Page 72 of Enchant Me

“He loved Sofia. He’d had a huge crush on her all through our childhood. He dialed it back, of course, but it never faded. I don’t want him punished—not for killing a man like Jeremiah—but I can’t let Ash dangle on this hook.”

“No, of course not.” He sighed. “Let’s go talk to Alaine.”

Damien drove, with Ryan riding shotgun as he sent orders to his team to interview the neighbors on the chance that someone else was caught on camera approaching Jeremiah’s home.

It took about half an hour, but Damien had called ahead, and Alaine was waiting for him when they reached his Beverly Hills home.

“I don’t have much time before I need to get to the restaurant,” he said, once they were settled in Alaine’s home office. “What did you need to talk about?”

“Jeremiah’s dead,” Damien said bluntly.

Alaine’s eyes widened only slightly. “Good God. How?”

“Blunt force trauma. Someone hit him in the head with a sculpture he kept in the living room.”

“I—I would say I’m sorry, but I know how you felt about him.”

“I’m not sorry he’s dead,” Damien said. “I’m sorry that my son—Ash—is the San Diego police department’s only suspect.”

Alaine leaned back in his chair, the shock evident on his face. “Ash?”

“He was there. They have him on the doorbell camera. But Ash says he didn’t kill him, and I believe him.”

“But then—well—who did?”

“We don’t know.” Damien sighed, then shifted in the leather arm chair. “If we don’t find out, I’m afraid they’ll prosecute Ash. All things considered, they’d have a good case.”

He glanced at Ryan, who shook his head, signaling that so far none of the team had turned up any other surveillance footage in the neighborhood.

“To be honest, Alaine, we’re here because of what our own private investigation has found. Not on the doorbell camera, but from security footage from the neighbors. There’s evidence that we think will exonerate Ash. And we’re hoping that the actual perpetrator turns himself in before my son is put on trial for something he didn’t do.”

Ryan’s brows rose subtly, but he didn’t question Damien’s lie. He just sat back, and continued working his phone.

“I understand,” Alaine said. “But I’m not sure why you’re here.”

Damien’s gut twisted with both doubt and fear. What if he was wrong, and Alaine had nothing to do with Jeremiah’s murder? What if it was random, and they never found the culprit? For that matter, what if it was Ash, and Damien was wrong in trusting his son?

But no. As to the last, he did trust Ash. And if Alaine really was innocent, that was something to celebrate, because surely they’d find the true culprit.

“Damien?” Alaine pressed, rubbing his palms on his slacks. “I don’t understand why you came.”

“I thought you should know. After what I told you about how Jeremiah covered for Richter—how he facilitated that man’s abuse—I thought you deserved to hear from me personally.”

“Ah. Of course. I’m glad you did.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m so sorry. I need to get ready.”

“Of course.” Damien and Ryan rose.

“Keep me posted about the investigation?”

“We will,” Damien assured him, hoping his disappointment didn’t show in his voice. He’d been so certain that Alaine had killed Jeremiah, and now he had no idea how he was going to protect his son.

“So that’s it,” Damien said as he and Ryan approached the car. “We’ve got nothing. I need your team working around the clock.”

“Already on it,” Ryan said. “I promise you, Damien, we’ll—”

“Damien.”

He turned to find Alaine hurrying toward them. He stopped in front of Damien, his head shaking. “I loved that girl,” he began. “I did. She only had eyes for you, but I loved her.”