"Hello Kylie, you can go right into Mr. Hebert's office, they're waiting for you." As her hand turned the knob she realized Joanne had said "they".
"Mr. Hebert?" she called as she walked in.
"Come in Kylie. Please close the door and have a seat," Mr. Hebert instructed.
"It's been a long time since I've been called to the principal's office," she teased lightly.
Her eyes landed on the man sitting pensively in one of the two large leather chairs. She knew they'd never met, she'd remember such an encounter.
Even from a seated position his obvious height made an impact. His coal black hair and tanned skin made his eyes appear the most intense blue she'd ever seen. The fact that those blue eyes were also appraising her made a heated blush creep up from her neck and warm her face.
Mr. Hebert's exaggerated throat clearing brought their attention to the fact they weren't alone. "Kylie, This is Detective Dante McKnight. He's asked to speak with you. Detective, this is Kylie Anderson."
"How do you do." Kylie extended her hand politely.
Dante stood and accepted her small hand. "Please have a seat Miss Anderson, I have some things I'd like to discuss with you." He went back to his chair. "Thank you Mr. Hebert. This shouldn't take long."
The older man scowled, presumably from being dismissed from his office, but placed his hand on the doorknob, "I'll be just out side if you need me." He left the room.
"Miss Anderson, I wonder if I could ask you about your relationship with Mr. Richard Newton." Dante began.
"Please, call me Kylie. Richard and I are, were to be married. I called it off a while back but foolishly decided to have dinner with him, one last time. Richard is no longer the man I fell in love with. He's insensitive, callous, and..." she faltered.
"And abusive? Did he do that to you?"
Kylie felt a tear and quickly wiped it away.
"Yes. So you see why I can't marry him."
"When did you see him last?"
"Last night. We went to our favorite restaurant, Mama Leone's; I had to leave because I was getting a headache. We left, had a terrible fight, he ... hit me and we yelled a bit, then I passed out, from my head ache you see. My headaches cause me to have black outs, memory lapses and sometimes even seizures. Any way when I opened my eyes, I was in my bedroom and running late for work."
"He wasn't with you?"
"No. As I said Richard can be insensitive. He sees my illness as a weakness and he can't stand weakness of any kind. This isn't the first time he's dumped me at the door and left. Dawn, my roommate, found me there the first time he did it. She told me then I should break it off."
"When you and Mr. Newton were arguing, can you recall what was said?"
"I told him I was an idiot for ever believing he could change. Once a lying womanizing jerk, always a lying womanizing jerk. He got angry because I raised my voice to him, he raised his fist to me and that was it."
"Did anyone else see the two of you together? Your roommate by chance?"
"No, she said she wasn't home when I got in. Why? What's wrong?"
"Miss Anderson, I think you'd better get your things and come with me. I'd like to take you to the station for further questioning."
"Questioning? I don't understand, what's going on here?"
"Mr. Newton was found on the old river road early this morning. He'd been murdered."
Kylie sat in stunned silence. Murdered? Richard was dead?
"No! It can't be true!" she argued, then the world spun and darkness closed in on her.
)
