Page 110 of A First Sight
“So you never co-signed for anything with him? Not a car or a loan or anything?”
“No, and I took my name off the checking account after I left him.” I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the table. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Detective Kozuch sighed. “Dale’s been using your name to secure loans of various kinds. He’s gotten himself in quite a bit of debt. Putting your name as a co-signer.”
“Asshole,” I breathed.
“We’ll be filing fraud charges against him too,” Kozuch said. “I just wanted to make sure I was on the right track, and you didn’t agree to any loans.”
“Dale’s really going away, isn’t he?”
“I think we can put together a solid case, so yeah, he’s going away.” Detective Kozuch turned off the recorder. “I’ll need to talk to you on and off as I finish up my investigation, and the prosecutor probably will too, but for right now, we’re done. You’re free to go.”
I stood, relieved. Finally, Dale was out of my life. My legs were shaky.
Free.
That was a good word to describe how I felt. I was no longer afraid of the future. After all, I wasn’t facing it alone. I had Drake. My own Scottish hero.
EIGHTY-ONE
DRAKE
I had finishedwith the detective, and then did a quick errand, before Maggie and Kozuch were done, so I waited for her.
I wanted to feel her in my arms, comfort her, and let her know she was safe.
When she finally came out, she looked exhausted, but there was a light in her eyes that I hadn’t seen before. Relief mixed with joy.
It was simple. Dale could never hurt Maggie again.
“Thank you for waiting,” she said as she stepped into my open arms. She pressed her face against my chest, breathing deeply, and it felt like heaven.
“Take me home.” Her words were muffled. “Please.”
The sweetest words to my ears. “Aye.” I kissed the top of her head and took her hand.
When we arrived, she followed me into the building and then upstairs to my penthouse.
“Do you want something to drink?” I asked as we removed our shoes and jackets. “Coffee? Maybe a glass of wine? It’s been a crazy day.”
She gave me a small smile. “You know…wine would be perfect.”
I wanted to see her relax, and I touched her cheek and gave her a soft kiss. “I think we both need a little something.”
She covered my hand and pressed it to her cheek. “Mmm. This feels good, but would you mind? I need a quick shower. I just feel…”
Her voice trailed off, but I didn’t need her to explain. I felt like scrubbing off the Leightons, and I’d barely been inside their house.
“I’ll have it waiting when you get out.” I smiled and watched her walk down the hallway.
About fifteen minutes later, I had two glasses of wine ready and sitting on the coffee table when Maggie came back. Her hair was dry, twisted up behind her head, and she wore one of her favorite comfort ‘outfits’—a soft fluffy robe that completely enveloped her. Even in a bathrobe, she looked beautiful, and I noticed how it opened near her breast, revealing the gentle rise.
“What’s this?” she asked when she saw the large box on the table.
“Open it.”
As she sat and opened the box her face opened up in the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. “My mom’s violin. But how?” She looked at me, her face bursting with excitement.
