Watch Me (Dark Obsession #1)(24)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“I did some digging on that incident,” Faith said. “And I’m not so sure it was an accident.”

Her words pulled Gwen’s gaze off Ethan. “What?”

“She was driving a brand new car. Her brakes shouldn’t have gone out, not without some help. If we still had the car, I’d get my techs to go over it…because I’d lay odds we might find some new evidence in that case.”

Gwen rubbed her aching temple.

“Men like this…obsessive stalkers…they don’t just suddenly develop the condition overnight. Ethan Barclay has done this before, in other relationships. I’d bet my badge on it.”

And she understood why the detective had brought up Ethan’s ex-fiancée. “You think he killed before.”

“Some men have a hard time taking ‘no’ for an answer.” Faith stepped closer and stared through the glass. A badge was clipped to her right hip and a gun holster was on her left. “His lawyer won’t let him talk to me. Not to any cop. She’s pulling every string she’s got so the guy can get out of here as fast as possible.” Faith glanced over at Gwen. “I’m going to be very honest with you. It doesn’t matter how much power Will has in this town, the judge can’t keep Ethan locked up forever. He will get out on bail. And when he does, you need to be prepared.” There was a dark warning in Faith’s eyes. “He’s locked on you, and I don’t see him just turning away now.”

He’s going to come after me again. And to think, she’d tried to push off her father’s protection. “My dad was right all along.”

“Yeah, well, when you tell him that, Will is going to be even harder to live with.”

Faith kept speaking so easily about Gwen’s father. Suspicion nagged at Gwen. She’d wondered about the two of them before…

Once again, Faith looked through the one-way mirror. “Chance is going over those videos with Lex and Dev. If he was in here with us now, Chance would never let you do what I’m about to suggest.”

Gwen’s shoulders stiffened. “He doesn’t ‘let’ me do anything. I make my own decisions and choices.” The guy could rage all he wanted. She wasn’t backing down for anyone. My life. My way.

“Like I said…Ethan in there won’t talk to a cop, but you aren’t exactly a cop.”

Gwen’s palms started to sweat.

“You want to find out if Ethan hired the driver of that van? Then why don’t you go in there and ask him. He’s cuffed, and I’ll make sure an officer stays in the room with you at all times.” Faith glanced over at Gwen. “If he’s as hooked on you as I think, he’ll want to talk to you. He’ll want to tell you what’s been happening. Want to convince you that he’s not the monster you think he is.” Her expression tightened. “But he is a monster, never forget that.”

Right. Gwen slowly blew out a breath. “I’m going in.” Because it was her decision. Her life. Chance and Gwen’s father had already played her enough. She wanted this nightmare to end, and the man sitting cuffed in that little room—he could end it for her. Ethan could give her the name of the man who’d been in that van. Man—or men. Whoever it was that Ethan had hired to terrorize her.

Then she could walk away. Start putting the pieces of her life back together.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Faith murmured. She turned and headed for the hallway that led into interrogation. “Stay cool and stay in control,” Faith advised her. “He’s the one in cuffs. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Gwen followed, her steps a bit slower. The creak of the interrogation room door opening sounded far too loud to her ears.

He can’t hurt you anymore.

Ethan looked up when the door opened. The instant he saw Gwen, he jumped to his feet. “Gwen! Finally! I’ve been telling my lawyer that I needed to talk to you—”

He had? Well, no wonder Faith had pushed for this little one-on-one.

“Five minutes,” Faith said, her voice flat. “That’s all the time you get with her, Barclay.”

Ah, so Faith was acting as if she didn’t want this little meeting. Clever. Another way to manipulate Ethan. Gwen was all for manipulating the guy. Especially considering how much the man had been tormenting her.

Then Faith turned on her heel and left the room. The door closed behind the detective. Goosebumps immediately rose on Gwen’s arms. It was oddly cold in that little room.

A uniformed officer watched from the corner.

“I wouldn’t hurt you,” Ethan said. His voice seemed to drip with sincerity. Like she’d be buying his lines anytime ever again. “I hope you know that, Gwen. No, I need you to know that.”

She just glared at him. “Sit back down, Ethan.” She didn’t want the guy towering over her.

His eyes crinkled faintly at the corners, as if he were trying to figure her out, but he slowly sat down. She didn’t. One thing she’d learned from her father’s business dealings…when you were facing an adversary, you needed to stay in a position of strength. Sure, her standing while Ethan was sitting wasn’t exactly much of a power play, but it still made her feel better.

“I should have explained things sooner,” Ethan said, his voice a bit halting. “But I didn’t think you’d believe me. And I thought…hell, maybe it wouldn’t happen with you. Maybe you’d be safe. You’d left me, after all…so maybe—”

She lifted her hand, stopping him. “What are you talking about?” The guy’s words were so jumbled that she could barely understand him.

His lips thinned. “You’re being stalked.”

She almost laughed. “I know. By you.”

“No.” Ethan shook his head. “I was protecting you. That’s why I had cameras at your place. You’d cut me out of your life, got that restraining order. I couldn’t get close, but I had to make sure he didn’t come for you, too.”

Her chest was aching. “He?” She needed to keep him talking. She might want to turn and run away, but the key to her life—it was in this room. Either Ethan had hired someone to terrorize her while he was locked up in jail or—

“He’s done it before. More than once. He takes away what I care about, and I don’t even know why.”

He takes away what I care about. Not what…who? “Your ex-fiancée.”