Page 36 of Engaging the Deputy

“No.”

“How about when you came back?” She shook her head. “You came back alone, didn’t you? Ahead of the others?”

“Yes.” She frowned. “How did you know that?”

He shrugged. “I thought I heard you calling my name in this dream I had when I was in the hospital. I figured it must have been when I was unconscious because, in the dream, I couldn’t answer.”

“Maybe your subconscious is trying to remember.”

“Maybe. Are they finished searching out at Starling?” he asked. “I thought maybe Jaden might have mentioned.”

“Why?” She couldn’t help her surprise. “You wouldn’t go back out there, would you?”

“If it would help me remember, of course I would. You have no idea what it’s like not knowing what happened, who attacked me and why.”

“Maybe once Jaden finds out who killed Rob, that will help fill in some of the blanks for all of us.”

“Yeah, it might have been the same person who attacked me.”

“You have no idea why someone would want to hurt either of you?”

He met her gaze. “Not a clue. That’s why I have to remember.”

She thought about Jaden saying “Someone’s lying” and felt as if the temperature had suddenly dropped. How could she have forgotten that whoever had attacked Cody was probably still a threat? How could he not have realized that?

He stepped toward her. “You’re cold. I shouldn’t have dragged you out here. I just didn’t like the way we left things at the store.”

“I didn’t either. I’m sorry I can’t fill in more of the blanks for you,” she said as he walked her to her car.

“Oh, but you have helped,” he insisted. “You told me I was a hero. I feel a lot better,” he joked.

She swatted him on the arm. Just like old times. Smiling, she climbed into her car, started the engine and drove off. When she checked her rearview mirror, he was still standing beside his SUV. She thought he was watching her leave until she realized he was on his cell phone.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The next morning, Deputy Montgomery drove over to Emery’s bike shop. He hadn’t slept well, no surprise. He’d lain awake worrying about Olivia, worrying he wasn’t going to get this case solved before someone else lost his—or her—life.

He’d finally roused this morning feeling as if he was racing against a ticking time bomb. But as he swung by the shop, he found that Emery hadn’t opened yet. As he drove away, he saw Krystal pull up to the shop, apparently also expecting Emery to be at work. She pulled in, saw that the shop was closed and took off again as if in a hurry.

Curious as to why she was looking for Emery and why in such a rush, he turned around and followed her. When she made her way into Emery’s apartment house parking lot, he stopped up the block and waited.

She seemed in an awful rush to speak to Emery. Had something happened? What could be so important that she had to see him this morning?

He warned himself, as he got out of his patrol SUV, that it might not have anything to do with his case. All his instincts, though, told him that there was a lot more going on with Olivia’s old gang than it appeared. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they all might have been in on it.

Jaden heard Krystal’s raised voice even before he reached Emery’s apartment at the back of the complex. He stood outside the apartment door for a moment, catching only snatches of the argument since she seemed to be the only one speaking and apparently moving around in an agitated state.

He knocked lightly, not surprised the occupants hadn’t heard. Then he tried the knob. It turned in his hand and the door swung open. The apartment was small, cluttered, and smelled of stale pizza and beer. He stopped just inside the door where he could hear what was being said deeper in the apartment.

“You have to protect me,” Krystal was saying. “I didn’t want any part of this, and you know it.” He couldn’t hear Emery’s reply. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” She sounded close to tears. “Are you listening to me?”

Something hit the floor and shattered. Emery swore, and chair legs scraped across the flooring before there was another crash and his voice rose in anger. “Knock it off! Or so help me…”

From the kitchen doorway, Jaden saw a knocked-over chair and what appeared to be spilled coffee next to a shattered cup on the floor. Emery had Krystal backed up against the kitchen counter, his hands on her shoulders. He was saying, “Keep it together. Stop panicking. No one is going to find out unless you keep opening your big mouth.” He shook her so hard, she banged her head against the kitchen cabinet.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” the deputy said, stepping into the kitchen.

Emery immediately let go of Krystal and moved back, his boots crunching on the broken glass glittering on the floor. Krystal moved deeper into the kitchen, her back to them as she hugged herself.

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