there. Probably too innocent for him, but he wasn’t walking away. Not again. “But you did something.”
He nodded and ripped open a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese. He’d already done the first layer of eggplants, now it was time for the cheese and sauce layer. “Yeah, got her to a shelter and from there, the system did its job for once.” Thank God. It didn’t always work out that way. Of course Suzanne would have had to skirt the system in order to get a new, fake identity and he was glad she’d found those resources.
“So he went to jail for abusing his wife and what, blamed you for the fact that he beat his own wife?” Now Athena sounded incredulous and pissed. Her tone made him smile and when he looked at her again, her Mediterranean blue eyes were sparking with anger.
“That and…” He internally cringed. No way around telling her. “He tried to kill me. Came to my house to supposedly just talk but then attacked me with a pistol in full view of some neighbors. I disarmed him, but one of my neighbors got it on video, along with him clearly stating he was going to kill me.” Quinn hadn’t been sure if he should tell her, but hell, she needed all the facts, especially since Glenn had personally come in contact with her.
Athena let out a small gasp, her fingers clenching around the stem of her wine glass just a fraction harder. “How is he out of prison then?”
Quinn’s jaw tightened again, but some things he had to let go. The justice system was broken and he could get angry about it, but it wouldn’t change anything. “Him trying to kill me was actually a blessing. For Suzanne at least. He wouldn’t have gone away for as long as he did for just spousal abuse.”
“So how long did he get sent away for?”
“Six years.”
She was silent a moment, watching him curiously. He swore he could actually hear her thinking. “That’s how long you’ve been with Red Stone.”
He nodded. “Yes, and to answer what you’re not asking, that whole incident is why I left the police department. Well, part of the reason anyway.” Quinn would tell her all the rest eventually, but it wasn’t important now.
“Six years doesn’t seem like a long time for murder.”
“Attempted murder. He took a deal and accepted a lesser charge to avoid a trial. And the term was eight to ten years but he got out early for good behavior. That shit…ah, stuff happens all the time, unfortunately.” He shook his head in disgust.
“So what happened to his wife, or ex-wife, I’m guessing now?” Athena took a small sip of her wine.
“I honestly don’t know. She ghosted out of town, cut contact with anyone from her past. I think she probably got a new ID and settled somewhere far from here. Just a guess, of course, but I’m glad.”
“You think he’ll go after her?”
Quinn shrugged. “No. I think if he could find her, he absolutely would, but my gut says he won’t.” Because if Quinn couldn’t locate Suzanne, then no way in hell would Glenn be able to. He didn’t have the resources anymore. Suzanne had deserved a fresh start and the truth was, just moving wouldn’t have saved her. Glenn would have come after her later and eventually killed her if he’d been able.
She shook her head. “That’s terrifying.”
“Yeah, but he fu…screwed up tonight with you. I’m on guard now, and he’s not getting past me.”
Athena was silent, contemplative for a long moment, but he saw the relief in her eyes. “What happened to the men who looked the other way, the ones who were with your squad?”
“They were eventually let go for unrelated issues. Technically anyway.” Finished with the layering, he opened her oven and slid the glass casserole dish inside.
“Ah, so the powers that be couldn’t fire them for looking the other way, but found another reason to get rid of them.” Her tone was approving.
Another reason—not that he needed one—he wanted to kiss her. “Yep. They deserved it too.” As he
He nodded and ripped open a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese. He’d already done the first layer of eggplants, now it was time for the cheese and sauce layer. “Yeah, got her to a shelter and from there, the system did its job for once.” Thank God. It didn’t always work out that way. Of course Suzanne would have had to skirt the system in order to get a new, fake identity and he was glad she’d found those resources.
“So he went to jail for abusing his wife and what, blamed you for the fact that he beat his own wife?” Now Athena sounded incredulous and pissed. Her tone made him smile and when he looked at her again, her Mediterranean blue eyes were sparking with anger.
“That and…” He internally cringed. No way around telling her. “He tried to kill me. Came to my house to supposedly just talk but then attacked me with a pistol in full view of some neighbors. I disarmed him, but one of my neighbors got it on video, along with him clearly stating he was going to kill me.” Quinn hadn’t been sure if he should tell her, but hell, she needed all the facts, especially since Glenn had personally come in contact with her.
Athena let out a small gasp, her fingers clenching around the stem of her wine glass just a fraction harder. “How is he out of prison then?”
Quinn’s jaw tightened again, but some things he had to let go. The justice system was broken and he could get angry about it, but it wouldn’t change anything. “Him trying to kill me was actually a blessing. For Suzanne at least. He wouldn’t have gone away for as long as he did for just spousal abuse.”
“So how long did he get sent away for?”
“Six years.”
She was silent a moment, watching him curiously. He swore he could actually hear her thinking. “That’s how long you’ve been with Red Stone.”
He nodded. “Yes, and to answer what you’re not asking, that whole incident is why I left the police department. Well, part of the reason anyway.” Quinn would tell her all the rest eventually, but it wasn’t important now.
“Six years doesn’t seem like a long time for murder.”
“Attempted murder. He took a deal and accepted a lesser charge to avoid a trial. And the term was eight to ten years but he got out early for good behavior. That shit…ah, stuff happens all the time, unfortunately.” He shook his head in disgust.
“So what happened to his wife, or ex-wife, I’m guessing now?” Athena took a small sip of her wine.
“I honestly don’t know. She ghosted out of town, cut contact with anyone from her past. I think she probably got a new ID and settled somewhere far from here. Just a guess, of course, but I’m glad.”
“You think he’ll go after her?”
Quinn shrugged. “No. I think if he could find her, he absolutely would, but my gut says he won’t.” Because if Quinn couldn’t locate Suzanne, then no way in hell would Glenn be able to. He didn’t have the resources anymore. Suzanne had deserved a fresh start and the truth was, just moving wouldn’t have saved her. Glenn would have come after her later and eventually killed her if he’d been able.
She shook her head. “That’s terrifying.”
“Yeah, but he fu…screwed up tonight with you. I’m on guard now, and he’s not getting past me.”
Athena was silent, contemplative for a long moment, but he saw the relief in her eyes. “What happened to the men who looked the other way, the ones who were with your squad?”
“They were eventually let go for unrelated issues. Technically anyway.” Finished with the layering, he opened her oven and slid the glass casserole dish inside.
“Ah, so the powers that be couldn’t fire them for looking the other way, but found another reason to get rid of them.” Her tone was approving.
Another reason—not that he needed one—he wanted to kiss her. “Yep. They deserved it too.” As he
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