up and I stared at the folds of his coat. The three of us stood in the center of the hallway as several police officers escorted Josh out the doors and into the cold. A couple more searched the floor with their flashlights, looking for God knows what.

"What were you two doing here, Reed?" the detective asked me.

I looked him dead in the eye, incensed. "You do not get to ask me questions. You told me once that you would keep me informed about the investigation. You promised me," I rambled. "Now I want you to tell me. Why are you arresting Josh? Did you find something? I don't understand."

The detective shook his head and turned away from me. "You need to calm down first."

"No!"

I grabbed the sleeve of his ever-present trench coat. He looked down at my hand, surprised, and shot me a look that said, Do you really want to be doing that? I did not let go.

"Tell. Me."

"Miss Brennan."

They seemed to be the only two words the dean could say.

The detective reached down and gently removed my fingers from his arm. He let my hand go and I crossed my arms over my

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chest, lifting my chin. They had nothing. I knew it. I knew they had nothing.

"We found the murder weapon, Reed," he said quietly.

My jaw clenched. I felt myself start to drift. A defense mechanism.

"What was it?" My voice was full.

"A baseball bat."

I blinked. My vision blurred entirely. A baseball bat. The violence that implied was too much for my brain to handle.

"Josh Hollis's baseball bat. With his fingerprints, and only his fingerprints, all over it."

One fat tear escaped and tumbled down my chin, dropping onto my sleeve.

"I'm sorry, Reed," Detective Hauer said. "You have no idea how sorry."

231

FIND THE PSYCHO

Dean Marcus walked me back to Billings. Noelle, Ariana, and Kiran all stood outside with their coats on, waiting for me. I didn't even feel relieved to see them. I was never going to feel anything ever again.

"We'll talk tomorrow," the dean said from behind me.

Tomorrow I would be going home. That was what he meant. Tomorrow this nightmare would be over and I would be returned to my previous nightmare.

"Reed."

Ariana stepped forward and hugged me. I didn't move. Didn't try to hug her back. She didn't seem to notice. When she pulled away, she gripped my upper arms with both hands and looked me in the eye.

"Are you all right? "