I answered all of his questions patiently, and stumbled over a not that I can think of in response to the last question. The fact that Trinity was still missing and I wasn’t able to report it to the cops definitely was at the forefront of my mind. It wasn’t a stretch to think it could be related. Or maybe it was just some random crime. I had no idea.
Rhett had asked his colleague to interview me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was avoiding a conflict of interest by not doing it himself. I had to tell him. I had to find my lady balls and woman up, and tell him that nothing was going to happen between us.
But I wasn’t doing it in front of this audience.
A crime scene tech unwrapped the paper from the brick just as my father walked through the front door.
“What the hell happened? Are you okay, baby girl?”
When he rushed toward me, for some reason tears burned in my eyes, and I blinked them away. He was the picture of dad to the rescue.
Ignoring everyone else in the room, he pulled me into a hug and squeezed. “You scared the hell out of me. I haven’t told your mother yet because I want to know what’s going on so I can answer her questions.”
Typical Dad, protecting his ladies from anything he could.
I quickly relayed what I knew, which wasn’t much, and my father looked to Detective Fortier.
“So, what do you think?”
The good detective shook my father’s hand. “We’re just starting our investigation, but have no doubt we’ll figure out what happened. Probably just random vandalism. Someone who got started partying a little too early and found a brick to play with.”
“Sir, I don’t think that’s the case,” the crime scene tech said. She was in her mid to late twenties, and had blondish-brown hair and blue eyes.
Detective Fortier crossed his arms. “What do you mean?”
Rhett joined the powwow and looked at the paper she was carefully holding with her latex-covered fingertips. On the paper was a grainy picture with a red slash through it. I didn’t get a clear view of the image until the crime scene tech held it up in front of me.
“Do you know this girl, ma’am?”
My stomach dropped to the floor. Trinity. Her hair was a ratty mess—not something she’d ever allow on purpose—and she had a forlorn expression on her face.
Oh my God. I needed to call Rix.
“Isn’t that the girl who works here? The one you’ve been mentoring for years now?” my father asked.
Rhett’s sharp green gaze drilled into mine. “The one that was missing but you said was no longer missing.”
All three men and the two crime scene techs looked at me.
In that moment, I had a choice. I could lay it all out for the cops and put Trinity’s safety in their hands, or I could keep my mouth shut and trust that Rix would get her back. Like right now.
My mouth opened and closed again without words coming out. Finally, I said, “I think this has to be some big misunderstanding. I don’t know why someone would do this.”
Detective Fortier studied me carefully. “If there’s something you know or something you’re afraid of, it’s in your best interest to tell us right now, Ms. Noble.”
My father frowned. “Valentina, what’s going on?”
I opened my mouth to lie to all of them, but both Rhett and his partner’s phones started ringing. Sirens filled the air outside, and my father’s phone started ringing as well. And so did the crime scene techs’.
What in the world?
The people on their phones looked at each other, and everyone froze for a moment before asking rapid-fire questions to whoever was on the other end.
From what I could hear, there was a bomb threat called in on all government buildings in the parish. Police stations, city hall, courthouses, and the like.
Suddenly my little broken window was no longer important.
My father turned to me first. “I’ve already got someone on his way to board up the window, and then I want you to get home. It isn’t safe to be out and about right now. I’m going to get your mother. She’ll want you to come to the house, but you decide what you want to do.”
“I’m fine, Dad. Go do what you need to do. I’m sure whoever you sent will be here in a minute. This is no big deal compared to whatever else is going on out there.”
“Okay, baby. Call me if he isn’t here in five minutes.”
I hugged my dad. “Fifteen minutes. It’s going to be a madhouse of traffic out there.”
Sirens wailed from streets all over the Quarter.
My dad nodded and turned to go. “Call me when you get home too.”
“I will.”
The crime scene techs reached for their gear bags and packed up the evidence. Before it was gone, I snapped a picture of the piece of paper that had been wrapped around the brick. You’d better believe Rix was going to be explaining what the hell was going on.
Rhett and Fortier were wrapping up their calls, and I watched them out of the corner of my eye as I reached for my phone to text Rix.
But there was already a text from him.
RIX: I just heard about your window. Sending someone to fix it. Don’t leave until I come for you.
How had he heard?
VALENTINA: Waiting for the repair guy now. My dad sent someone too.
His response was instant.