Snow Cover

Chapter 30 Hard Questions

Julia's POV

Since the manager already has our attention, plus the attention of the people surrounding us, I can honestly say that I feel like there is a spotlight on us. I feel anxious about this but, apparently, so does Colby. He keeps nervously looking at me, then back to his manager and the police, jumping back and forth between all of us. But I am a firm believer that if you have nothing to hide, then there shouldn't be an issue with talking to the police, right? But even in that case, I still get nervous as if I have done something wrong, even though I know I have and maybe that is how Colby is feeling at the moment.

I glance from Colby to the men beyond the caution tape as I notice they are trying to coax Colby nicely, but something doesn't feel so pleasant or innocent about this action, even though that's how they are making it look. Trying to lead this moth by the flame, but there is a part of me that doesn't want to let him head over there to protect him from being burned. But that is not my place, especially when it comes to a serious crime and the police.

As they are waving over at us to try to get Colby to come closer, I look up at him, noticing that you can see the hesitation in his eyes. The police notice this as they start talking loudly and in a stern tone in our direction, making sure everyone around knows who they are talking to. "Colby Stern.. We need to ask you a few questions. Please come on over." Colby nods as he looks from me to the other men, I reach over gently caressing my fingertips on the top of his hands that are fidgeting nervously to help him calm.

With that action he grabs my hand to squeeze it as if I am giving him strength to do this, and in a way I hope I am. Colby lets go of my hand, willingly leaving me to go under the tape and towards the police. I can't hear what is being said but I can see that he is shaking the police officer's hands. "Yes sir, I want to help out any way I can," Colby nods and responds to whatever the police officers have said, saying the only thing I can hear from them at the moment.

I watch the devastation take over as his hand covers over his mouth, as if he is trying to stifle the cries that want to escape his lips. He keeps shaking his head before saying something to them. Which is reasonable and nice that he is willing to help out even though his is obviously torn up. I am pulled into this situation, not wanting to leave until Colby does. I watch as they start asking him some questions while he nods, then shakes his head, talking to them about who knows what.

This changes things for me, making my feelings for him even stronger. I already knew he was a sweet man just from our conversations, but the fact that he is wanting to help out with something that has touched him so dramatically, makes me feel bad, but I love this sight at the same time. It shows how strong he can be when needed, and it is sexy to see the inner strength come out of him. I feel bad thinking about that of all things with everything around being so horrible at the moment. But when you see something you love about someone, you remember it, no matter what brought those actions out, good or bad.

I have always believed that bad situations bring out the real person within, because of the stresses surrounding someone, and that thought alone is making it hard to even take my eyes away from Colby, as if they are glued to him and only him. I think he knows this because right after I noticed that he was wiping away tears, he is looking over at me, looking almost embarrassed by his tears that I have obviously seen. Which somehow is pulling at my heart strings even more.

Poor guy, this makes me want to go to him and hold him tight. I keep glancing from him to John, and it is the strangest thing. John looked as if he was in some sort of trance, but I can't seem to figure out what he is staring at beyond the caution tape. "You ok?" I asked him as he looked down at me. "Yeah, of course.. Why wouldn't I be?" He asks, which surprises me. "Well, because of everything happening here.. I mean there has been a tragedy here, that's why." I declare as he shrugs his shoulders as if he has no empathy for what has happened here, when Colby is crying and my eyes have even been brimming with tears since the moment my gaze landed on this horrific sight.

"It has nothing to do with me, so no sweat off my back." He declared, making me mad at that response. "What do you mean? This was an innocent person that was taken from this world far too early. That doesn't mean anything to you?" I asked him in a type of disbelief with a tinge of disgust riddled through my words. "No, of course, that bothers me because it's sad.. really terrible.. but I am more interested in what the police know.. I always wanted to be a detective, and I am intrigued about this part of the investigation.. That's all." He explains this to me, which I guess I understand.. I just thought it seemed insensitive.

My attention is taken from John as I hear the police officers declaring. "We're going to need you to come with us." They say trying to lead Colby away, but he is getting mad and slightly pushing back. "I didn't do anything wrong, if you have anything else to say you can say it to me here.. Why do I need to go?" he asks as they start to hover around him as if they are keeping him corralled. "We need you to come with us and if you won't some willingly, then we will have to take you in by force." They threaten as I start shaking my head, not taking my eyes away from the scene.

