CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Chanel paced the tight confines of the holding cell and tried to stem her panic. The pale blue bars that surrounded her were lined with thick Perspex and no doubt would hurt if she hit it. She clenched her fists and resisted the urge to find out.

She still couldn’t believe she’d been arrested. She’d been curious when Bryce’s partner had shown her the small brown medicine bottle, but not overly concerned. Although she hadn’t seen it before, like she’d told Bryce and his partner, she wasn’t the only one living there. It was quite likely her roommate had left it in the cupboard. Tanya was always cooking exotic Indian curries using genuine herbs and spices. Chanel didn’t know the name of half the things the woman had stacked on the shelves.

She couldn’t believe Bryce had arrested her without even acknowledging the possibility that the bottle belonged to someone else. The closed look on his face had cut her to the quick. It was like looking into the face of a stranger. Overnight, he seemed to have morphed into a cold and unfamiliar figure. A man she didn’t recognize.

So much for his assurances that he believed in her innocence and that innocence always won out on the day. Somewhere during the hours of lovemaking and his return to her apartment with his men, his attitude had undergone a total about turn. She couldn’t explain it and most certainly didn’t understand it, but it was the truth. The hurt it caused deep inside her was a physical thing.

“Chanel Munro, you have a visitor,” said the young constable on guard outside her cell.

The announcement caused Chanel’s heart to leap with hope. Could Bryce have come to his senses? Was he even now doing what was necessary to affect her release? Would she accept his apology that it had all been a terrible mistake, or would she give him the silent treatment and make him suffer?

She was still debating the wisest course of action when her brother Tom appeared outside her cell. On his heels were two more brothers, Brandon and Clayton. All three of them looked furious.

“Tom! I’m so glad you’re here!” She looked from Clayton to Brandon. “How did you both know—?”

“Tom called us as soon as he got off the phone to you,” Brandon explained. “He thought the more manpower on your side, the better. I agree.” Brandon shook his head in disbelief. “What have you gotten yourself into, little sister?”

Clayton stepped closer to the cell. “How are they treating you, honey? Have you eaten today?”

Tears welled up in Chanel’s eyes at the care and concern in his voice. She shook her head and answered in a shaky voice.

“No. They came by with some sandwiches an hour ago, but I wasn’t hungry. I just want to get out of here. Take me home, Clay. Please.”

Tom moved closer, his expression grim. “We’re working on it, Chanel. Don’t worry, we’ve made it clear we’re unhappy about how they’ve dealt with this. They don’t even know what’s in the fucking bottle! To have you arrested on the flimsiest of excuses is unforgivable. Someone’s going to lose their balls over this. Mark my words.”

Tom’s anger was gratifying and worked to soothe Chanel’s battered nerves. If Tom thought her arrest was unjustified, it was good enough for her. He was a veteran cop with more than two decades of experience. There wasn’t anything about the law and policing her oldest brother didn’t know.

“Thanks, Tom,” she whispered. “And thanks to all of you for coming. This cell’s doing my head in.”

“They put her in a cell, for Christ’s sake!” Brandon shouted, his expression darkening.

“Like a common criminal!” Tom added.

“Let’s hope the buffoon responsible gets his ass into gear and gets her out of here,” Clayton growled.

Right on cue, Bryce appeared outside the cell. He stared at Chanel, his face a blank mask. She held back a sob of distress. It was as if last night had never happened. Where had the tender and loving man gone, the man who’d held her and kissed her all night long? The morning had brought her a stranger and a cold and unforgiving one at that.

Well, two could play at that game. With a surge of determination and stubborn pride, she deliberately turned her back on him and focused on her brothers. She listened in satisfaction as Tom tore savage strips off the man who’d been her lover.

Unable to stand it, Chanel peeked at him from the corner of her eye. To his credit, Bryce remained unmoved, never once reacting to the anger in Tom’s words. Instead, he merely lifted the keys in his hand and inserted one into the lock.

“You’re free to go, Doctor Munro, but don’t go leaving town,” he said coldly. “We’ll be in touch.”

Hurt warred with anger deep inside her. Anger won out. She spun on her heel and opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought. Clayton grabbed her by the arm and hurried her along. He shot her a warning look that meant she was to keep her mouth shut. She left without speaking, but threw Bryce a look so cold and venomous, she was sure he’d get the drift. Inside, her heart broke into a thousand tiny pieces.

* * *

Bryce kicked at the loose stones lining the path that wended its way through the park across from the building that housed Doctor Baker’s private rooms. He’d dropped his grandmother off outside the entryway nearly thirty minutes earlier and once again was waiting for her text to tell him she was done.

Of their own volition, his thoughts turned to Chanel and he winced at the way he’d treated her. Now that the initial shock of finding the medicine bottle had worn off, he could look at the matter rationally. He still didn’t know anything about the person who’d called in the anonymous tip, but the truth of it was, the tipster had known far more than they should.

