He caressed the side of her face. “Stay here,” he repeated and reached into the side table for his weapon—a Beretta M9 service pistol that had belonged to his dad—and tucked it in the waistband of his jeans.
The sight of his gun got her attention. “Like hell.” She flew off the bed in search of clothes.
He should’ve expected as much. His lack of irritation at her for not listening was new though. Pride filled his chest as she hurried to get dressed in order to stand by his side.
He shook his head. Must be the sexual hangover making him all soft and squishy.
The knock sounded again.
Caleb extended a hand to her. Samantha’s smile lit up her face as she entwined her fingers with his.
“At least stay behind me until we know who it is.” He’d meant to scowl, but didn’t quite make it. She looked entirely too sexy with her heavy eyelids and hair that had been tousled by his own hands.
She nodded and did as he asked, going so far as to move behind the door while he checked the monitor.
Caleb gave Samantha a questioning look and opened the door. “Charlie? What’re you doing here?”
Charlie removed his hat and shuffled in. “We need to talk.”
Samantha came to his side and Caleb wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Can’t this wait?” Caleb asked. “It’s late.”
“I’m afraid it can’t. Sorry about the hour, but I knew you wouldn’t want me to wait until morning for this.”
“What’s up?”
“Vincent Matteo was found dead at the Gardens a few hours ago.”
Caleb cursed, knowing there was more to it than that. “What happened?”
Charlie’s expression filled with regret. “Witnesses say you and Vincent had a run in earlier in the evening.”
“Are you serious?” Samantha demanded. “You can’t possibly think Caleb had anything to do with this.”
Caleb held up a hand to quiet her, but he held Charlie’s gaze. “He threatened people I care about, Charlie. I warned him that might not be his best course of action. That’s all that happened.”
Charlie nodded and held his phone up. “You recognize this knife?”
Fury exploded in Caleb’s chest. He snatched the phone from Charlie’s hand and brought it closer. The knife was covered in blood, but there was no mistaking the C.M. carved in the handle. It was his hunting knife. “Where did you get this?”
“Buried in Vincent Matteo’s chest.”
Caleb’s violent curse rang out as he let go of Samantha and set to pacing the room. “It’s mine. I keep it in the glove compartment of my truck. Someone must have stolen it.”
“Any sign of damage that could explain that?” Charlie asked.
Caleb ran his hands through his hair. “You mean besides the fucking bullet holes I just had fixed?”
“Wait a minute.” Samantha held up her hands. “Wait just a damned minute, Charlie. Are you accusing Caleb of murder? I’ve been with him the entire night. His sister and brother-in-law were with us at the benefit. At no time was he out of our sight.”
“Are you acting as his attorney, or as his alibi?” Charlie slid onto a barstool, his expression apprehensive. “Come on, Sam. You know me better than that. I know Caleb didn’t have anything to do with this. Not to mention that half of the city’s officials were at that shindig tonight and have already vouched for him, as have Joe and Amanda.”
“You’ve talked to them?” Samantha was pissed. His little champion.
Charlie nodded. “I called them on the way here. Joe’s going to meet us at my office, Caleb. You’re not a suspect, but your knife was used. That connects you to this clusterfuck. We need to get all the eye witness statements on the record and figure out a plausible reason for how your knife ended up in a dead man, preferably before the District Attorney starts breathing down my neck.”
Caleb pulled Samantha toward him, needing to feel the warmth of her skin. He ran his hands up her arms and cupped her neck, using his thumbs to raise her chin until she looked at him. “Charlie is right, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be fine. Nothing to worry about, right Charlie?”
Charlie nodded. “We’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Caleb didn’t want Samantha to stay alone, even now that Vincent was dead.
Dead. Gone. No longer able to threaten or harm her.
Jesus, a man was dead and all Caleb could feel was relief; the kind of bone-deep alleviation of stress that made a man feel about twenty pounds lighter.
“Do you mind if we drop Samantha at Alec’s before we head over to your office, Charlie? I’d feel better knowing she wasn’t alone.”