The only way I could keep from screaming at the top of my lungs was to stay totally still. Completely self-contained. The second I acted the least bit crazy, any information I had would immediately be dismissed as the hysterical rantings of a madwoman.
So I sat.
And sat.
Andsat.
Even though it damn near killed me.
As for Joey…
Itdidkill him.
“They should’ve listened to you,” Cade said now, calling me back to the present with a jolt. “That night, when you first walked in… they should’ve taken what you had to say more seriously.”
I didn’t have a response to that — mostly because I fully agreed.
“I was there, on the other side of the glass, when they finally pulled you into the interrogation room. Even before that night, I knew Jennings was an incompetent idiot. Third generation BPD, promoted up the chain with the helping hand of nepotism, regardless of the fact he had about three functioning brain cells.”
My lip curled at the mention of the lead detective on the Crawford case. He was a prick of the highest order. I had no doubt he was also the ‘anonymous source close to the investigation’ who’d sold me out to the press.
“I couldn’t believe he thought you were lying. Anyone with eyeballs could see you weren’t fucking around for a laugh.”
“It’s not exactly normal,” I murmured, shrugging. “Most people find what I can do… difficult to accept.”
“Skepticism is healthy. But Jennings was a straight-up asshole to you from minute one. Didn’t listen when you said the perp was a jumpy motherfucker. Didn’t listen when you said the whole place was rigged to blow.” Cade’s face contorted into a look of disgust. “If we’d gone in soft, like you said, we could’ve taken him into custody. That SWAT team would still be alive. And so would Joey Crawford.”
My chin jerked to the side. My eyes bored holes into the cabinets.
He was wrong.
“Imogen.”
I didn’t look at him.
He closed the gap between us in two big strides, not stopping until he was in my space — his body pressed against mine, his heat sinking into me. I had no choice but to tilt my head up.
“It wasn’t your fault,” he told me, voice intent.
I swallowed.
“It wasn’t, beautiful. You did what you could. You tried. That’s all anyone can ever do.” His forehead hit mine, pressing gently. “I won’t ask you to get involved again if you don’t want to. It has to be your decision. But I need you to know, if you do take that chance again… it won’t be like last time. This isn’t Joey. This is Rory. And I’m not that asshole Jennings. I’m not going to hang you out to dry. Neither is Coulter or Aguilar.”
“You can’t promise me that, Cade.”
“I just did.”
“It’s not that simple?—”
“It is. It is that simple.” His face was so close, I felt his exhale against my mouth. “You can trust me, Imogen. I’d never hurt you. You have to know that by now.”
“I do know that,” I whispered.
“Saw you six years ago. Lost you then, but I never forgot you,” he confessed. “A week ago you walked back into my life and I knew I’d do anything I could to keep you from walking out of it again.”
God.
My heart squeezed. My eyes were abruptly full of tears. “Cade?—”