Page 36 of Rascal

“The police are here about the shooting,” she said.

“That took time,” Harry remarked, nodding his agreement for them to enter.

Chance, Shane, and the other two rose to their feet. “We’ll be in contact,” Chance stated.

I looked at him. “Why? There’s nothing more to be discussed. We know the truth. I was set up, and Shane sent an innocent woman to prison. What else is there? Jane claimed Shane was hers. If I stay away from him, she’ll leave me alone. Perfectly simple to me.”

“Hallie,” Shane said in a tortured voice.

“No. There is no Hallie where you’re concerned. Please go. I need to make a statement,” I replied. If King didn’t have his arm around me still, I might have curled into a ball and cried. But not here in front of them.

Artemis and her team also stood. “Hallie, I don’t think Jane has finished with you yet. That indicates she’s dangerous. She shot at you today; Jane’s serious about claiming Shane.”

“She can have him. Shane means nothing to me.” My words hit Shane hard, and he stiffened. That was his problem. He’d not even given me a second thought before sending me to prison. He’d been so righteous in his anger. Well, that had failed spectacularly, coming back to haunt him.

“Leave; we need to give a statement about what happened today,” Harry stated, and the room emptied.

I blew out a breath, and King crouched at my feet. He gripped my hands and gazed into my eyes.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“You’ve finally been vindicated. Shane didn’t see you,” King replied with a gentle squeeze.

“But you were the only one other than Harry who believed me,” I whispered.

“Yeah, for good reason. You were innocent,” King murmured.

I don’t think I’d ever tire of hearing that. My dignity had been reinstated. It was rather amusing that the very people Hellfire had brought in to hang me had cleared me.

A detective walked in, and I recognised him as Hawthorne’s partner.

“Are we going to have a problem?” Harry demanded.

“No, sir. I’m here to take a statement. Lio explained he’d catch me up,” Phil Gold replied.

“Good. I’m staying.” Gold nodded at King and Harry and took out a notebook, and I gave him my account. It was certainly a humdinger.

“You recognised something in there,” I said as we got into King’s SUV.

“Yeah, a comment rang my bell. I need to do some research.” King swung in next to me.

“Well, don’t keep me in the dark. What did you remember?”

“I’m not sure, honestly, Hal. Let me look into some shit. Then I’ll tell you if I have a lead. I don’t want to get your hopes up or send you down a false path.”

“Fine. You owe me chicken,” I stated.

“Hal, today came too close. This lunatic is gunning for you. You go nowhere without me, okay? Not even to the toilets,” King declared.

“What do you intend to do? Come in with me?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

I snorted, amused. “Going to shave your legs too and wear a dress? I’m pretty sure you have a dick and aren’t allowed in the ladies.”

“Then you use the gents.”