Colby's eyes meet mine as he starts shaking his head, but so am I. "I didn't do anything wrong." He repeats, but this time staring over at me as if he is saying that directly to me and not the police officers surrounding him. "You need to come with us." The officer demands this again, but this time around as I feel the breath being taken from my lungs. "Why? I had nothing to do with this," Colby says as he keeps pushing back, but now there are too many officers to even object to.

"Your fingerprints were all over the restaurant, crime scene and back door.. and your manager here says you were the one working last night, so you were the last one to see her alive.. Do you deny any of this?" He asks as Colby bites his tongue as I watch his jaw clench after that question, while he shakes his head. The officer is nodding along with him as he takes one wrist after the other and pulling them behind Colby's back.

"So until we have any evidence that says otherwise, you're now our number one suspect.. You need to come with us and, since you have been resisting this, you're now going to be taken by force. Don't say I didn't warn you." the officer declares, pushing Colby against the police car as he cuffs his wrists together. I can see Colby pushing back, not taking this news very well, but it is understandable.

When the police officer stands him up from the police vehicle after cuffing him, he starts to resist even more, pushing back as they get closer to the back of the vehicle. Multiple officers come to help deal with him because he is not going easily and that is sad because this could get incredibly worse if he doesn't. He keeps pushing back against their hold, until our eyes lock once again. "I didn't do it.. I don't care what they say.. I shouldn't be the number one suspect because I didn't do it." I just keep staring, not knowing what to say to his comment, because what can I say?

He sees that I don't know how to respond. Maybe he sees the question in my eyes.. I don't know.. But I am worried for not just him but me.. Because the officers are right. I don't want to believe it was him, but he was the last person with her and they were left here alone.. So it is hard not to think it. His eyes bounce all around until they link with mine. He looks sad as he stares at me before he yells across the way at me. "I didn't do it.. I swear I didn't do it.. You have got to believe me." He says as they try throw him in the back of the police car, but he resists while staring directly at me as if he is waiting for my response.

I can't help myself as I say above the crowd that is getting louder by the second with this scene. "Just go Colby.. don't fight it.. It's going to make things worse if you fight it." I declare as I see the hurt in his eyes, as he stares over at me. I just hope he isn't mad at me. I just don't want to see him get hurt nor did I want to lie to him either. "I didn't do anything wrong.. It wasn't me, please believe me." He says again, and this time, just like the others, it is directly to me. "I understand.. But the more you fight this, the more trouble it is going to cause." I explain over the ramblings of the people around me.

He looks even more distraught than I would have ever wanted to see on his face. I feel bad, but I can't lie to him and say that I believe him when, as of right now, the evidence is against him. I want to believe him, I really do, but I can't deny the evidence when I barely know the guy. I know that, as of right now, all the fingers are pointing at him. I just hope they are wrong. My mind is racing at a million miles a minute, while only hoping for the best.

He seemed so sweet that I could never have imagined him doing something like this.. That seems insane.. But when I really start putting the pieces together after last night, it is becoming hard to not think it was him. I remember that he did say it was a man before the police even declared it was. He did say this place would be the next destination, and it was.. He was the last person with her, had the keys and all.. They also said his fingerprints were everywhere when I never even thought about that. But maybe those were just coincidences. I hope with all my heart that these were just coincidences.

I watch as they drive away with Colby in the police vehicle. I turned to walk away until my attention was grabbed by another police officer that was quickly at my side, but standing on the other side of the tape, keeping a little distance from me so I am not completely alarmed. But with the stoic look on his face as he hovered by me, is making more nervous than I thought. "Ma'am, may we have a quick moment of your time to talk with you about Mr. Stern? And your relationship with him." He asks me as I nervously nod. "Yeah sure." I reply as he nods.

"How do you know Mr. Stern?" he asks as I swallow the lump in my throat as I respond. "He was bartending last night when I came in to get dinner at the little restaurant in the hotel.. He was very pleasant and upbeat.. I had no issues with anything he did because he was so polite and took great care of me." I say very honestly as I instantly feel like I am being stared at, so I looked from John then back to the officer. I feel as if once again the spotlight is on me and I hate it when the spotlight is on me.