To know the specific type of poison was more than suspicious. It wasn’t like people were poisoned with ricin every day and yet, the anonymous caller had known about it.

Right up until the moment Jett had discovered the bottle, Bryce was still very much of the opinion Chanel was innocent. Their night together had been magical and he liked to think he was a decent judge of character. Apart from her physical beauty, she was beautiful on the inside, too. Good and kind and caring… He couldn’t imagine her being a killer.

And then there was her family. He’d met three of her brothers the day she was released. Large and impressive, their presence had dominated the police station. It was obvious they loved their younger sister and were quick to come to her defense. They were much decorated police officers—their characters, unimpeachable. It didn’t seem possible that their sister could be guilty of murder. Call him naïve, but it plain didn’t make any sense. Apart from the bottle that was found in her kitchen and the fact the patients were under her care, there wasn’t a scrap of evidence that pointed to her guilt.

A wave of reproach washed over him and he compressed his lips in disgust. Her brothers were right: He should never have arrested her. He’d been acting through a haze of shock and hurt and disappointment. Still, it was no excuse.

The discovery of the medicine bottle had floored him, but the mysterious powder could be anything. It might come back to be nothing more than some herbal crap that could be purchased at any health store. The mere existence of a bottle in a woman’s kitchen wasn’t cause for arrest.

Not only an arrest, but she’d been handcuffed and put in the cells, all at his direction. What had he been trying to prove? That he was still the one in control after being blindsided by what he perceived was her betrayal? The blow to his pride was no excuse for his bad behavior. His heavy handedness was unforgivable.

And what about the roommate she’d mentioned? Tanya Singh? Chanel had reluctantly supplied him with her name and cell number. Though he’d left several messages, he had yet to track her down, but the fact was, she lived at the residence, too. It was just as likely the bottle belonged to her.

Hot shame raced through him and scorched his skin. No wonder Chanel had stared at him as if she wanted him to disappear off the face of the earth. After all they’d shared, he couldn’t believe he’d fucked it up so monumentally. He’d be lucky if she ever spoke to him again.

His phone chirped to indicate a new text message and he glanced down at the screen. His grandmother had finished with Doctor Baker. He hurried back to his vehicle and met her a few minutes later outside the building. She waved to him from the pavement and he climbed out and helped her into the car.

“How did you do?” he asked and eased out into the traffic.

“Oh, not too bad, but Doctor Baker wants to admit me to the hospital. My ulcer isn’t healing like it should. He wants to give me a course of IV antibiotics. I’m going to be admitted tomorrow.”

Bryce frowned. Doctor Baker was still high on his suspect list, even though he didn’t have any evidence linking the man to the crimes. It was more of a gut instinct. Unfortunately, he needed more than that to veto his grandmother’s treatment. The fact was, she had faith in her doctor and for now, that would have to be enough.

“I’ll make sure I’m free to take you in. What time do you have to be at the hospital?”

“Tomorrow morning, if that’s all right. It would be nice if you could take me there.”

“Of course, Grandma. I’ll make sure it happens. Now, I’m going to have to drop you off at home and run. I have a heap of things to do at the office.”

His grandmother looked at him. “You look tired, Bryce. I hope you’re not overdoing it. A couple of days ago, you didn’t come home all night.”

He could see the questions in her eyes, but refused to acknowledge them. Instead, he forced a smile. “I’m fine, Grandma. Busy, that’s all.”

* * *

Chanel finished her umpteenth round of solitaire and shut the lid on her laptop with a sigh. It had been four days since she’d been summoned to the general manager’s office and stood down from her job; three days since her arrest. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much spare time on her hands. Even when she was in high school, she’d studied hard. College was more of the same and after graduation, she’d been consumed with twelve-hour shifts, emergency call-outs and everything in between. She’d never been one for sitting around and the enforced idleness and the constant attention from her brothers were driving her crazy.

She loved that they cared enough to want to make sure she was treated right, but Tom and Clayton’s over protectiveness and Brandon’s determination to find the killer was doing her head in. The three of them had drilled her for hours over the details of the case.

When Tom admitted she’d told him a month earlier about the indecent proposal from Doctor Baker, Clayton and Brandon were angry that he hadn’t beaten the doctor into a pulp. She then spent an hour calming her brothers down and reassuring them she could look after herself. By the time they left, she was exhausted.

With another sigh, she tucked her feet underneath her and curled up on the couch. She reached for the TV remote and flicked through the channels. She stumbled onto a police drama and when the male lead filled the screen, her heart skipped a beat.

Tall and dark and brooding, he looked a lot like Bryce. She hadn’t heard from him since her release from the jail cell and as angry as she was at him for her mistreatment, she still missed him. Their night together had been nothing short of wonderful. He’d loved her like no other. She yearned for his touch again and was saddened to think it might never happen.

