Captivating Witness

“Can you say something?” she asked, her voice a little shaky. “You’re just sitting there. Brooding.”

“Sorry. I just don’t want this to come out the wrong way.”

“Oh, God.”

“What?”

“You’re married,” she stated.

He stared at her for a second and said again, “What?”

“You’re married. And we just slept together.” He cheeks went pink. “I mean. Not like that. But still.”

He couldn’t fight a laugh. “No, Reggie. I’m not married. I’m very unmarried.”

“Well...what then?”

“I need your word that you’ll keep this between us.”

“How can I agree to that when I don’t even know what it is you’re going to tell me?”

“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think you’d be willing. I’m trusting you with a secret. It’s not a bad one. I just want you to respect my need for confidentiality.”

Brayden saw her suck in her bottom lip, considering it. Finally, she sighed.

“So long as it’s nothing illegal.”

He fought another laugh. “Hardly something illegal.”

“Okay. Then you have my word. I won’t tell anyone your secret. Whatever it is.”

“I’m a cop.”

She flinched, and he knew she had to be thinking about Chuck.

“I’m a good cop,” he clarified. “A Freemont City detective. I can dig up some proof, if you want to see it.”

She shook her head. “I believe you.”

“That easy?”

“It wouldn’t make sense for you to lie after what I saw a cop do last night.” She swallowed nervously before adding, “Besides. You seem far more policemanish than businessmanish.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “You saying my cover’s no good?”

Reggie shrugged. “I tend to notice things.”

“Like?”

“The wrong name on your phone. The fact that you weren’t wearing a suit the day you came into the diner and that you weren’t wearing one tonight. Not until I asked you about putting one on anyway.”

“So all businessmen wear suits?”

“All the ones who’re trying to convince someone to sell them something.”

“Hmm. Think I got made by everyone else in Whispering Woods?”

Her mouth tipped up. “Made?”

Brayden smiled back. “TV-cop talk isn’t good?”

“About as good as your real estate developer story. But don’t worry. We’re all TV-small-town-naive around here,” she said teasingly.

“Except you.”

“Well. I would’ve fallen for your clever ruse, too, if it hadn’t been for everything that’s happened tonight.”

“Maybe you should’ve been a detective.”

She laughed, the sound filling the room pleasantly. “Thanks. But I think I’ll stick to running the diner. Pay might not be as good, but the uniform suits me far better than a badge and a gun.”

Brayden found himself grinning. “I dunno. I can kinda picture you in Kevlar.”

“I can’t tell whether or not that’s a compliment.”

“Definitely is. Looking good in body armor isn’t a feat just anyone can pull off.”

“I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m in the market for a new outfit.”

“Please do.”

She went quiet for a second, then said, “Can I ask you something?”

Brayden willed himself not to tense up. “Sure.”

“You’re here conducting an investigation?”

“Yes.”

“And I guess you probably can’t tell me what it’s about.”

“Not really,” he admitted. “And it also means I’m not going to let you chase down leads on Chuck Delta or put yourself in any kind of danger.”

“Can you at least tell me if it has anything to do with what I saw in the alley?”

He hesitated. Sharing too many details could compromise a case. And with this particular one...there was the far more personal aspect to consider. That alone was enough to make him hold back. In the end, though, he opted for some more honesty. If nothing else, it would make her cautious enough to keep relying on him to protect her.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “The guy I’m after... I’ve been chasing him for a long time, and he’s capable of some pretty bad stuff. It would genuinely surprise me if the two things weren’t connected. So I’m going to treat it as if they are.”