Page 2 of Wicked Promises
“That is the opposite of what I want,” I snap. “You’ve been stalking us—haven’t you been paying any attention?”
Eli’s mom walks into the kitchen. “Caleb, hang up the phone.”
I want to keep arguing with the sicko on the other end of the line, but there’s something in her expression… something bad. I lower the phone, my body stilling. Pressing the redendbutton is easy. Automatic. I’m glad, as soon as the call is cut off, to be free of it.
But what has Norah Black spooked?
“The police are here,” she says to me in a low voice. “They wanted to talk to you.”
Anything you say will be held against you.
Somehow, this—thispersonknew the police were on their way to the Blacks’ house. Taunted me with it before I realized. Are they outside right now? Watching the house?
“Who was on the phone?” Eli’s mom questions. “Your uncle?”
I shake my head, suppressing the bad feeling rising in my throat. “No one important.”
“I’ve called Josh. Eli is holding him off in the front room.” She tips her head. “Don’t admit to anything.”
Josh is Eli’s father and a very skilled defense attorney. It would make sense to have him around for a conversation with the police. He often told us that innocent people think they don’t need an attorney—and that lands them in hot water more often than not.
“Did they say why they need to speak with me?”
If something happened with my uncle…
My chest tightens.
Worry flits across her face, but it’s gone before I can latch on to it.
“They didn’t say.” She smooths my shirt and straightens the collar. She’s been more my parent than my family ever was. Taking a deep breath, she turns and leads me into the sitting room.
Eli leans against the doorframe that separates the front room from the foyer. The only other person in the room is an older man. He’s big and wide, a black leather jacket stretched across his shoulders. Bald. He faces the window, but his body is angled toward Eli.
At our entrance, he twists to face us. His eyes are light blue and piercing. His eyebrows are dark, set on a heavy brow bone. He doesn’t smile or react in any other way.
This isn’t a pleasant visit, then.
And he’s certainly no patrol cop. No uniform in sight, just a badge at his hip.
“Caleb, this is Detective Masters.” Norah gestures for us to sit. “Since Caleb is still a minor, I’m going to stay. Although I would prefer if we waited until my husband was home.”
“I just have a few questions for Mr. Asher, and then I’ll be out of your hair.” His voice rasps. “We can wait if you’d like.”
I lift one shoulder. “It doesn’t matter to me.”
Norah lets out a breath, then nods.
I take a seat. Eli stays where he is, visible out of the corner of my eye.
The detective takes the seat across from me. “Have you been home all day?”
My eyebrow jumps. He’s wasting no time. And it isn’t every day the police come asking for an alibi.
“I dropped my girlfriend off at home this morning and came back here.”
“Been here all day,” Eli confirms.
Masters glances at him. He consults a notepad, then refocuses on me. “Girlfriend is Margo Wolfe?”