Davina was enjoying her new life. In some ways, she was glad the incident had happened as traumatizing as it was to have witnessed and especially for the victim to actually experience.
Each day she was finding herself hoping more than the last for a relationship with the detective to blossom. Betsy really turned her on. She liked the idea of telling people she was with a detective. She was attracted to Betsy, she was attracted to her job, and she was attracted to her personality. She had a perfect mix of humor and intelligence and knew when to be assertive while remaining sensitive.
The only problem was that she wasn’t sure she was picking up the same vibrations from the detective. She didn’t want to go there in her mind, but she knew she had to accept that there was a real possibility that nothing would happen between them.
Even though she knew she wasn’t supposed to, she wandered up to the bay window in front without even realizing it and gazed down at the empty street below.
Even though Lane had been arrested, the sicko was out on bond. It was just her luck that his parents had money. Therefore, she wouldn’t be any safer until he was locked up for longer than a day, but with her hopes set on moving in permanently, it wouldn’t matter where the bastard was.
Her roommates were already talking about moving, and there was no way she could afford the place by herself. So if the would-be killer went looking for her there, he’d be out of luck. She also wouldn’t want to live by herself anyway. She would be very lonely. She would go back home before she got a place of her own. Her parents had returned home, and her mother was already suggesting she come home. She appreciated the offer and was glad to know it was there as a backup, but that would only be as a last resort.
The bastard had been arraigned and pleaded not guilty, which meant they had to go to trial, which also meant she would have to testify along with the victim since she was a witness. He just couldn’t have made it easier on everyone by just pleading guilty, accepting his sentence, and letting everybody get on with their lives.
She found the days to be somewhat boring, especially when she wasn’t working. Betsy wasn’t usually around, so she had to fill the time with exercising, household chores, and social media. She had to be careful on social media and make sure she never mentioned her whereabouts or Betsy’s name, even in private messages.
Eventually, she stopped staring at nothing and pulled away from the window. She really liked the cute little apartment. The neighbors were quiet, whoever they were. All Betsy had said was that there was a guy below them who was a trucker and never home, an older woman next door, and a younger couple below her.
She slowly paced through the place, feeling hopeful about her future in the way that most young people did. She was enjoying the present moment as well, knowing that Betsy’s inevitable return would easily compensate for her present restlessness.
Just then there was a knock on the door below. Davina’s heartbeat sped up. She knew there was always the chance that Lane might have figured out where she was staying and also when she was alone, and that he could very well kick his way in before help arrived.
She ran into the living room and grabbed her cell phone before quietly descending the stairs and peeking out the peephole.
Oh. It was Detective Knight.
Davina thought she was good-looking as well, just not as good-looking as Betsy. They looked nothing alike either. Where Betsy was average height, average weight, and had dark hair and eyes, Detective Rochelle Knight was tall, skinny, and had light brown hair and blue eyes.
She undid the chain and slid the deadbolt and then opened the door. “Hi,” Davina said with a smile.
“Hello,” the detective said. “Just here to pick up that folder.”
For a minute Davina didn’t know what she was talking about, and then she remembered. “Oh, yeah, that’s right. Come on upstairs.”
The detective followed her into the kitchen. Davina opened a drawer, pulled out a manila file folder, and handed it to her. “Here you go.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
There was a moment of silence, and then Davina thought she was going to head back downstairs. Instead, she said, “So how are you holding up?”
“Okay,” said Davina. “Sometimes I get bored hanging out here by myself when I’m not working.”
The detective nodded with understanding. “You should have your freedom back pretty soon, from what I’ve heard.”
“I don’t know if it will be that soon since the trial date won’t be for another month or so.”
“Yeah,” the detective said in an unfortunate tone. “The wheels of justice often do turn slowly.”
“It’s okay. I really like hanging out with Betsy.”
Surprise flickered across Rochelle’s eyes for a second, and she said, “Yeah?”
Davina smiled and nodded, and that’s when she started to suspect that Detective Knight actually liked her.
Or was she just imagining it?
Davina hadn’t been specific in her wording, so did the detective think she was in a relationship with Betsy? She wasn’t sure, and she didn’t want to specify her hopes either. It was between her and Betsy. Unless they actually did establish a relationship, of course, or it was certain that they wouldn’t.
Filling in the awkward silence, Davina said, “Anything else I can do for you, Detective?”
“Nope. This will be it. Thanks.” She turned to leave, and Davina followed her. “Be sure to lock the door securely behind me.”
“I will.”
After Knight was gone, she tried to make sense of what just happened.
Had she read her wrong, or was there something going on she didn’t realize?
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