Artificial Absolutes (Jane Colt Book 1) by Mary Fan Page A

him, the iron-haired officer narrowed his eyes. “Did you know of his intentions? Has he contacted you?”
    Jane shrank. The usual denials filed through her mind. That was absurd. That wasn’t happening. That couldn’t be true.
    Instead of answering, she looked past the officers. Her gaze once again wandered toward a vent in the ceiling.
    The steely-eyed officer straightened. “Miss Colt, I ask that you please cooperate.”
    Jane forced her eyes down. “I—I don’t believe you. You—You’re wrong. It couldn’t have been Devin. You must… there must… you’re wrong .”
    The officer pursed his lips. “I understand that this is difficult for you. However, the evidence is indisputable. There are several eyewitnesses. Furthermore, Quasar’s security team found your brother’s gun at the scene. It was recently fired. He disappeared before they could apprehend him.”
    Jane shook her head vigorously. “They’re all wrong. Devin would never… this can’t—”
    The iron-haired officer held up a hand. “Please, Miss Colt. Stop denying the facts.”
    That’s it. Jane stood and matched the officer’s severe expression. She didn’t care what kind of authority he or his companion had. They were idiots, and they no longer frightened her. “Listen, Devin loves our father. He’s the perfect son, does everything according to Dad’s wishes. Which is why you’re wrong. I don’t care what the evidence says.”
    The officer’s expression hardened. “I’m afraid your brother hasn’t been honest with you. We have information about his past that shows he had ample reason to resent your father.”
    Jane, focused again on the vent in the ceiling, didn’t hear what the officer said next. Something up there had moved.
    Devin?
    The officers noticed her gaze and started to follow it—
    “ Nooo !” Jane deliberately collapsed forward between the officers. Both rushed to catch her.
    “Miss Colt!”
    She let her body hang limply against them and kept her eyes closed. She flopped like a ragdoll when they placed her in the chair, allowing her head to roll from side to side. One of them shook her and the other yelled her name. Someone slapped her across the face. She opened her eyes, startled. Steely eyes peered at her. She twisted her face into a pathetic expression.
    “Tell me it’s not true! It can’t be! You must be lying! Tell me it’s not true !” Jane wasn’t exactly a good actress, but her being a girl meant the two manly officers wouldn’t question her sobbing.
    “Miss Colt—”
    “He can’t be dead! Daddy can’t be dead !”
    As she said it, the facts finally hit her. She choked as the realization swelled in her chest. She sobbed for real, covering her face in an attempt to block out reality. It can’t be…
    “Please, Miss Colt.” The officer sounded uncomfortable. “Please don’t cry.”
    “Your father is alive.” The other sounded equally uncomfortable. “The medical team reached him seconds after the incident and placed him on life support.”
    Dad’s alive. Jane desperately wanted to stop crying. She hated the uncontrollable way it shook her body and left her gasping for breath, the way the tears cascaded down her cheeks and fell, drop by drop, onto her chest. Most of all, she hated the damn snot. One of the officers handed her a tissue. She blew her nose rudely, certain she must be the ugliest crier they’d ever seen.
    The gray-eyed officer knelt down to her level. “We apologize for upsetting you. Are you all right?”
    Jane slumped in her chair and didn’t answer.
    “Do you know—?”
    The other officer tapped him on the shoulder and shook his head. The veneer of severity remained, but to Jane, he was just another guy, his professional iciness thrown by a girl’s tears.
    The reddish-haired officer handed her another tissue. “How are you feeling? Do you want us to call someone for you?”
    Suddenly livid, Jane bolted up. “Who’re you gonna call? My dad? My brother? Adam?