Page 66 of Midnight Secrets

Riggs sipped his coffee, studying me over the rim of the mug for several seconds before he pushed away from the counter. I could tell he didn’t believe me. I wasn’t sure I believed myself.

“Go home, Detective. Make sure you foster a life outside of this place, yeah?”

I turned, my gaze tracking my boss as he walked toward the door. “What about you? You’re still here at this hour on a Saturday. Are you trying to tell me not to turn into you?”

Riggs stopped at the door and smiled broadly, his gray eyes warm. “No. I’m not a workaholic. I just came in to check on things after spending this morning and afternoon with my kids. I’ve got another hour before dinner at the real, finest dining establishment in Parker’s Landing—my wife’s kitchen—is ready.” With a wink, he pushed through the door and disappeared.

I took another sip of the bitter coffee in my mug as I stared after him. Grimacing, I walked over to the sink and dumped it.

After rinsing the mug, I set it down, then braced my hands on the counter’s edge and stared at the wall, considering the chief’s words.

He had a point. Claire wouldn’t have to testify. She didn’t see anything. Only found the body and the car. Others could corroborate her whereabouts for Marie’s time of death—though the jury was still out on the car. We didn’t know how long it had been in the woods.

But her prints weren’t on or in it. Nor had the techs found any long blonde hairs. She didn’t strike me as the type who would know how to scrub any traces of herself from a crime scene. Or as a psychopath. Because it would be that kind ofperson who would hide a car, then “find” it so they could insert themselves into the investigation.

Besides, she had no motive for the murder.

I really didn’t know who did, if not Warren.

Closing my eyes, I ran a hand over my face. My brain was running in circles. And now I got to add in the problem of what to do about Claire.

Riggs had virtually given me his blessing. My reason for keeping her at arm’s length was gone.

The one I stated, anyway.

Was I ready for the kind of commitment a woman like Claire required? I was only thirty-one. I had friends who hadn’t married until they were nearly forty. I’d always assumed that would be me. My career had come first for over a decade. Relationships had ended because I couldn’t ignore work calls. Would Claire understand that sometimes Ihadto go? Up here, especially, it wasn’t like there was someone who could fill in for me at the drop of a hat. There wasn’t another unit that could take up the slack if I didn’t answer.

I straightened and scooped my mug off the counter. Playing “what if” wouldn’t answer any of my questions. The only way to know was to ask. And to live it.

Pushing through the breakroom door, I headed for Riggs’s office and poked my head inside after a quick knock. “Hey. Other than your wife’s kitchen, what’s the finest dining establishment in Parker’s Landing?”

CHAPTER 24

Claire

Headlights swept through the front window, drawing my attention away from the movie playing on TV. Pebbles stood up from her spot on the blanket in my lap and barked.

I scratched her head. “It’s probably just someone turning around. Relax.”

But she spun in a circle, barked again, and launched herself off my lap, making a beeline for the front door.

Pausing my movie—I couldn’t hear it over her—I put an arm over the back of the couch to turn and watch her while I waited for her to realize it was nothing.

The doorbell pealed.

Okay. Maybe it wasn’t nothing.

Frowning, I pushed the blue throw off my lap and got up. Wary of all the craziness lately, I peeked out the front window first.

Ozzie’s truck sat in my driveway.

Eyes growing wide, I straightened and looked at the door. What was he doing here?

Pebbles barked again, her little tail wiggling. She spun in a circle, then looked at me and barked.

“I’m coming, crazy girl. Hang on.”

One hot pink slipper slapping softly on the floor, I nudged her back as I reached the door. She darted around my foot, nose pressed to the crack.

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