Chapter 17- Detective Edwards

My phone rang for the umpteenth time since I left that hospital room, but I couldn't get a good chance to answer Tristan or my dad, since I was too busy answering a ton of questions being thrown at me by staff members.

I frowned slightly when I saw that it was my dad who was calling. I had no idea how he might've heard about what happened so quickly, but I assumed that Tristan called him when I didn't answer his seven calls. Tristan was on his way here anyways, so at least he would actually see that I was okay. Well, physically at that.

"Dad?" I mumbled in the phone while I sat on the edge of an open ambulance outside the hospital's entrance.

"Hey sweetheart. Are you okay? A friend of mine told me that you were in trouble" His worried voice rushed out through the line.

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. I forgot that my dad had friends in every grapevine of every establishment. Of course he would've heard. Someone must've called him the minute they saw that I was the 'center' of the attention.

"I'm fine dad. It was Mia. She tried to kill me again but I managed to live and she escaped again"

"And how are you saying it like it's no big deal?" He sounded flabbergasted at my tone, but honestly, I was just over the whole situation. I shrugged, but remembered that he couldn't see me.

"I don't know dad. If I die then so be it. At least you guys will be safe. That girl that saved my life, Jessica? Well she could've gotten hurt today again because Mia was after me. I honestly wouldn't be able to live with the fact that someone got hurt because of me. They need to catch her before she actually does something big. I can't believe she..she's just too smart dad, and she has people working for her so I don't know when to look over my back"

I sighed, hating the weight of it all on my shoulders. I never stopped to consider that I could just be walking and have someone shoot me. And in the crossfire, dad, Emily, Jessica or God forbid, Tristan could be hurt too. Of course I didn't want to die, but if I can just get her alone, I'd just end her and-

"Cianna?"

"Yes?" I shook my head as my dad's voice shook me from my murderous thoughts. I wasn't actually thinking about killing her, but I was sick of her and her crazy tactics.

She was obviously insane. She still blamed me for taking Sheldon away from her, when she was the one who killed him.

"I'm on my way. Sit tight till I get there"

"No no dad. I'm fine really" My eyes involuntarily did a scan for the one person I really wanted to see. "You don't have to come all the way down here. I'm actually leaving now."

He was quiet for a while as if weighing his options, but eventually he sighed in defeat and gave it up. "Okay. But let me know if anything changes"

"Will do. Remember it's Prince's bath day. Love you bye!" I quickly ended the call before he could protest, since my baby can get a bit anxious on bath day.

I felt bad leaving him to babysit, but I didn't think taking my dog to Tristan's was appropriate, and leaving him at home to starve wasn't smart either.

I sighed with a slouch as I pulled the thin blanket tighter around my shoulders. I watched as officers went in and out the hospital, looking if Mia left anything, or if she was still on the compound.

By far, she was a wanted suspect and was deemed dangerous, but I wasn't even concerned THAT MUCH about her, but who could be working for her. At least I knew what she looked like, I had no idea who her comrades were.

I rubbed my eyes gently, glad that the effects of the pepper spray wore off faster than I expected. It only watered a few times, as if getting rid of the remaining substance, but anyone would've easily thought that I was crying.

I spotted the security guard who found us, standing at the entrance with a tall man wearing a black blazer that seemed too long for him. His hair was scattered with small specks of gray, even though he didn't look a day past 35. It oddly suited him, and he was indeed handsome.

I stiffened when I saw the security guard point in my direction, and our eyes made four. I knew that I'd had to answer questions, but I was secretly hoping that Tristan would've been the one to do that. He was, after all, the detective on the case.

‘So is his partner,’ my subconscious reminded me as the man started walking towards me.

It then occurred to me that this could be Tristan's partner. I frowned even deeper when I realized that Tristan was still nowhere in sight. It was moments like this that I wished they both acted like adults and got along, so that they'd both travel together and so things like normal partners do.

Maybe, just maybe, if they weren't so egoistic and just agreed to work together, Mia wouldn't have almost killed me.

I sighed, knowing I wasn't upset with Tristan or his partner, I was just frustrated with nothing or no one to channel that frustration to.

I eyed the man as he grew closer, and I could see why they didn't get along. His aura was so...stiff. He legit intimidated me, and no one does that. No one.

"Good day mam. I am Detective Sean Edwards. I'd just like to ask you a few questions if that's okay with you?" I nodded silently, even though his 'question' didn't sound like a question at all, but merely telling me that he'd ask me even if I didn't want to answer.

"Please, call me Cianna" I offered, hating how he said 'mam'. His left eyebrow arched perfectly at my name, and I didn't understand why until he spoke.

"As in Cianna Leir?"

"Yes.." I trailed, silently asking him how he knew that.

"You're one of the suspects" He said mostly to himself with a look on his face that told me he was drawing up his conclusions already. I knew, because Tristan had one of those looks too.

"Being a suspect is what got me in this mess" I mumbled, feeling quite flustered.

"Hmm and were you the one who made the call?" He took out his notepad and pen as he scribbled something down while I simply hummed. "Do you have any idea why Miss Walters might try and kill you?"

I gave him a deadpanned look, since it was quite obvious to anyone with eyes why the witch was after me. If he was on this case too, he must've known. I knew that he knew, but I answered him nonetheless.

