Page 12 of Engaging the Deputy

“Were you with him when the tornado hit?” Jaden asked.

She shook her head. “We’d had an argument. I left and walked up the road. When I saw the storm coming, I called my husband to come get me.”

“What did you argue about?” he asked.

Jenny gave him an impatient look. “Dean wanted me to leave my husband so we could be together. He was going to tell his wife.”

“You refused?”

“I realized we’d both been kidding ourselves. Neither of us could leave our spouses. It’s financial suicide and that’s if they didn’t kill us. I’d realized that it had to stop or it might cost me my marriage.”

“You told him you were going to tell your husband?”

She nodded. “He got really angry, accusing me of leading him on, and bringing up things from our past. He said I would destroy both of our marriages, and for what? We wouldn’t be together and our spouses would put us through hell. I told him I didn’t care—that it was over. I got out of the truck and walked away to call my husband to come get me.”

“What did Dean do?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t look back. All I could think about was getting home.” She looked down at her hands, picking at something under her fingernail.

“Are you regretting that now?” He’d had to ask.

She slowly lifted her head, determination a brittle gleam in her gaze. “I love my husband. This is all my fault.”

He wanted to tell her that most abused wives blamed themselves—even those who hadn’t had an affair with another man. That her husband had no right to beat her, no matter how upset he was. But Jaden saved his breath. He’d send over a rep from a local counseling agency. Hopefully, someone would be able to give Jenny some perspective.

“Where was your husband last night after the storm, after you came home?” he asked.

“Here with me.”

“All night?”

She nodded, almost daring him to argue differently.

“You’ll testify under oath to that, knowing what happens if you perjure yourself?” he asked.

“Yes.”

The deputy put his notebook and pen away and rose. “If you change your mind about filing charges against your husband—”

“I won’t.”

“If you think of anything else that can help us find Dean Marsh, or if you hear from him, please give me a call at the Fortune Creek sheriff’s office.”

With that, he tipped his Stetson and made his way to his patrol SUV, telling himself all he could do was his job, but sometimes it was very difficult when he couldn’t save those most vulnerable who needed saving.

* * *

Olivia had triedto sleep but couldn’t. She kept thinking of Cody and wishing she’d never agreed to go with him to Starling. Now he might die. She’d never forgive herself for leaving him alone down in that hole. She had no idea who might have attacked him after she’d gone for help. The whole night had been a nightmare. She couldn’t believe that Rob was dead, murdered, Cody unconscious in the hospital and Dean missing. How was that possible?

At a tap on her bedroom door, she looked up from where she’d been trying to sleep to see her mother in the doorway.

“The deputy is here to see you.” The deputy. Jaden.

Her pulse kicked up a beat at the thought of seeing him again. He’d been just doing his job last night, but he’d been so distant. It had hurt her heart. She took a breath and let it out. “Tell him I’ll be right out.” As her mother closed the door, Olivia rose. She had showered and changed clothes after returning home earlier. Still, she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and at least run a comb through her hair.

She stared at her face in the mirror for a few moments, surprised by the dark circles under her eyes, the paleness of her skin. Her injuries were all minor, including the cuts and bruises on her face and hands, but she felt weak from the shock of everything that had happened.

How could she not feel lucky to be alive? But the thought brought her no comfort. Cody was in the hospital, possibly fighting for his life, Rob was dead, and who knew what had happened to Dean.

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