Jaded (Jaded #1)(38)

It seemed forever, but the alarm was silenced and the female officer returned.

“My name is Officer Patterson. You can call me Sheila, if you’d like.”

I nodded and sunk onto one of the patio loungers.

She stood above me. “Can you tell me what happened?”

I told her most of it. I left out the details about my mother, but I told them I had trashed most of my parent’s belongings in the office and bedroom.

Sheila gave me a questioning look and raised an eyebrow. “You trashed your parent’s belongings?”

“Just the important ones. I’m…they’re getting a divorce and they told me over a voice message,” I said numbly.

Sheila nodded like it made perfect sense. “We’ll need you to do an inventory of what you damaged and cross-reference it with forensics to see if the burglars took anything or damaged anything further.”

I nodded. Whatever.

“Do you have someone you’d like to call? We’ll need you to come down to the station for an official report.”

“Can I go in and get my cell phone?”

“Officer Milon will escort you inside, Miss Jeneve.” Sheila nodded and stepped off the patio just as two more police cruisers pulled into the driveway.

As we walked around the kitchen and down the back hallway, I shivered as I passed my hiding spot. I knew that guy, whoever he had been, had seen me.

Once I got my phone, I was led back outside and into the front seat of Officer Sheila’s car. That’s when I called Corrigan’s number first.

It rang and rang so I left a message.

I called Bryce next and he answered after the second ring.

“Sheldon?” he asked, tiredly. I heard him yawn and could envision him sitting up against his headboard.

“My house was broken into tonight.”

“What?” He was wide awake now.

“Can you—can you meet me at the police station? I have to go there for a report.”

“Yeah, yeah. Of course.” I could hear him already dressing. “Are you okay?”

“Just come down, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah. Sheldon—”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said sincerely and it nearly broke me right then and there.

Hoarse, I murmured a thank you and hung up.

The police station looked different arriving as a victim rather than to post bail for a friend. It looked scary, threatening, and I had to blink back tears for the fourth time as Sheila parked her police cruiser.

She had me sit beside a desk and had left to get me a cup of coffee when Bryce walked through the door in sport pants and a hooded sweatshirt.

It was amazing really. I shouldn’t have noticed, but immediately some of the cops turned a watchful eye on him. It was something about him—he exuded a silent demand about himself. It made sense that cops would instantly tune into that demand and be alert.

He ignored them and found me with his eyes.

Giving me a tender smile, Bryce nodded to me when one of the officers questioned him. The cop let him through and Bryce was beside me in a flash. He lifted me up and I was hugging onto him for dear life. I hadn’t realized that I had wrapped my legs around his waist until Sheila coughed discreetly behind us.

“Let go, Sheldon,” Bryce murmured in my ear and I unwound my legs.

Sheila gave us both a small smile and indicated a chair beside another desk for Bryce to grab. He did and he sat beside me, leaning in his chair, looking relaxed and a little bored.

As I gave my official report, I saw that Sheila frowned a few times in Bryce’s direction, but she never made a comment. Bryce was either worshiped or disliked. He wasn’t a bad guy, he just came off as one to people.

We stayed at the station for an hour. Bryce had looked at me strangely when

Sheila had asked me to list the items that I had damaged. They wanted to know where I had placed the computer’s hard-drive, when my last communication had been with my parents, when my mother was returning home, and etc.

Sheila asked if I had a place to stay. They’d want to get back into the house the next day.

Bryce spoke for the first time, “She’ll stay at my place.”

“What?” I asked. “With your mom there?”

He shrugged and seemed to settle back in his chair.

“Alright.” Sheila gave Bryce another perusal, but only said, “We’ll contact you if we think of any more questions.”

Bryce stood and waited for me. He followed behind with a hand in the small of my back as we made our way into the waiting area. Just as we turned the corner, I glanced over my shoulder and saw Sheila frowning. Her eyes locked and held with mine.

I contained a shiver from the dark concern in those eyes.

Just as we pushed through the doors, we watched as Corrigan drove past us and slammed on his brakes. He was out of the car in a flash and left his door hanging open to rush over to us.

“Are you okay?” he asked, panicked, as he swept me in his arms much the same as Bryce had. My legs didn’t wind around his waist, but I hugged him tightly. He squeezed once more and as he sat me down on my feet, he ran a hand over my hair. “I got your message. I was so…”

“I’m fine. Really,” I said with a gracious smile. I was getting there.