Reborn (Page 82)

“I know it’s hard, Della,” Burnett said, “but if this kid did this…”

Innocent. Innocent. Innocent. “Yes, it’s hard, but that’s the problem. I don’t know if he did it. I can’t … I’m not sure.”

Burnett let go of a deep gulp of air and looked at Chase. “Please tell me you got something,” he said.

Chase nodded. “It’s him.”

Della watched him blink. Unwillingly, she glanced at Billy. Billy had tears in his eyes, eyes that expressed self-loathing. Her breath expanded in her chest and she stood up. Stood up so fast, her chair hit the tile floor behind her.

Innocent. Innocent. Innocent.

“Chase isn’t being completely truthful,” she told Burnett. “He’s not sure. You can’t blame the kid for this.” She personally knew how it felt to consider yourself a murderer. The pain, the shame could cripple you.

Burnett looked shocked. He glanced at Chase. “Is this true?”

“No,” he said.

Della couldn’t believe Chase’s nerve, his gall. “Look at him, Chase!” she insisted, and pointed to the glass wall. “He’s nothing but a kid. You’re going to let him go through this when you’re not sure?”

Chase didn’t look at Della. He looked at Burnett. “The kid did it.”

Chapter Twenty-nine

“Della!” Burnett called her back as she jumped out of his car and hotfooted toward her cabin when they returned from the FRU offices. She jogged through the gate and debated ignoring his call. But knowing Burnett, he’d come find her.

So she turned around and saw the camp leader wave Chase on his merry way. She hoped he went straight to hell, too. Or she did if Billy Jennings was innocent. But what if he isn’t? It wasn’t that she didn’t consider the possibility. She did, but … everything inside her said he was innocent.

Everything. Including that stupid voice.

When Chase walked past her he said, “I’m sorry. I did what I thought was right.”

Della scowled at him. He was lying. So how could it have been right?

Burnett walked up beside her and motioned her to walk to the office. Oh, hell, on top of being pissed, she was going to get read the riot act. She was in no mood.

She needed to be alone. Midnight had come and gone over an hour ago, and with every toss and turn her mind landed on one of her issues. She’d kissed the panty perv. And even worse, she’d enjoyed it. She was secretly worried she had the same virus that had killed her cousin. She’d discovered how inadequate she was as a vampire. And she’d assisted in ruining the life of a kid who very well could be innocent.

Holiday met them in the entrance of the office. From the look on her face, Burnett had already spoken to her and warned her of what went down.

“I know that was hard,” Holiday said as she got Della positioned on her sofa. Holiday sat beside her, resting one hand on her ever-growing baby bulge. Burnett leaned against the office desk. He looked upset, but not nearly as upset as Della felt. Or Billy, she thought, only guessing what the kid was going through right now.

“What’s hard is that he would take Chase’s word over mine!” she said to Holiday, but glared at Burnett. “Even after he told me he knows Chase’s not being honest.”

“I didn’t take his word over yours,” Burnett said.

“You kept the kid.”

“I kept him because he’s a murder suspect.”

“Wow, and here I thought you were innocent until proven guilty.”

“I said suspect, not murderer. I haven’t proven him guilty.”

“You might as well have if you’re locking him up. He knows you think he committed murder. And because he can’t remember, he probably believes he did it, too. He’s a fresh turn, he already thinks he’s a monster and now you’re confirming it for him.”

Burnett shook his head. “What happened to the Della who came to me a few days ago? All you talked about was wanting justice for the victims. You even went to the girl’s funeral. You insisted you wanted to catch the bastard who did it. And now—”

“Nothing has changed!” she spit out. “I want justice,” she insisted. “And if the kid’s guilty then throw the book at him, but not until you know he did it. You don’t have enough evidence to hold him—neither Chase or I are absolutely certain, despite what he said.”

Holiday reached over and touched Della’s arm. “Let’s stay calm.”

Della felt the tension in her chest ease, but it wasn’t enough. Innocent. Innocent. Innocent.

Burnett ran a hand over his face and then met her gaze. “Even without Chase recognizing the boy’s trace, I would have held him until I got the DNA evidence back.”

“And if he’s innocent, he’s suffering for no reason.” Della paused. “Why didn’t you just check his bite marks like you did with me when you brought me in? At least speed things up so he’s not suffering unnecessarily.”

Burnett flinched as if he didn’t like that memory any more than she did. “The bite marks weren’t clear, the wounds were too bad.” He exhaled loudly. “Look, Della, even if this kid didn’t commit the murders, he joined a rogue gang. Getting scared may straighten him out.”

She felt emotion rise in her throat. “When you talk like that it shows that you were born with the live virus. You don’t have any idea how it feels to be turned.”

“I know that—”

“No, you don’t know. You’ve never had to see yourself as a monster. I’ll bet more fresh turns join gangs so they don’t have to commit murder than those who join them to do terrible things. Chan told me that the gangs promise to provide blood and that they only kill when necessary.”

“I know that, Della, but my job—”

“Your job is to provide justice, and tonight I’m not so sure that happened for Billy.”

“Why are you so sure he’s innocent?” Burnett asked.

His question gave her another pause. She’d asked herself the same thing and came up empty. “I don’t know, but my gut says he is.” Her gut and the stupid voice in her head.

Della flinched as the image of the couple flashed in her head.

She looked at Holiday. “Has Lorraine come back to see you? You could ask her, maybe she could tell you.”

Holiday shook her head. “She hasn’t appeared again. I don’t know if she’s crossed over or just hasn’t wanted to communicate yet.”