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detective shrugged. “I dug into your cell phone records, and the texts that went back and forth that day between you and this man, led only to a temporary cell phone that appears to have been bought with cash. In other words, it leads nowhere.”
    “You’ve got nothing, so you came here to rattle my cage,” Hunter said. “Isn’t that right?”
    The detective laughed derisively. “The truth is, your attitude is what first caused me to question the veracity of Miss Young’s story—and yours as well.”
    “Did you do as much digging into Terrence’s rap sheet as you did everything to do with me and Kallie?”
    “Terrence Craven doesn’t have a record.” Phillips paced a few steps nearer the table. “And after speaking with him, we checked his alibi for the night of Kallie’s assault and it’s rock solid.”
    “Of course it is,” Hunter muttered.
    “What about you?” Phillips asked.
    “What about me?”
    “Where were you the night Kallie was assaulted?”
    Hunter didn’t speak for a long moment. “I was here, at my house, working.”
    “Anyone who can corroborate your whereabouts?”
    Kallie laughed. “This is ridiculous. I saw Levi. I remember seeing him clear as day.”
    The detective glanced over at her. “I’m very concerned about you, Miss Young.
    I was wondering if perhaps you wouldn’t like to come with me? I can take you wherever you’d like to go—wherever you’d feel safest.”
    Kallie was furious, but she tried to keep her calm. “I feel safest with Hunter.
    That’s why I came here with him. Do you think he forced me to come stay with him under threat of death?”
    Detective Phillips didn’t laugh. Didn’t even crack a smile, to be precise. “I’m not sure what’s going on here, but I’ll tell you this. Mister Craven might not have an arrest record, but Mister Reardon certainly does.”
    Kallie glanced at Hunter and saw his lips tighten.
    “Hunter?” she said.
    “Yes, I’ve been arrested,” he said sharply.
    “An assault charge from about two years ago,” Phillips replied.
    “It was a stupid bar brawl.”
    “You broke a man’s jaw.”
    Hunter shook his head. “I never said I was perfect. It was a stupid, idiotic fight and I regret it. But it certainly doesn’t mean I’d assault my girlfriend.”
    “Be that as it may, it does give me pause. After speaking with Terrence Craven, I’ve started to wonder if perhaps you didn’t simply sling accusations at him that were more fitting to have been placed at your own feet, Mister Reardon.”
    “This is insane.”
    “I should probably go,” Phillips said. “I’m going to keep looking for leads, but I think that it will be difficult to find anything meaningful, given what I’ve encountered so far.”
    “Great detective work,” Hunter sneered. “Keep it up.”
    “I will, you can be sure. Miss Young,” he said, and handed her his card. “Please call if you need anything. The offer still stands.” His eyes shifted to Hunter and then back to her again. “You don’t have to be afraid of the repercussions,” he added.
    “I won’t be using this,” Kallie told him. “And you’ve insulted us with a lot of empty accusations. The man who assaulted me is Levi. Maybe it’s a fake name but he’s a real person. And what I told you about Terrence was completely true.”
    Detective Phillips left soon after that, and Kallie and Hunter watched him drive away, neither of them speaking as they watched him go.

    ***
    Hunter had been quiet after the detective left the house. Kallie, not wanting to upset him further (and feeling some degree of responsibility for the whole thing), kept to herself.
    She began reading another script, just to pass the time.
    About half way through, Hunter interrupted her. “Hey, want to get out of here for a little while?” he asked.
    She looked up from her manuscript. “Where to?”
    “Grab a bite to eat—there’s a great place right on the water…”
    “I’m starving,” she said.