Page 31 of Devil's Thirst
My cheeks flush with heat. “That’s very kind of you to say.”
“It’s the truth. Though, I’ll admit I had more than one reason to ask for this visit today.” He shifts forward, resting his arms on the desk and leaning toward me as though preparing to say something confidential.
A whirlpool of nerves swirls in my stomach. Is he about to hit on me? Was Isaac right about ulterior motives? Or maybe Malone looked into my past. Could The Society have gotten to him?
A frenzy of questions buzzes through my head as I try not to let my smile falter.
“Oh, and what would that be?”
“I looked up your neighbor on the Department of Finance’s property assessments website last night. You said his name was Isaac, but are you aware that apartment is owned by a Mr. Gentry Sorrell, who has been claiming that address as his homestead for the past four years?”
“Sort of. Mr. Sorrell used to live there, but he sold it to Isaac, who moved in last week.”
He does a slow nod as if in understanding, but his eyes narrow in a contradicting gesture. “I’m afraid I didn’t get Isaac’s last name while I was there.”
Why is he so fixated on Isaac? When we stepped into the hallway before the officers left last night, Malone asked whether I felt safe around Isaac. I could tell he was suspicious and did my best to reassure him that my neighbor wasn’t a threat. Apparently, I wasn’t convincing enough.
“I actually don’t know his last name,” I admit.
“He sure acted like he knew you well. How is it you don’t know his full name?”
“Like I said, he’s only lived there a week. We’ve only spoken a few times.”
“So you don’t actually know him at all. Generally, home invasions are often perpetrated by people known to the homeowner. Is there any chance he could be behind it?”
I can’t suppress a frustrated sigh. This whole thing would be so much easier if I could simply explain about my stalker and how Isaac punched the guy, which would make it awfully hard for them to be one and the same. But that would force me to tell Officer Malone more than I’m comfortable sharing. If The Society wasn’t already watching my every move, they certainly would be after a report is filed about me being followed. Reporting a random break-in is one thing. I’m not pushing my luck by making an even bigger deal out of it.
“I totally get why you’d be worried about that, but I promise you, Isaac didnotbreak into my place.” This time, I can speak with absolute sincerity, and he must hear the conviction in my tone because he visibly relaxes.
“Alright, then. I just have one other matter I’d like to ask about. You rent your apartment?”
Not what I’m expecting, I stare dumbly for a second before answering. “Ah, no. It’s not a rental.”
His lips tug down into a frown. “You don’t own the place either, though, do you?”
“No, I believe it’s in the name of my brother-in-law.”
“Oran Byrne’s your brother-in-law?” he asks warily.
Every hair on the back of my neck stands on end.
“Yes, he’s married to my sister, Lina.”
Mark that in the books as a win for paranoia.
Here, I’d scolded myself for being skeptical about the intentions of a genuinely nice guy when he had ulterior motives the whole time. In the span of a few minutes, a friendly visit shifted into an interrogation. I’m suddenly intensely aware that we’re not in a private office, allowing our conversation to be overheard by anyone passing by.
Again, Officer Malone leans forward, this time speaking in a whisper. “You know what that Byrne family is into?”
My spine stiffens as every protective instinct I have goes on high alert. “What I know is that I love my sister, and if you have concerns about her husband, you should talk to him directly. Now, if we’ve covered everything, I need to get going.” I stand and nod, not waiting for his dismissal before making my exit.
I don’t mean to make a scene, but my claws come out where Lina’s concerned. I power through the station entrance with enough adrenaline in my veins to get me through a marathon. I’m so hyped up, in fact, that I don’t notice I have company until a hand takes hold of my arm.
“What the—?” I yank free and honest-to-God put my hands up like I’m going to karate chop whoever touched me.
“Amelie, it’s me,” Isaac says smoothly. “No need to pull out the big guns.”
My wide eyes drop from his smirking smile to my Kung Fu hands. I instantly drop them to my sides and scowl at him. “Jerk, you scared the crap out of me.”