Page 34 of Dancing With Doubt

“I can’t believe you said that to her.” Wendy snickered once the detective was out of reach, her gleeful smile on Roxie.

“She’s had it coming. She’s lucky I’m not the violent type, the way she’s treated me.” Roxie paused to frown. “But then, I’m probably the lucky one, the woman is a cop, after all.”

“Well, she can’t put you in jail for calling her out on her attitude,” June said and looked around. “Why don’t we go back inside the restaurant? We can all wait in there. I’m sure the detective will have questions.”

“Oh, she will.” Roxie nodded vigorously, but followed behind June without debate. “She always has questions.”

“You’re right.” Wendy agreed, her hand coming up to take Roxie’s elbow in support of her friend. “That woman is a piece of…”

“Hey, what’s going on? I checked around the bathroom and the kitchen, everywhere I could think of that he might be, whether he had a reason to go there or not.” Kai said as he came running up to them.

“I doubt you’ll find him inside. Something has happened. The driver’s side window of his car has been smashed in, his keys were on the ground, and his phone is still in the car.” Roxie informed him, a little peeved that he hadn’t taken her seriously to begin with.

With all the drama that was taking place in her life, he should have known better than to dismiss her worries. Sure, Lincoln could handle himself in most situations, and no, he hadn’t been a target for any of the people that wished to harm Roxie, but things changed.

Roxie felt bad for her moment of anger, but she couldn’t help the lingering resentment. Who knew where Lincoln was and the more time that passed, the further away he could be, or the more danger he could be in. Fuck, why hadn’t Kai listened?

“Let’s get some more coffee and wait for the detectives,” June said, her grip on Roxie’s other elbow a little tighter.

Roxie looked over at her long-lost friend and felt shame wash over her. Of course, June was his sister, she’d be just as upset, if not more so. “I’m sorry, June. I didn’t even think about you being his sister.”

“It’s okay, Roxie. It’s been a long time, and you’re upset.” June took her old seat and Roxie followed suit. Wendy took the seat Lincoln had sat in while their other friends stood around, trying to figure out how to help.

“Do you want coffee or something harder? Maybe both?” The waiter that had served them all night asked.

“A shot of bourbon and a cup of coffee for me, please,” Roxie answered, hoping the alcohol would steady her nerves.

“I’ve got my team out searching for him,” Kai said as he came back in. Roxie noted how Kai sat on June’s other side behaving almost as if he were her boyfriend but didn’t say anything about it. Now wasn’t the time to point out anything like that.

Roxie had downed the bourbon and was halfway through her coffee by the time the detective came in and zeroed in on Roxie. “Right, tell me what you know.”

“I know what you know. He went out to get his phone and he didn’t come back. We didn’t think anything of it at first, but I started to wonder what was keeping him.”

Kai took up where she left off. “When we grew concerned, I went to check the bathroom while Roxie and everybody else went to check outside.”

“Hm, okay.” The woman drawled as if she didn’t believe a word either said. “And I suppose you’re going to tell me this has something to do with that boyfriend of yours? Or did you break up with him before you moved on to the rich guy?”

Roxie's blue eyes turned to ice as she glared at the detective over the insinuation. “The man has assaulted me twice now. Do you really think I’d stay with him? And I didn’t move on to the rich guy, as you put it. Lincoln and I are old friends.”

“But you’re sleeping with him, right? Maybe your old boyfriend isn’t happy about that?” The detective pressed, her eyes just as hard as Roxie’s.

“I’m going to let most of this slide, detective, since you’re investigating why he’s gone missing. But keep on and I’ll report you for being unprofessional and whatever else I can think of.” Roxie said evenly, her head high as she looked down her nose at the woman, even though Roxie was the one sitting down.

“Whatever. Do what you like. People like you, well...” The woman’s voice trailed off as another detective came in. It would seem her poison tongue could be stilled, then.

Roxie was certain she didn’t want the other detective hearing how she spoke to Roxie but didn’t care. “Listen, I don’t care what you think of me, just find Lincoln. Do your job for once, won’t you? If you’d found Nathan sooner this might not have happened.”

“Oh, so you know it was your ex? How do you know that?” Detective Slater asked, her eyes bright with triumph, as if she’d managed to catch Roxie in a lie.

“I don’t, I’m just assuming it has something to do with him. Lincoln may have other enemies, he’s a businessman, it happens, but I doubt this is anybody but Nathan’s doing.” Roxie decided to shut up when the detective’s eyes didn’t change.

Roxie doubted she’d ever know what the woman’s problem with her was, and didn’t really care if she did, but she did want the woman to do her job. Saying anything that might implicate herself was stupid and maybe antagonizing the woman wasn’t smart either. “Kai, can you tell her anything else?”

The detective’s attention turned to the handsome Chinese man whose wealth surpassed anything Roxie could imagine. She noted the way the detective turned polite, almost subservient as she spoke to Kai. Roxie could barely hide the way she rolled her eyes, but the detective wasn’t looking at her now, thank fuck.

An hour passed before the detective said they could all leave. Roxie was going to call a cab, but Dylan walked up and offered to take her home. Roxie gathered her things and left with Dylan and Emily. Emily sat in the backseat with Roxie while Dylan drove to Lincoln’s house.

“Would you two like to come in for a few minutes? I could use the company.” Roxie was extremely tired suddenly, despite the coffee, but didn’t want to be alone just yet. She knew more people would stream in, June, Mandy and Tanya, maybe even Kai and Trevon, but she would be alone until one of them arrived.