CHAPTER 197

DARLENE

“I’m afraid you can't leave the station, Ma’am, we are under strict instructions to keep all suspects on lockdown,” Detective Bowler boomed, tipping his dirty brown fedora at us and winking at me when I raked my gaze up to his clear downturned eyes.

I had watched disbelievingly when Prince Charles fished the bunch of keys I’d seen the detective fingering on his belt hoop from behind him, a wave of heat rolling up my neck and cheeks as I wiped the tears from my face, straining to my feet and leaping into his arms as sobs wracked my frame.

“You came! I can't believe you came!” I gasped, laughing through my tears and feeling the man’s hand hesitate behind me before patting me lightly on the back, almost as though he wasn't used to physical contact.

“Alexander’s out front,” Prince Charles coughed and I sputtered away from him to give him a wide-eyed stare, feeling my heart hammer in my ribs when I saw the way his deep purple eyes stared at me intensely and I wrapped a hand around m