"She thought I 'took' Sheldon from her. I have no idea why she believes that, but I think she was so consumed by wrath that she killed him for maybe cheating on her or whatever. Or if they met only two month ago like you guys suggested, maybe he saw her crazy, was trying to break off the engagement and she killed him and is now after me because she believes I might've been the reason" I let out a breath as I ended, feeling quite lighter after saying it out loud. Detective Edwards raised another eyebrow at me.

"That's a very impressive observation Ms Leir. How did you come to such a conclusion?"

"I watch a lot of movies" I admitted unashamedly. It's true.

I was surprised to see him actually chuckling as he tucked his notepad back into his blazer.

"Well that is it for now Miss Leir. But for now, I suggest you consider going into protective custody until we bring Mia in. But you know since you're a suspect, you can't leave the state."

"What? Yes I can. I would only be under extradition if I am charged for the murder. But I am only a suspect" I fired back with a little too much sass, but his smirk told me that he wasn't serious.

His eyes regarded me as if he was reading me like a book, and that's when I realized he only said that to see how I'd react. That in fact, if I reacted a certain way, he'd know for sure if I was indeed planning on fleeing. Then maybe, he'd be able to pull me higher on his suspect list. I can read people too Mister Detective.

"Again, quite impressive. You must've been doing your research on murder suspects and charges Ms. Leir" I narrowed my eyes at him, seeing clearly why Tristan didn't like him. He was simply trying to drill something out of me.

"You know I'm the victim here right? With all respect to Sheldon, he is dead and I know his family and loved ones, hell even me, want his killer to be brought to justice. But what I do not appreciate is-" I paused with my finger pointed at him for a proper Cianna scolding, but my eyes fell on the very man that I've been waiting for all day.

I jumped slightly at the sight of him walking towards us, but I had to resist the urge, since he was now on professional grounds and we were still keeping things hush until we knew where we went from here. Relief flooded his features as he spotted me too, and I couldn't help but reciprocate the feelings.

Detective Edwards followed my gaze to Tristan when I didn't continue cussing him out, but I quickly tried to get back his attention. The last thing I needed was for him to give Tristan a harder time knowing we were intimate.

"So" I clapped my hands twice, snapping his attention back to me. "If you are trying to get me to confess to Sheldon's murder instead of hunting down the real killer-"

"Why are you crying?" He asked, completely stopping my rambling .

"I beg your pardon?" I felt utterly disrespected that he just cut me off like that. No wonder Tristan couldn't work with him.

"Your eyes. You're crying" I burnt red when I remembered that my eyes were still recovering. Great. Now he'll think I was being emotional.

"It was pepper spray!" I defended with a stubborn huff. Deciding that I was done talking to this man.

Tristan appeared behind him, and he stepped aside a little to give me a better visual of the man that gave me butterflies by just looking at me.

"Detective Edwards" Tristan greeted firmly.

"Detective Deckor" He nodded back curtly as he eyed the way Tristan was looking at me.

"Ms. Leir." He nodded towards me. "I believe everything is okay?" I could see behind his eyes how hard he was trying not to take me in his arms, and I knew, since I felt the same way.

"I'm-" I cleared my throat as it came out higher than expected. "I'm fine. Detective Edwards was just here suggesting that I consider going into protective custody."

"But you are" He blurted out, making me widen my eyes at him.

"Oh? Where?" His partner asked, and I mentally face palmed.

"It doesn't matter. Thank you for your suggestion Detective. But I have been staying with a friend for the past days. If that is all?" I stood up as I asked, showing him that I was indeed done.

"By all means" He stepped aside and gestured for me to pass, and I quickly shot him a polite smile before turning to Tristan.

"Would you walk with me, Detective Deckor? I have something to discuss with you" I tried to sound as formal as possible as he quickly nodded before excusing himself.

He waited until we were far enough from his partner to speak, but I could feel him drilling holes in our retrieving forms with his eyes.

"Cianna what happened?"

"Exactly what I told you before Mia hit my phone out of my hand. She attacked me." I showed him the light red mark that was forming on my neck from the blade, and he quietly cursed under his breath.

He looked like he was having an internal battle with himself, so I quickly held his hand in reassurance, not caring if his obnoxious partner was watching still. "I'm okay Tristan, I'm just-I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

"No one will get hurt. I promise I'll bring her in, with or without evidence that she was behind Sheldon's murder. She will still be charged for breaking and entering , attempts of murder and possession of illegal firearms"

"Should put her away long enough" I mumbled, feeling somewhat better. By then, they must be able to find all the evidence against her in regards to Sheldon, then I wont ever have to worry about her hurting me or anyone close to me again.

Even Jessica, who was supposed to get discharged today, had to stay an extra day to ensure that the chaos didn't cause any more complications.

"Hey look at me" He stopped me so that I was facing him. We were in the hospital parking lot, so not many people were around. And the ones who were, weren't interested in us anyways. "I won't let anything happen to you. I just found you, and I'll be damned if I let her take you away from me"

My heart soared at his words, and I felt oddly reassured by his promise. Instead of answering, I jumped on my tip-toes and captured his lips with mine.

"I'll hold that to you." I mumbled against him, and I could feel as his lips stretched into a small smile.

"I'm counting on it."