The Eligible Suspect(3)

                “No, I should be okay. I’ll just be happy to have a life free of Damen.”

                He’d give her enough to get by for a few months. His parents may not be speaking to him but they hadn’t taken away his trust fund yet. “Be ready to leave in the morning. Meet me back here at eight.” He put some cash down on the table and stood with her, putting his hand on her lower back to guide her toward the stairs. Out on the street, he looked around for any sign of Damen. Not seeing any, he walked with Collette to her car. There, he looked around again and then reached under his shirt for the gun he’d put in the back of his jeans. Foreboding had compelled him to do that. Otherwise he never carried.

                “Take this.”

                Her mouth dropped open. “Wha—”

                “Don’t let him in your house. If he gets violent again, use it to get away from him.”

                “But...I can’t kill him!”

                “Then aim for his knee. Just get away from him. You only have to make it to tomorrow morning. The goal is to act normal so he doesn’t figure it out. I’m hoping you won’t have to use it. But just in case...”

                Collette put the gun into her purse. “Okay. Tomorrow morning.” She seemed worried.

                “It will be okay,” he said. Leaning forward, he gave her a hug, one that elicited a comforted sigh from her.

                “You’re a good man, Korbin Maguire.” She stepped back with a smile and got into her car.

                He closed her door and waved back when she did. She thought he was a good man. He wasn’t, but he was going to be.

                * * *

                Early the next morning, Korbin woke to his ringing doorbell and pounding on the front door of his home in Lone Tree, Colorado. More pounding suggested urgency. He got up and went to the window of his second-story bedroom, which had a view of the driveway and part of the front entrance. A sedan was in the driveway and two men stood at the door. They wore jackets. Professional. Who were they?

                He put on a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt and went down to the door. More pounding and ringing grew louder.

                “Denver police. Open up!” one of them shouted.

                Police? What were they doing here?

                Korbin opened the door, leaving the security bar in place.

                “Korbin Maguire?” One of the men opened a wallet to show him a badge. He was older than the dark-haired man.

                Had something happened to Collette? Real worry for her swelled within him. “Yes.” He released the security bar and opened the door.

                “Do you drive a Mercedes AMG Black Series?” the older officer asked.

                Why were they asking him about his car? “Rarely. I mostly drive my truck.” He began to wish he hadn’t opened the door so soon. If this was some sort of ruse...

                “But you own a Mercedes AMG, correct?”

                He hesitated, wondering why they were asking him about his car. “Yes. What’s this all about?”

                “Would you step outside, please?”

                The two men moved back to give him room. Korbin didn’t see any way out of this. If they were real cops—and they seemed to be—he couldn’t refuse. He stepped outside onto the front porch.