Page 49 of By the Book

“So, what’s going on?” Wes asks, looking between us skeptically.

“My apartment has been broken into, and Tripp is under the assumption I need to be put under house arrest, so I don’t try to chase the culprit down myself.”

“Your… what?”

“Are you okay?”

“When did this happen?”

“It’s no big deal, I’m fine,” Ivy reasons with her family. She slides onto one of the barstools in their kitchen and leans forward over the pristine counter, her head propped up on her hand. “Can someone make coffee?”

“I don’t understand why he hit the same person twice. And why a residence?” her father wonders aloud.

I watch her sigh and duck her head. “That’s actually my fault,” she admits. “Tripp says my place looks like it was tossed. Like the guy was looking for something… Probablythe something I took from the last break in—evidence he accidentally left behind at my store that night.”

“Ivy Taylor,” her father scolds, frustration peppering his strong tone. I stay standing across from them all, my hands in my pockets, waiting for the scolding to come my way. I haven’t kept her safe, I haven’t done my job.

“Stop, I know. Tripp already gave me an earful and took the evidence from me.”

“He should have busted you for such a stupid move,” her brother scoffs.

“Let’s just say, I’ve been warned.” She turns to me, guilt in her eyes. “And now he has to go clean up the mess I caused by doing it. But what I don’t understand is how the vandal knew I had it.”

“That’s not for you to figure out, dear,” Ruth says, crossing the room to give my arm a squeeze. “Thank you, Tripp. For all that you are doing. I’ll make that coffee; can you stay for a cup?”

“Wait, were you at home when they broke in? Why’d they do it in the morning?”

There is the question I was hoping to avoid. Because it will lead to the admission that Ivy slept at my house last night. I open my mouth to respond to my friend when she beats me to it.

“It was during the night. I was with Tripp, giving my statement and all of that.”

Her lie causes an invisible knife to twist in my gut. Not only am I deceiving the people that have always welcomed me with open arms, but I’m also forcing her to deceive them too.

“I’ll take a raincheck on the coffee,” I say hurriedly. Then turning to Ivy, I add, “Stay with your family. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” I want to reach for her, kiss her goodbye. Tell her I’m only being this demanding because I care about her more than anything in this world. Instead, I offer a nod to the Taylor family and leave with my hands still safely tucked into my pockets.

It’s time to focus.

It’s time to find Reid.

I lean against the wall and cross my arms as Millie leads Reid through the station. He spots me, his eyes pinched with anger. “Really, Sheriff? I ask your girl to get a drink and you have your little deputy haul my ass from bed? You realize I’m a lawyer, right?”

Silent, I turn and step into the room behind me. I’ll be observing from behind the mirror. Millie can run with the questions until we have enough to actually arrest him. For now, he was simply asked to come in for a chat. She guides him into the interview room and motions towards a chair. “Have a seat, Mr. Delaney.”

“Are you going to tell me what this is about?”

“I’m sure you heard about the break in at The Open Book a few weeks back, seeing as you work with a relative of the owner.”

“The Open Book? Oh, is that the name of Ivy’s shop?”

“It sure is. And, it strikes me as odd that the break-in occurred so closely after the owner turned you down. Then yesterday, she turned you down again and her apartment was broken into.”

My jaw is clenched so tight it might snap at this rate. I ball my hands into fists and pace on my side of the mirror.

“And it’s my understanding, those are the only two times you have had contact with Ms. Taylor,” Millie continues plainly. She’s perfectly even tempered, with the right amount of accusation in her tone.

“Weird coincidence,” Reid replies. But he’s more cautious in his own tone now. Maybe he’s worried about what I could have found on him, what’s coming next.

“I don’t believe in coincidences. And neither does my boss. He does believe in doing his research, though. And it seems that you have a history of reacting poorly when a woman says no to you.”

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