Split(111)

“I love you, and I will see you soon.” My stomach drops and I hope to God I’m telling him the truth.

“Shyann, let’s go!” the deputy yells, and I walk away from Lucas, each foot of distance between us increasing the dread building in my gut.





LUCAS


There are no windows in the cell I’m being held in, so the passing of time is relative and it feels like it’s been days since Shyann left. I’ve counted the bricks on the exterior wall, the number of rivets in the metal dividing walls, and the bars in the door. Multiple times.

After what seems like a lifetime, the door finally opens and I push up to see Sheriff Austin and Gary walk in; their faces are unreadable. I remain silent as they step up to my cell, my pulse pounding in my ears. My eyes widen as he pulls keys from his pocket and unlocks my cell door.

“Mr. Menzano.” Austin’s gaze is dark and set on mine. “Appreciate your patience through all this.” He swings open the door. “Seems we were led astray by false witnesses. You’re free to go.”

The opening is right there but I hesitate to walk out, as if this is all some tease to intensify my punishment. “I don’t understand.”

“Samantha was able to identify one of her—”

“I swear to God . . .” We all turn to the door at the sound of Shy’s voice. “If you try to stop me, I will send your nuts into your body cavity, Tom!”

She storms into the room and Austin’s lips twitch as he nods to a palefaced Tom to go ahead and allow her in.

Her eyes find mine but quickly dart to the open cell door. “What’s going on?” She looks up at Austin. “Where are you taking him?”

He steps back and motions to me. “I was just explaining to Lucas that Samantha positively identified—”

She gasps and covers her mouth.

“Lucas was not the man who attacked her.”

She darts toward me and I have just enough time to brace myself before her body barrels into mine, knocking me back a step. “I knew it! I knew the truth would surface.”

I wrap her up tight in my arms, feeling like it’s been years since I’ve held her. Her soft, warm body melts into mine and she buries her face into my neck, her lips dancing kisses against my jaw and scar. My blood powers through my veins with the need to get her alone, and darkness clouds my vision as Gage pushes for his chance with Shy. Too bad. I nuzzle her neck, breathing in the heady scent of her shampoo and my muscles relax. He’ll have to wait.

The clearing of a throat drags us from our reunion and I release Shy only enough to tuck her under my arm.

Austin grins and jerks his head toward the exit. “If you two have a minute, we can go to my office and I’ll explain.”

Hand in hand, we follow him out of the room of cells and through the station to his office. I take a seat but grab Shy as she moves to sit too far away from me and pull her into my lap. She squeaks and looks at me with wide eyes and a smile. I don’t know what’s come over me, but now that I have her close, it doesn’t feel right if we’re not touching.

Austin sits behind his desk, shuffles around a few papers, and leans back. “Here’s what we know. Samantha Crawford finally woke up late this morning.”

Shy’s back goes straight. “Is she okay?”

“Looks like she’ll make a full recovery physically. Mentally is a different story.” He fixes his eyes on Lucas. “You were set up.”

“Set up?” Shy’s hand fists on her lap. “By who!”

I shift in my seat and run my palm along her thigh until her muscles release some tension.

“The man who attacked her told her his name was Lucas Menzano. Now, I’ve been doing this for long enough to know that most people committing crimes don’t give their full names to their victims. Then we got the anonymous tip. We noticed the tip came from a number associated with pay phones. When we tracked it, we discovered the call was made outside the Quicky Q off I-87. Gary went and got a copy of the video surveillance and the guy who called in the tip didn’t look like a local as he claimed.” His jaw ticks. “Sam shared that it was obvious the man who assaulted her wasn’t comfortable beating a woman. He’d finished what he came to do, and, thinking she’d passed out, he pulled off his mask and gagged or vomited into it. She got a good look at his face and when she described him, well, we thought it sounded familiar.” He leans back, rocking once in his chair. “We showed Sam close-ups from the surveillance film and she positively ID’d her attacker.”

“Oh my God . . .” Shy whispers. “Lucas was set up.”

I stare back and forth between them. “By who?”

Austin’s eyes harden and he practically growls the man’s name.

She gasps and swings a stunned gaze to mine. I watch in fascination as her shock morphs to fury. “Trevor.”

“Trevor Peterson.” Austin repeats it, and only then does it finally sink in.

She shakes her head and her body stiffens again. “He framed you so he could create a story for that stupid LA gig! I can’t believe it!” Her tone is a high-pitched shriek. “That motherf*cker!”

I sink my fingers into Shy’s hair at her nape, hoping to relax her. As annoying as all this has been, Sam’s the real victim here and all I lost was a night of freedom. I’m just glad they found who did it and that he’ll be punished. “What about the other witness? You said there were two?”