Page 75 of Home Town Knight

I was threading the needle. But that was my typical MO lately.

As for me, I’d opted for a simple jacket to go over my uniform. We took an unmarked vehicle, and the drive to the Alpine Hotel was quick. There hadn’t been any more snow since that last storm, and the roads were perfectly clear and dry.

I texted my ex-Marine buddy Dean when we pulled into the parking lot, and he emerged a couple of minutes later, carrying a large takeout bag. I buzzed down my window. He handed me the bag like it was a drive-through. “Hey, Gen,” Dean said, looking past me. “Good to see you. I asked Tex to keep me updated on how you were doing, and I’ve barely heard a word from him.”

“Been a little busy,” I grumbled.

“Owen’s been looking out for me. And I’ve been helping with the investigation.”

“I hope it hasn’t all been running from bad guys and putting in long hours at the station. That would be a crap way to spend your visit to Hartley.”

Gen smiled. “We’ve taken a break here and there.”

I cleared my throat.

Dean knew about the murder, obviously, and he knew that Genevieve had witnessed it. He also knew I’d left the bar with her several nights ago, before all this had started. He had always been the nosy type. Loved butting into my business. So I cut off that line of inquiry before he could ask any more prying questions and embarrass me.

“Have you spotted Ellis today?”

Dean rested his elbow on the door. “He’s eating in the restaurant right now. His order came up just before yours. Been keeping to himself since his friends left. I’ve had an eye out since you warned me about the stakeout. Ellis hasn’t set foot outside the lobby. Tonight’s the last night of his original reservation, but the guy seems like he’s moved in.”

What was Ellis waiting around for? “Thanks. Text me if he does anything interesting?”

“Will do, Tex. And the manager’s supposed to give you guys the heads-up if he sees Ellis leave on the cameras, right?”

I nodded. “We’ve been doing our best to cover our bases. Appreciate it. I know this kind of intrigue isn’t your thing.”

“It’s been a while since I was out gathering intel for a mission. But I don’t mind doing it for you.” He patted my arm roughly, then jogged back to the hotel entrance.

“Seems like a good guy,” Gen said. “You have an impressive set of friends around here.”

“I do. And you’ve charmed them all. You fit right in.”

She got an odd look on her face, and I wondered if that wasn’t what she wanted to hear. If I was coming on too strong with the hope that she might stick around, at least for a little while.

I handed her the takeout bag and put my truck in gear. “Let’s find a good spot to park, and we can eat. I’m starved.”

We parked in a turnout about a quarter mile down the road, with a good view of the way in and out of the Alpineparking lot. I’d already double-checked that Ellis’s car was there. Same spot it had been for days.

“You can go back to the Alpine if you need a bathroom break,” I said. “I’ll drive you. Just let me know.”

Gen rolled her eyes as she unpacked the takeout containers. “I told you, I’ve done stakeouts before. In my early days I had crap assignments waiting for someone to sneak out of their house so I could shout a few questions at them. Not glamorous.”

“You were one of those? I felt bad before about calling you a bloodsucker. Now I’m not so sure.”

She swatted my arm playfully. “Quiet, you. Your job has its downsides too.” My phone rang, right on cue, and she pointed at it. “See? Nobody leaves you alone. You’re at their beck and call. You have to play nice with everyone in the county.”

“Actually, I don’t.” Then I saw who was calling. It was Aiden. “Except I do have to answer this one.”

She gave me a smug look and popped a fry into her mouth.

“Hey, what have you got for me?” I asked, putting him on speaker. Aiden wasn’t the type to require pleasantries. He usually preferred to cut to the chase, and I appreciated that about him.

“Lynx picked up the trail of the intruders as they fled Last Refuge. He just got back here.”

“Lynx?” Gen asked.

“Is that Genevieve?” Aiden said.

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