Fidelity (Infidelity #5)

“Can I… will I… get in trouble?”

One semester of law school hardly made me the best one to give advice. “I think you should talk to a real attorney before you say much more.” I looked her in her hazel eyes. “I’m so sorry you’re messed up in this.”

“I know he’s capable…” Her voice was low, barely a whisper.

Letting go of her hand, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

“I-I,” she began, her voice cracking. “I-I just want to leave.”

“Neither one of you is going back.”

Both of our faces—Chelsea’s and mine—popped up as the two of us stared toward the front seat. Clayton’s gaze met mine in the rearview mirror.

“Is that why you haven’t turned off the car?” I asked.

“Ma’am, I have my orders.”

For a moment I wondered who’d given Clayton his orders, and then, I didn’t care. In the last two hours Nox and his team had done everything I’d needed. My momma was stable, though I didn’t know what had happened. She was out of Magnolia Woods and in New York with a doctor and Oren Demetri—another connection that was still a mystery. Chelsea and I were away from Bryce and hopefully on our way to New York.

Outside the vehicle, Deloris was now beside Nox and Isaac as two officers continued to speak with them. There was a third man standing back from the discussion. By his lanyard I believed he too was with the police. He was the only one not in uniform. Every now and then, the officer who seemed to be doing most of the talking would point toward our car.

My breathing hitched as that same officer walked beside Nox and came closer to the SUV. Pushing a button, Clayton lowered the front-seat passenger’s window.

“Alex and Chelsea,” Nox said, coming close to the open window. “This officer needs to speak with you.”

My heart beat faster as I deciphered his unspoken meaning. He’d called me Alex. That meant the policemen knew who I was. I nodded toward Chelsea. “Remember what I said.”

The door opened and we stepped outside. My party dress was little covering for the cooled night breeze. Immediately I wrapped my arms around myself as goose bumps prickled my skin.

“Mrs. Spencer?” the officer asked.

“No, Officer, I’m Miss Collins, Alexandria Collins.”

Under the tall tarmac lights, he eyed me up and down. “You appear to be dressed for a wedding.”

“For a party, actually.” My teeth chattered. “I was told you wanted to speak to me. I’m assuming it wasn’t about my attire.”

“No, ma’am. We need to speak to you about your husband.”

“Officer, I’m not married.”

“She’s not—”

“Ma’am,” the officer interrupted both of us as Nox and I spoke simultaneously. “He’s very upset, demanding that you…” He turned toward Chelsea. “…both of you come to the police station.”

It was then that he took a step back and scanned Chelsea. “Ma’am, are you Miss Chelsea Moore?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to you? Did someone harm you?”

“Do you have the authority to stop these two women from leaving Savannah?” Deloris asked.

“Not at this time, but the court can demand they return. Wouldn’t it be easier to stay?”

It would, but I didn’t want to. I turned to Nox. “I want to leave. If I have to come back, I’ll come back.”

“Mrs. Spencer,” the officer said, “we’ll need your contact information.”

I wasn’t willing to argue my name any longer, but unfortunately, I didn’t know my own contact information. I wasn’t sure where we were going and the only phone in my handbag was the one Alton gave me. I didn’t know the number. I turned toward Deloris. “Can you please provide him a way to reach both of us?”

Deloris nodded.

He spoke again. “It wouldn’t take long, if you would reconsider. Your husband has been very insistent.”

“Officer, for the last time, I didn’t marry Edward Spencer. Besides, the last I heard, the last I witnessed, he was being arrested. How can he possibly be making demands of the Savannah-Chatham police?”

“It’s that there is press. Your father—”

I stood taller. “Officer…” I looked to the pin above his badge. “…Michaels, the man you’re referring to is my stepfather, not my father. I’m not married and even if I were, I’m an adult and capable of deciding where I will and won’t go. Right now, since you obviously don’t have the legal ability to retain me, I plan to accompany my friends onto that plane.” I motioned toward the waiting craft. “I appreciate your position, but I am leaving Savannah of my own free will and will voluntarily return when I must.”

Nox moved behind me. “If there isn’t anything else…”

“We’re paying the pilots, and this discussion is costing us by the minute,” Deloris added.

Nox’s hand settled in the small of my back as he led me toward the plane’s steps.

It was as my thin heel touched the second stair that the gentleman with the lanyard who’d stayed back came forward. “Mr. Demetri?”

We both stilled.