Page 102 of Necessary Evil
“Spoilsport.” He smiled at her, and it hurt. It hurt, damn it. Why couldn’t this have been the perfect relationship she’d always wanted? She’d finally fallen in love, and it was with someone who killed people in the name of justice.
“You want company?”
What she wanted, she couldn’t have. “I need to be alone, I think.” For the rest of my life.
“All right,” Evan said. “Call me later?”
She nodded. Much later. Like never.
But because she was weak, she hugged him and kissed him goodbye one last time. She wanted to remember the soft rasp of his beard on her face, the smell of his citrusy soap, and the sweet taste of his lips. If she could live in this moment forever, she would. Being in his arms put her beyond the ordinary world of pain and lies. She didn’t want it to end, but now she knew it had to. He didn’t let her go, though, when it was over.
“Why don’t you stay with me?”
“I can’t,” she said honestly. She broke away from him and scrubbed her eyes. “I just can’t.”
She walked out of his apartment without looking back. She was going to go home and change first before heading over to meet Bobby. As she opened her door, she paused and looked around the parking lot. She didn’t see Warden. She hoped he wasn’t inside her apartment. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to any of the Sentinels.
Throwing her old clothes in the hamper, Lucy got dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans and a T-shirt. It was a guilty pleasure to slip on her sneakers during the week, and she wiggled her toes appreciatively. She probably should eat something too, but she was afraid of throwing it back up.
She checked her messages. Travis. Delete. Travis. Delete. Albert. Delete. Detective Miles. Save for later. McKinley. Really? That one’s worth a listen.
“Hey, Simmons. I hear your brother’s facing a murder rap. Are you going to put him back on the streets?”
Or not. Delete.
Albert. Get a life.Delete. Travis. This is ridiculous. Delete. Chloe’s mom. Shit. She listened to the message.
“Hello, Attorney Simmons? Chloe was arrested last night. We tried calling you but couldn’t get an answer. Would you please contact me as soon as possible?”
Lucy sighed and called her back.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to take your calls last night. I’ll make sure she’s represented at her arraignment hearing.”
“When will that be?” Chloe’s mother said.
“Probably today. I haven’t been in the office to check.”
“Must be nice,” Chloe’s mother sniffed.
“What was she arrested for?” Lucy asked, ignoring the not-so-subtle implication that she had a cushy job.
“She was set up.”
“For what?”
“She was trying to do her job and a policeman arrested her.”
Lucy rubbed the ache in her temples. “This happened when she was bagging groceries?”
“No, her other job. She gives directions to lost tourists. Sometimes she has to get in their cars and take them there.”
And I thought I had a blind spot.
Opening up her laptop, Lucy logged into her system remotely. “Yeah, your daughter solicited a cop for sex.” The arraignment was for eleven this morning. So much for her comfy clothes.
“No, she did not. She’s put that all behind her. She did her time. Prison scared her straight.”
Just like Bobby.Lucy decided not to tell her that there was a possibility her daughter’s bond would be revoked. “I’ll see what I can do.”