Her phone chimed to indicate an incoming call. She leaned across and scooped it up from the coffee table. The Caller ID was blocked. She pressed the button to accept the call.

“Chanel Munro.” There was a pause and then his familiar voice sounded rough and low over the phone.

“Chanel, it’s Bryce.”

She swung her legs over the side of the couch and planted them on the floor, suddenly tense and alert. Her heart pounded so loudly, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hear him through the blood that rushed through her ears.

“You probably don’t want to talk to me, but I wanted to call and apologize.”

His tone was low and uncertain, as if he didn’t know how she’d react. He had every right to feel nervous. She was just as angry with him now as she had been when it happened.

“You’re damn right I don’t want to talk to you. And why should I accept your apology? In fact, why should I listen to anything you say? You told me you believed in my innocence. Do you think if I were guilty, I’d have left the bottle there to be found? You told me the police were on their way. I had plenty of time to get rid of it. You convinced me that truth would win out on the day. Less than twelve hours later, you had me arrested on suspicion of murder.”

“I’m not sure what else I can say. When Jett found that bottle, I…I lost my head. We’d just spent the night together—a night that was fantastic in every way. It’d been so long since I felt connected to another woman. I…I could fall in love with you, Chanel. You probably don’t want to hear it, but it’s the truth.”

“You’re right. I don’t want to hear it. Along with anything else you have to say.” She heard him drag in a ragged breath. He blew it out slowly before continuing.

“When it looked like you might have been involved in the murders all along, I was devastated. I reacted with anger and hurt and crushing disappointment. I didn’t think it through. I should never have arrested you, certainly not cuffed you and put you in a cell. From the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry.”

His voice hitched and she felt his remorse deep inside her heart. “You treated me so badly,” she whispered, still hurting.

“I did and I’m sorry. My behavior was inexcusable. If I could have that time to live over again, I’d do everything differently. That’s the worst part of it. I can’t change a thing.”

A part of her remained angry, but he sounded so sad and sincere, Chanel felt herself softening. Bryce wasn’t the only one who’d been shocked at the sudden turn of events.

Because she knew she was innocent, she hadn’t reacted to the existence of the medicine bottle, but she could understand how it might look to a police officer investigating the deaths of three women by a poison that could be kept in a little bottle like the one they’d found. On top of the anonymous tip off, she could see how it had all come to pass.

“I’m not the killer, Bryce. I’d never seen that bottle before. Someone’s setting me up, just like you said before.” She paused and then added in a calmer tone, “Do you know any more about the person who pointed you in my direction?”

“The caller refused to leave their details, but we know it was a male. The call came from a public phone booth out in the suburbs. That’s all we have.”

“But you must agree, it’s suspicious. I had nothing to do with the murders, so the caller must be in on it. Whether he’s acting alone or on behalf of someone else, I guess that’s what you have to work out.”

“How did the bottle get into your kitchen?”

“I don’t know. I only moved in here a couple of months ago. Have you spoken to Tanya, yet? She hasn’t been home since…the night you came over.”

“No, I’ve left messages on her phone. I’m still waiting for her to contact me. I’ll hunt her down at work if she doesn’t call me back. So, it’s been three days since you’ve seen her. Is that normal? Has she ever stayed away that long before?”

Chanel shrugged. “Sometimes, she goes to visit her father. Occasionally, she stays overnight. She’s also been seeing someone lately. It’s possible she stayed with him.”

“Do you know his name?”

Chanel sucked in a breath and her heart thumped. She didn’t know how Bryce would react to hearing Tanya was dating Doctor Baker, but she guessed he’d find the news odd, at the very least.

“She’s been seeing Doctor Baker.”

“Excuse me?”

“She’s being seeing Doctor Baker.”

“I heard what you said, I’m just…surprised. I take it you’re certain of this?”

“He’s collected her from our apartment on several occasions. She told me they’re sleeping together.”

“Oh, hell, I don’t believe it.”

Chanel frowned at the growing excitement in his voice. “What is it?”

“Tanya and Leo Baker. I think that’s our connection. The bottle was found in your kitchen, a kitchen she has access to. Now you tell me she’s sleeping with your boss, a man who already has a gripe against you. All along, I’ve felt you were being set up. I let my anger screw with my head for a while, but I know where I’m headed now. It’s him. Leo Baker. It has to be. Or maybe they’re in it together?”

Chanel shook her head, stunned at Bryce’s summation. As much as she didn’t want to believe it, the whole thing now made an awful kind of sense. Besides, there was no other way to explain how the bottle got into her kitchen.

“Oh, my goodness, you might be right,” she breathed, her heart thumping.

“The only other possibility is that your roommate acted alone. It’s possible your boss has nothing to do with it. We need proof, one way or the other. I need to speak to Tanya.

It’s time she and I had a little chat.”