the cabinet. The struggle on whether to answer his question, or not, flashed across her expressive face like a neon light.
She reached back and gathered her wild locks, taming them into a ponytail holder as she studied him. Without the mountain of hair falling around her face, he was able to admire her flawless complexion and soft lines of her neck. She looked sweet and delectable, and he wanted to taste her.
Stacey sighed and returned, taking the seat across from him again.
J.D. shifted uncomfortably as his body came alive for this tiny little redhead. “Stacey. Would you please tell me what you know about Scott Beebe?”
She met his gaze. “Scott beat her.”
He grimaced, although he’d half-expected the answer. “How do you know that? Did you ever see him hit her?”
“No. I didn’t really get to know Angela until after Scott’s death. I mean, we both attended the same health club, but it wasn’t until after his murder that we became friends.”
“What did she tell you?”
“Angela told me it was his way to control her. She’d tried to leave him a couple times, but he always managed to find her and force her back.” Her eyes met his, and fury radiated from them. “He would punish her for running.”
So, she’d tried to leave him. Was that what she was hiding? But why? “What kind of punishment?”
Stacey shook her head. “I don’t know. Angela would never tell me.”
“Do you know why she never went to the police?”
“No. She just said she couldn’t. If I pushed her on it, she would become upset and wouldn’t speak to me for days. When she threatened to quit working at my boutique, I stopped asking. I didn’t want to lose her friendship.”
“Did you ever meet Scott?”
“No.”
“Is there anything else you can remember that might help understand who’d want to hurt her?”
“No. I’m sorry, that’s all I know.”
“Okay.” J.D. stood to leave. “Thank you for your cooperation, Stacey.” He smiled at her, liking the soft blush that rose to her cheeks.
Stacey peered up at him from under her lashes. Her wide eyes were a mesmerizing light shade of golden copper and a window to her feelings. Her worry and fear shone from them as brilliant as an exploding star. “Where’s Angela now? Can I see her?” Her lips pursed.
J.D. had the urge to gather her in his arms and comfort her.
What the hell?
With difficulty, he steeled himself against the emotion. “We’ve moved her to a safe location until after the trial.”
“I’d like to see her.”
J.D. shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Why not?”
He didn’t have a good answer for that and he still wanted to remove the anxious expression from her face.
Why not? What could it hurt?
“I’ll see what I can do.”
She smiled, her face hopeful. “Thank you, Officer.”
“You can call me J.D.” He gave her a smile, fully intending to contact her when he wasn’t on duty, to ask her out.
“Okay, J.D.,” she said with a blush that matched the red of her hair.
A surge of hope shot through him. Maybe he actually had a shot with her if he played his cards right.
Jake bit back a curse. Show her that he owned her.
The words echoed in his mind. He gently turned her around so she faced him, scanning the length of her. She was a lot of woman. Tall, lean, and healthy. No fragile flower, he couldn’t imagine her being easily subdued. His teeth gritted. Scott Beebe had been a big man and could have hurt her in any number of ways.
Sonofabitch .
“What did he do?” His voice came out in a low, angry tone.
Angela shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
When she tried to step away, his grip tightened. She winced.
Shit!
Jake dropped his arms and raked his fingers through his hair, unable to think through his fury at the implication of her words. He felt like a total ass when she reached up to rub where his hands had been. Her large green eyes watched him warily.
Self-loathing filled him.
She reached back and gathered her wild locks, taming them into a ponytail holder as she studied him. Without the mountain of hair falling around her face, he was able to admire her flawless complexion and soft lines of her neck. She looked sweet and delectable, and he wanted to taste her.
Stacey sighed and returned, taking the seat across from him again.
J.D. shifted uncomfortably as his body came alive for this tiny little redhead. “Stacey. Would you please tell me what you know about Scott Beebe?”
She met his gaze. “Scott beat her.”
He grimaced, although he’d half-expected the answer. “How do you know that? Did you ever see him hit her?”
“No. I didn’t really get to know Angela until after Scott’s death. I mean, we both attended the same health club, but it wasn’t until after his murder that we became friends.”
“What did she tell you?”
“Angela told me it was his way to control her. She’d tried to leave him a couple times, but he always managed to find her and force her back.” Her eyes met his, and fury radiated from them. “He would punish her for running.”
So, she’d tried to leave him. Was that what she was hiding? But why? “What kind of punishment?”
Stacey shook her head. “I don’t know. Angela would never tell me.”
“Do you know why she never went to the police?”
“No. She just said she couldn’t. If I pushed her on it, she would become upset and wouldn’t speak to me for days. When she threatened to quit working at my boutique, I stopped asking. I didn’t want to lose her friendship.”
“Did you ever meet Scott?”
“No.”
“Is there anything else you can remember that might help understand who’d want to hurt her?”
“No. I’m sorry, that’s all I know.”
“Okay.” J.D. stood to leave. “Thank you for your cooperation, Stacey.” He smiled at her, liking the soft blush that rose to her cheeks.
Stacey peered up at him from under her lashes. Her wide eyes were a mesmerizing light shade of golden copper and a window to her feelings. Her worry and fear shone from them as brilliant as an exploding star. “Where’s Angela now? Can I see her?” Her lips pursed.
J.D. had the urge to gather her in his arms and comfort her.
What the hell?
With difficulty, he steeled himself against the emotion. “We’ve moved her to a safe location until after the trial.”
“I’d like to see her.”
J.D. shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Why not?”
He didn’t have a good answer for that and he still wanted to remove the anxious expression from her face.
Why not? What could it hurt?
“I’ll see what I can do.”
She smiled, her face hopeful. “Thank you, Officer.”
“You can call me J.D.” He gave her a smile, fully intending to contact her when he wasn’t on duty, to ask her out.
“Okay, J.D.,” she said with a blush that matched the red of her hair.
A surge of hope shot through him. Maybe he actually had a shot with her if he played his cards right.
Jake bit back a curse. Show her that he owned her.
The words echoed in his mind. He gently turned her around so she faced him, scanning the length of her. She was a lot of woman. Tall, lean, and healthy. No fragile flower, he couldn’t imagine her being easily subdued. His teeth gritted. Scott Beebe had been a big man and could have hurt her in any number of ways.
Sonofabitch .
“What did he do?” His voice came out in a low, angry tone.
Angela shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
When she tried to step away, his grip tightened. She winced.
Shit!
Jake dropped his arms and raked his fingers through his hair, unable to think through his fury at the implication of her words. He felt like a total ass when she reached up to rub where his hands had been. Her large green eyes watched him warily.
Self-loathing filled him.
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