Deceptive Truth: Cowboy Justice Association (Serials and Stalkers Book 4) by Olivia Jaymes (reading women .txt) 📕

Knox rubbed his chin and stretched out his legs, sprawling casually on the hard wooden chair. "Do you ever argue about that normal stuff?"

Brett went stiff, his eyes narrowed as he shook his head. "No, we don't argue."

"Ever? Even the most devoted couples have arguments. There has to be something that you argue about. Maybe money? Family? My last girlfriend was always pissed off that I worked too much. She was always frustrated with me about that."

Brett's gaze was focused on the table. "I don't work that much."

"What about money? You said that you two were practically engaged. Did you have any differences in spending style? You seem like a saver to me. Did Lori like to shop a little too much?"

"It was her money. I don't have any right to tell her what to do."

"That sounds like something she said to you. Did she say that, Brett? That it was none of your business?"

Shaking his head, Brett shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "No, we never talked about her spending. We didn't argue."

"Not once, huh? That's great. What's your secret?"

Brett shrugged again. "I don't know. We just...don't."

"Not once. That's great."

Knox noted Brett's body language. The other man had almost curled in on himself, his arms crossed over his chest.

Knox sat up in his chair and leaned forward, his gaze on Brett. "I don't think that you're telling me the truth. I think that you're lying."

Bret had stopped shaking but he immediately started again, wrapping his arms more tightly around himself. "I'm–I'm not. Really."

Knox placed his hands palms down on the table between them as if he were reaching out to the other man. "It's okay to argue with your girlfriend, Brett. All couples have fights. They usually blow over and everything is fine."

"We argued about her going away."

Brett's voice could barely be heard, he'd spoken so softly. But he had spoken.

"Was this a few weeks ago or longer than that?"

"A few weeks ago. Maybe. I’m not sure when it was exactly. She said she was going away for awhile and I begged her not to. She said she had to. That she had things she needed to do. That's when she gave me her purse. She said that I needed to take care of it for when she came back."

"But she didn't say why she left it?"

"No, just that I needed to take care of it. And all of her things. I told her I would. She could count on me."

"Did you yell? Did she yell, Brett? Were angry words exchanged?"

Brett seemed to get smaller in the chair, his chin to his chest. "Maybe. I was...mad...and she was too. She said I wasn't listening to her."

"Was she listening to you?"

Brett shook his head. "No, she just kept saying that she had to go. I kept asking her why, but she wouldn't answer me."

"And that you made you mad."

"Yes–No–I–don't know. I guess it did."

"And you yelled."

"Yes."

"And she yelled."

"Yes."

The response was barely audible.

"You argued for awhile. You were both mad. What happened then, Brett?"

Brett buried his face in his arms. "She started to leave."

"What did you do?"

"I don't remember."

"I think that you do remember. What did you do when Lori started to leave?"

"I–I grabbed her arm. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted her to listen to me."

"What happened then? Did you hit her, Brett? She was making you so mad, wasn't she? She wouldn't listen to you. That had to make you angry."

His head popped up, tears streaming down his cheeks, his eyes bloodshot and swollen. "No. No way. I would never, ever hit Lori. I grabbed her arm and tried to make her listen but she shook me off. She left after that. Nothing else happened. I love Lori. I wouldn't hurt her. I wouldn't. She's my whole world."

Since Lori had been missing for months, not a few weeks, it was highly likely this entire scenario was completely made up in Brett Hedgcock's mind. There wasn't any real reason for Lori to have even been in the man's home. They'd been co-workers only, not lovers. They had no relationship beyond a casual acquaintance.

But damn...Brett looked devastated, convinced that his recounting of that day was totally real. To him, it had happened and he was haunted by her leaving.

He and Brett talked for a little longer, but the man's story never changed. Lori had been there a few weeks ago. She'd said she was leaving and he'd begged her not to go. He grabbed her arm but she'd shaken him off and left, leaving behind some of her personal effects. It didn't make a lick of sense. If Lori was going on a trip, wouldn't she want her purse and wallet? Her identification and credit cards? Even Brett agreed that it was strange but he was adamant that she'd left those items with him, telling him that he needed to keep them safe.

Eventually, Knox had to give up. He was exhausted and Brett was in far worse shape, sobbing and rocking in his chair while repeating over and over about how much he loved Lori. He left Brett in the room and joined Jason, West, and the detective from Rocky River.

"I don't think we're going to get anything more from him," Knox said. "He believes his story."

Jason nodded in agreement. "He's completely convinced himself, that's for sure. I agree that any more questioning today is only going to stress him out far worse. He needs care