16

Connections between her brother and the Collins? Killian wouldn't have been awarded this property if he hadn't bowed down to the rulers of this city—that was for sure. She was also pretty sure he had to forfeit a large chunk of his winnings to Marsh Collin to avoid succumbing to an "accident".

“I don't know any more." And she only admitted that because it was an open secret and her previous lie didn't stand out too much. Still, Arnold didn't believe a word she said, she could see that.

"Your brother is quite successful, despite stiff competition, he is able to pay his men handsomely and pay for your education. Don't you find that odd?" Samantha shrugged again. "I don't know much about accounting and I'm not interested in my brother's business." The latter was even true. She had never been particularly curious. As is well known, curiosity was the death of a cat. But Arnold seemed tired of her constantly putting a wall in front of his nose, because it was obvious that she was bricking.

"Ms Eveans, you are intelligent and nowhere near the blond dumb girl you say you are. You have a future ahead of you, far away from the swamp you grew up in. I could help you put this behind you." He couldn't corner her, so he tried to bait her. But Samantha would never work against her brother, who made all this possible for her.

"You're right, I'm not as ignorant as I make myself out to be, but I'm not under oath either, so I can lie to you as uninhibitedly as I please. I don't know how you got my brother to even allow this conversation, but the three minutes you so hard won are up." Arnold Spencer narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"I've got two more," he said. He had a good gut feeling about time and now it was Samantha's turn to grin gleefully.

"Not when I scream." Being alone in the room with her might have seemed like a good idea at first, but it could also put him in an awkward position. An older man alone with a pretty girl? if it had to be she would lie until the beams buckled to get rid of this bastard who was hoping his sister would help Killian drive the cart. It made her angry.

The smug grin he wore when he thought she was in the corner wasn't a trait for a cop to boast and she just wanted this man gone. Preferably voluntarily. Spencer's eyes sparkled with a hint of approval, and his voice went low, cooing, and so unmistakably aroused that she briefly thought she had misheard.

“Ms Eveans, you are full of surprises. I'm genuinely ecstatic." Oh yes, she looked at him and a disgusted, ice-cold shiver ran down her spine. She couldn't shake the distinct feeling that that she had suddenly catapulted herself from a useful factor to a worthy opponent on Arnold Spencer's list of personal interests. The older man's mouth just twitched enthusiastically and he eyed her again. Much more interested in her personally this time.

"Who would have thought that. A woman with backbone," he murmured, more to himself, and she noticed very clearly that he no longer referred to her as a girl. She felt nauseous again, she thought she had cornered him with that, but Spencer obviously liked it extremely well and he didn't seem in the least threatened. She cleared her throat and fought her voice back.

"If you have no more questions, I would ask you to exercise a little empathy and leave. That left a bitter aftertaste.

"My condolences, Ms Eveans. I'll do my best to find your father," he said all of a sudden, rather seriously, implying that despite all his flaws, he somehow had the enthusiasm of a cop. Samantha frowned and tried to appear nonchalant. " Why? It was suicide, what does my father have to do with it?" Spencer looked at her intently.

"Your mother's complaints were well known and we cannot rule out that your father was responsible for, or at least deliberately ignored, the emotional moment that took your mother's life." but with the right arguments in court, her father would at least get a penalty for grossly negligent failure to provide assistance. That, along with his criminal record, would put him behind bars for a year or two. Samantha nodded thoughtfully, but didn't dare hope that the officers would actually be able to apprehend her father.

"I wish I could help you with that, but I must confess I didn't see him last night. I came out of class at around seven o'clock, saw his shoes in the hallway and went to my brother without hesitation," she said sincerely. Samantha was honestly surprised that the initial inconvenience has now turned into an open conversation between the police officer and the witness revealed. To her surprise, Spencer even pulled out a small notebook and made a note.

"How long does it take you from the university to your home?"

"About twenty minutes and another five until I got to Killian's. I took a taxi on the way to the club," she explained curtly. Spencer nodded professionally. Then he closed his pad again and put it back in his pocket. Then, with a quick glance at his watch, he turned back to the nearby door. "Thank you for your cooperation, I am sure we will meet again, Ms Eveans. In case you have any questions or think of anything, I'll leave my card here." He slid a small card onto the kitchen counter and grabbed the doorknob, when Killian entered the apartment and demonstratively let the man pass. The men met each other with biting politeness.

'Thank you Mr Eveans, I'll find my way out. You have a most adorable sister." Killian growled and Spencer grinned widely before glancing at Samantha before disappearing down the hallway. It was incredibly quiet for a moment, then Thomas followed the officer without prompting Then Killian walked into his apartment and slammed the door behind him angry and undeniably curious about what his sister had told the cop Samantha groaned internally, guessing another fight was coming to. No doubt so that he doesn't get lost on the way out.

Then Killian entered his apartment and slammed the door behind him. Angry and undeniably curious about what his sister had told the cop. Samantha groaned inwardly, there must have been another fight coming up. No doubt so that he doesn't get lost on the way out. Then Killian entered his apartment and slammed the door behind him. Angry and undeniably curious about what his sister had told the cop. Samantha groaned inwardly, there must have been another fight coming up.