Page 3 of The Veteran

My stomach hardened. “About my height, long brown hair and brown eyes.”

Her expression didn’t waver, and I got the feeling she’d been expecting that answer.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Is she inside? Is she hurt?”

Why hadn’t I gone throughout the house to make sure poor Jessica hadn’t been injured? Or had something else happened? Was Jessica responsible for the damage?

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you more until my boss arrives,” the officer replied.

I felt a pang of certainty that this was more than a simple break-in. Surely they wouldn’t need to summon higher ranking officers for anything so trivial. My stomach churned and I was glad I’d missed lunch because at least it meant I was unlikely to throw up.

A dark sedan pulled up alongside us and several people spilled from it. My brows furrowed, then relaxed as Willow’s familiar blonde head appeared. She shut the passenger door and raced over, pulling me into a tight embrace. My eyes prickled and threatened to spill over.

“Thank you for coming,” I said, my voice thick.

“Of course I came.” She rocked me softly before stepping back. “Ronan and Kade are here too. Kade was at our place when you called.”

I nodded, too stressed to feel the usual flutters Kade’s name would cause. He and Willow’s fiancé, Ronan, were two of the three directors of a security company, and I knew they’d help me get to the bottom of whatever was going on. Ronan doted on Willow and would crush anyone who hurt her. As her best friend, I was within the circle of his protection. And Kade… well, he was something else entirely.

I glanced at the two men who were hovering behind Willow. My gaze skimmed over Ronan, drawn as always to his giant business partner. Kade Campbell stood several inches over six feet and was twice as broad as many men—although not Ronan, who was large in his own right. Kade’s massive arms were crossed over a burly chest, his biceps bulging. A wave of comfort washed over me. While Kade and I disagreed on many things, something about his solid presence grounded me.

“Come here,” he said, opening his arms. I stepped into them and laid my head on his shoulder. “I’ve got you.” I melted into his embrace and let him support me for a few seconds. When I straightened and moved gently away, his dark eyes searched my face. “You’re not hurt?”

“No.”

Was that relief I saw in his eyes?

I forced myself to pay attention to the others and noticed Ronan quizzing the policewoman, who looked uncomfortable. Her expression eased as another police vehicle arrived and a tall, slim woman stepped out. She studied us all for a moment, her face blank. Recognition flashed through me. This was the same detective who’d helped with Willow’s problem. I dug through my memories and found her name. Joanna Lee.

“Ronan,” Detective Lee said with a nod to him. “I didn’t realize you were involved.”

Ronan held out a hand and she shook it. “Sage is a friend of Willow’s. King’s Security isn’t officially involved. At least, not yet.”

I frowned. Not yet. What did he mean by that?

“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait out here until I’ve been briefed.” She shifted her focus to the policewoman. “Let’s go inside and you can fill me in.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

They headed into the house. I watched them go, a shiver running through me. Only the presence of the others prevented me from panicking.

“Tell me exactly what you saw when you got home,” Ronan said, training his intense eyes on me.

I told him everything. By the time I’d finished, Detective Lee was re-emerging from the house, her expression carefully schooled. She walked over to us and stopped a few feet away.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, Miss Nichols, but it seems your roommate has been murdered.”

KADE

The hair on the back of my neck lifted, and I had the sudden urge to grab Sage and protect her from the ugly words Joanna had uttered. I could tell Sage was shaken, even though she was clinging to her usual serene facade. Her mouth was trembling and her eyes were a little too shiny—they gave her away. I placed my palm on her lower back, hoping she might draw comfort from the touch.

“She’s dead?” Sage asked softly.

Joanna nodded. “I’m afraid so. In the bathroom. We’ll have to wait for the coroner to determine the cause and manner of death but I highly doubt it will be anything other than murder.”

Sage’s eyes widened, and she curled in on herself. I wrapped my arm around her waist. “How long ago? Could I have helped her?”

Joanna hesitated. “Again, the coroner will be able to say for sure, but I’d estimate she’s been dead for several hours.”