Cash's Fight(66)

“Willa, it’s okay.” Rachel gingerly reached out to take the weapon from her, placing it carefully on the floor next to her.#p#分页标题#e#

“I killed him.” Her horrified whisper broke Rachel’s heart.

“If you hadn’t, he would have killed me,” Rachel soothed her. “What set him off?”

“I don’t know. He came banging on my door. I had forgotten to lock it after my last delivery, and he came in before I could stop him. He was in a rage when he got here.”

Tears were pouring down her cheeks as she began trembling. Rachel knew shock was setting in.

“Where’s your phone? I’ll call Knox.”

Willa looked wildly around before managing to point to her purse. Rachel got to her feet, feeling every sore muscle in her body. Opening Willa’s purse, she called the Sheriff’s office, explaining what had happened. She disconnected the call when the dispatcher said Knox was in route.

Rachel went back to Willa, sitting down next to her on the floor, placing her arm around her trembling shoulders.

“I’m going to burn in Hell for killing a man.” Willa covered her hands with her face.

“The only one who’s going to Hell is Lewis.”





Chapter 23



Rachel sat in Knox’s office as he questioned Willa in the interrogation room. She hoped he didn’t traumatize the woman any further than she was.

She looked up expectantly when the door opened to see Cash come in.

“You all right?” His concerned gaze had her nodding. Somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to be upset that Lewis was dead.

Her brothers came in the door behind him. Unlike Cash, they were furious.

“It’s a good thing he’s dead—”

“Greer, calm down. It’s all over, and I’m not hurt. The best thing is that he’s not going to hurt Willa anymore.”

Tate pulled her out of the chair and into his arms. “I’m happy that you were there for Willa, but I lost ten years off my life when Knox called and told me what happened.”

“I’m fine, Tate.” She circled his waist.

She lifted her head from Tate’s chest when Knox came into the room with Willa. Rachel immediately went to her side.

“You can come home with me tonight, Willa.”

Willa shook her head. “If I don’t go back to my home tonight, I never will.”

“I can stay the night with you,” Rachel offered.

“That’s all right. I’m just going to go home and go to bed.” Willa turned her bruised face to Cash then Knox. “I want to apologize. If I hadn’t lied and said Lewis wasn’t harassing me, then maybe he would still be alive. I honestly believed it would make him even more violent if he knew I had told or pressed charges against him.”

“I knew you weren’t telling the truth. I had a talk with him Friday. I thought he would back off after I threatened him with a social services investigation toward his kids,” Knox said.

Willa went even whiter. “What’s going to happen to the kids?”

“A foster home will be found for them. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they find a good home,” Knox said, picking up his phone on the desk.

“Please, I would never forgive myself if they were hurt because of my actions.”

“Willa, none of this was your fault. Lewis had real problems. You are the victim here,” Knox reassured her.

Willa didn’t seem convinced, but she nodded.

“Come on, Willa. We’ll give you a ride home. Let’s go, Rachel; you’re coming home with us,” Tate said while they left Knox’s office as he talked on the phone.#p#分页标题#e#

“No, I’m not. I’m going to Mag’s. You can drop me off to pick up my car.” Rachel wasn’t about to place herself back under her brothers’ thumbs. She still hadn’t forgiven them for how they had talked to her at the party.

“How long are you going to hold a grudge?” Greer spoke up. “You almost got yourself killed because we weren’t keeping a watch over you.”

“I almost got killed because I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“I forgot about the texts. I’ll get them for you when we get to my house,” Willa offered.

“What texts?” Cash asked, frowning.

“Brooke asked Lily if she would pick up some books from Willa. She was busy, so I offered,” Rachel explained.

Cash’s face turned even more forbidding. “I need to talk to Knox before I leave. I’ll see you back at the house tonight.”

“Okay.” Rachel left the Sheriff’s office, her curiosity aroused by the look on Cash’s face. It was plain something was going on that he was keeping from her.