Good choice.“Drop whatever’s in your hands and raise them into the air. Then I want you to stand up very slowly.”
Again, they did exactly as he’d instructed. Feeling hopeful the situation would be handled without incident or injury, Archer kept his gaze locked on the intruder as they kept their hands up and began to stand.
But when they did, a flash of blonde hair caught his eye, and that was when he realized his mistake.
“Cassie?”
She turned slowly, stopping only when she was facing him straight on. Keeping those damn hands high in the air, the woman said nothing. But one look at the expression on her face told Archer everything he needed to know.
Thanks to the shower, her skin had been washed free of makeup, and her hair was still damp. The flawless skin covering her cheeks was flushed, either from the heat of the water or her obvious frustration.
Maybe both.
The black yoga pants and matching crewneck accentuated the shadows still marring the skin beneath her eyes. Her weary gaze was red and a bit puffy, as if she’d recently been crying.
And that, above all else, tore at Archer’s heart with such strength, he could barely stand it.
“Jesus.” dropped his weapon and returned it to its holster. “What the hell are you doing out here?” He frowned. “I thought you were upstairs.”
“I was.” She lowered her hands to her sides and looked down at the mess by her feet. “Then I came out here.”
He followed her gaze, noting the slew of cleaning supplies both inside and out of the box. “Why?”
“Because someone thought it would be a good idea to throw red paint all over my front porch.” Not waiting for his permission, the clearly frustrated woman squatted back down, returning to her previous task.
“And you, what…” He stepped closer. “Thought you were going to go wash it off?”
“I was going to try,” she answered with a stubborn, determined tone. “Only I can’t find the paint thinner, even though I know for afactI had some out here.”
With rough, angry movements, she began slamming the remaining supplies back into the box. She sounded off. Almost infuriated by the fact that she couldn’t find what she’d been searching for.
It’s not about the paint thinner. Everything is finally starting to hit her.
Archer had seen it happen on more than one occasion. With his teammates, both back in their SEAL days and beyond. Within himself…
There was only so much stress a person could endure before they reached their emotional boiling point. From the bristled resonance of her voice to Cassie’s harsh, agitated movements, it was pretty damn clear she’d finally reached hers.
“You don’t need to worry about the front door,” he told her. Having softened his tone, Archer took another, hesitant step closer.
“I can’t leave it looking like that, Archer.” She lifted the box and stood to return it to its spot on the shelf to his right. Struggling only just slightly she managed to slide it back into place with a light, feminine grunt. “It’s bad enough my neighbors already think I’m the murderer they’re apparently intent on helping with their so-called deleted security footage. I still can’t believe they did that.”
Archer studied Cassie with a watchful eye as she began digging through another box.
“They should be charged with obstruction of justice,” she bit out harshly. “Every single one of them. Because that’s what they’re doing, you know? They’ve erased pertinent evidence that could potentially solve this whole thing, but do you think the cops are going to go after them for it? Hell no.” She was rambling now. “And the D.A. isn’t any better. All he cares about is getting re-elected, and what better way to do that than to be the man behind the conviction of The Black Widow Lawyer? I mean…” A humorless laugh filled the tense air. “Why am I even trying, at this point?”
“Because you can’t give up.”
“Why not? Everyone else has.”
“That’s not true.” His booted feet brought him even closer to where she stood. “My team and I haven’t given up. And we won’t.”
“You say that now.” Those hands of hers continued their frantic search. “But as it stands, my trial will happen. Sooner, rather than later, if what Ellie said about it being fast-tracked is true. And since there’s no reason for her to lie?—”
“Cassie.”
“—I’m sure that rumor isn’t a rumor at all.” She kept on as if he hadn’t spoken. “I know the man quite well, and there’s no way he’s going to pass up the chance to win a case as publicized as mine. And I know you and your team have been working non-stop to try to solve this thing, but the truth of the matter is, we may never know the name of the person responsible for all of this.”
“Cassie,” Archer tried—and failed—to gain her attention again.