Munoz added, “We do, actually, have video footage. We have a BOLO out, and we have units canvassing the area. We’re looking. We’re doing our jobs. We also have audio of the incident from another phone, but we couldn’t quite make out what the man said. It looked like he asked you a question. What did he ask you?”
I closed my eyes. This was going to start a whole different search once they knew, but they needed to know. I wanted them to find this guy. I’m not like the rest of my family. Maybe I was idealistic—or unrealistic, as Tanner might say—but due process and all.
No.
Fuck that.
Fuck the justice system.
Fuck everything.
I weighed it in my head… If they actually found this guy? I didn’t want that justice.
I wanted different justice, my family’s way of justice.
So I shook my head. “I couldn’t make out what he asked me.”
The two shared a look. “The video clearly shows that he asked you a question. You answered. Then he turned and shot your fiancée. What did you say, if you didn’t hear his question?”
I shrugged. “I don’t remember.”
Footsteps sounded from the hallway, along with loud voices.
It was distinct enough, stopping right outside the door, and both detectives stopped talking to me. The male detective was rising out of his chair when the door opened.
An officer leaned in, his hand on the handle, and motioned to the detectives. “Out here. A word.”
They shared a look, gave me a look, and as one, left the room.
I heard more voices, the sounds of arguing, and suddenly the door opened again.
A woman in a business suit came in briskly, holding a briefcase. Another guy followed, and behind them, I saw my brother Tanner in the hallway. A police officer had stopped him there.
So the lawyers had waited for him.
He looked over their heads, meeting my gaze, and his eyebrows went up.
He was asking if I was okay, but just like that, a wave of grief lodged in my throat. I could barely shake my head because now that he was here, I was crumbling. I could feel it rising.
Fuck.
Fuck!
I couldn’t lose it. Not yet.
Fuck being masculine. Fuck anyone, society, everyone.
She was gone.
Because of me.
Tanner saw all this in one look, and his eyes burned. The storm was coming, in the way only Tanner could make shit happen.
I closed my eyes, my head folding down as I heard him start.
“Let me see my brother. Right. Fucking. Now!”
“Who are you? Who is this guy? How’d they get back here?” another voice demanded.
“I’m Tanner Bennett, and that’s my brother.”
There was a moment of silence, but then I felt his presence. He must’ve shoved his way into the room. The business suit lady stood on my other side.
“Mr. Bennett, it’s best if your brother does cooperate in some way with the detectives,” she said, her voice low.
Tanner touched my shoulder. “No.” His voice was gruff. “It’s not. This can be scheduled for tomorrow. Right now, my brother needs his family. He’s grieving.”
“Mr. Bennett?” It was Detective Munoz. “You’re his family?”
“Yeah.” Tanner’s tone was sarcastic, and he tugged on my chair.
I opened my eyes, not seeing anyone, but I stood.
I knew why they were confused, but Jesus. We were past that shit.
Tanner was white. I wasn’t totally white.
Tanner’s voice was clipped as he explained, “If you need a whole family tree, suffice it to say that a few of us kids have different dads, and the guy who raised us was a piece of shit and didn’t let us talk about who our real daddies were growing up. And that’s all you’re getting from us because the only other thing you need to know is that our lawyers are here. You can talk to them, or you can wait, because the big kahuna isn’t far behind me.”
Tanner guided me out the door, where he had a coat for me.
I didn’t understand why I needed a coat, but I took it.
Tanner turned back as we started down the hallway. “And if you need more clarification, the big kahuna is Kai Bennett. Our other brother.”
Everything swirled around me. Faces blended with each other. Voices, too, but then a distinct quiet came over everyone.
Tanner heard it, too. “Nice to know that even all the way down here, you guys have heard about him. All communication will be handled through our lawyers.”
He was right. Even down here in Texas, they knew who Kai was.
They knew he was the head of our family’s business, the Bennett Mafia.
Chapter Four
JONAH
“If there’s cameras out there—and I’m guessing there won’t be, but just in case—put the coat on,” Tanner said softly as we walked toward the front of the police station.
I looked down and there was dried blood all over me. I didn’t realize.
I’d forgotten that I hadn’t wanted to wash her blood off.