Too Late

As if she can read my mind, she says, “I’m sorry about making out with Luke in your house. It was necessary, but will never happen again. Believe me. It’s almost as bad as when I had to kiss this one for show,” she says, pointing at Ryan.

Ryan rolls his eyes. “Tillie, Tillie, Tillie,” he says. “That was over a year ago and you still can’t stop thinking about my tongue in your mouth.”

She nods. “Nightmares are hard to overcome.”

I laugh. I instantly like her. I close the door behind me and point to the bedroom. “He’s in his room,” I tell them both.

Ryan glances toward the room and then back at me. There’s something in his expression that concerns me, but he’s trying to hide it with a forced smile. “You mind if we talk to Luke alone?” he asks.

I cross my arm over my stomach and grab my other arm. I look back and forth between him and Tillie. “Does it have to do with Asa?”

I can see Tillie look briefly in Ryan’s direction, her eyes revealing that Asa is exactly what they intend to talk to Luke about.

“I want to know,” I say to them. “If you don’t let me hear what you’re going to tell him, I’ll eavesdrop at the door.”

Ryan doesn’t laugh. His lips tighten together and he just nods. “Fair enough,” he says.

They both turn to walk into Luke’s bedroom and I’m forced to inhale a calming breath.

This doesn’t look good.

***

Luke

I can see Tillie and Ryan making their way into my bedroom, but my eyes are on Sloan. She’s standing in the living room with her eyes closed, looking like she’s about to be sick.

“What’d you say to her?” I ask Ryan.

Right when I ask him that question, she blows out a rush of air, opens her eyes, stands up straight and walks toward my bedroom.

Ryan shakes his head. “Nothing. She’s insisting on being in here for what I’m about to tell you.”

Sloan is in the bedroom now, leaning against the door, watching as Ryan and Tillie make their way around the room to the couch. The last thing I want is for Sloan to be involved. If I could have my way, she’d never have to hear Asa’s name again. But I know we’ve got a long road ahead of us and a lot of court hearings. Possibly even testimonies on stand. So until Asa is convicted and put away for good, I know I’m not going to be able to protect her from all of it. Instead, I pat the spot beside me on the bed and encourage her to come sit with me.

She does. Once she’s settled next to me and we’re both propped against the headboard, I look at Ryan. “What is it you don’t want to tell me?”

He shakes his head and leans forward, clasping his hands in front of him. “I don’t even know where to start,” he says, his eyes meeting mine. “I met with Young today.”

“And?” I ask.

“It wasn’t good,” Ryan says. “I don’t even know how to sugar coat this, so I’m just going to explain it in a way you’ll both understand.”

Sloan’s hand wraps around mine and I can already feel her shaking. I squeeze her hand for reassurance. Ryan tends to overdramatize situations; I just wish Sloan knew that so she wouldn’t be this worried.

“Asa is claiming he shot the guy in his bedroom out of self-defense.”

Sloan scoffs. “It wasn’t self-defense!” she says. “I was there!”

Ryan nods softly. “Not in defense of himself,” Ryan says. “He claims he was defending you. That he heard you screaming for help, and when he walked into his room, the guy was attacking you and he was holding a gun. He claims he had no other choice but to stop him before he killed you.”

Sloan is shaking her head. “It wasn’t…” she looks at me. “Luke, he didn’t have to kill him.”

I knew Asa was going to pull this shit. I wrap my arm around Sloan and refocus my attention on Ryan. “What does this mean exactly?” I ask. “When it goes to trial, his defense won’t stand up to Sloan’s testimony?”

Ryan blows out a quick breath. “That’s what we’re hoping,” he says. “If it goes to trial.”

“If?” Sloan says, voicing my exact thought.

Tillie speaks up this time. “The thing is…” she says. “It’s a solid case of self-defense. The guy was holding an unauthorized weapon. Sloan was screaming for help. He was attacking her. Even with her testimony, Asa’s defense holds up. And the gun he used was a legal firearm, registered in his name. Unlike the victim. Also, Asa is claiming to have no knowledge of who the men were who broke into the home. And the police haven’t located any of the men who fled. Only the victim, who, so far, has no ties to Asa that we can prove.”