Page 17 of Outlaw Ridge: Reed
His smile went south went he looked at her, confirming that the lack of sleep hadn’t done her any favors. He used his boot to shut the door, and he set the coffee and diner bag on the entry table.
“I’m going to say something inappropriate, like, do you need a hug?” he asked, his voice low and rough.
She did. Mercy, did she. Instead, she folded her arms, hiding the shiver that ran down her spine. “I’m your boss.”
“For one more day anyway,” he shot back, stepping closer, his gaze locking with hers. The air between them thickened, charged.
Positively crackled.
“Still,” she whispered, though her voice lacked conviction, the pull between them undeniable.
His eyes softened, a hint of a smile returning as he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m just trying to be helpful.”
Her breath hitched, and for a moment, the weight of the investigation vanished, leaving only the heat simmering between them. It was a nice moment but then it vanished, too, followed by inevitable guilt.
She shouldn’t be feeling this. Shouldn’t have her guilt lifted.
Reed must have seen the change go through her eyes because he nodded, picked up the food again and headed into the kitchen.
“Okay, let’s eat and go over the updates before we head into work,” he suggested. He set the bag and coffee on the island and dropped down on one of the stools. “I asked for extra bacon and grease on these sandwiches, by the way. Remember how good the breakfast grease specials are from the Outlaw Grill?”
She did indeed remember, and they’d been rare, delicious treats when she’d been a teenager. Far from healthy, but just the thought of them stirred her appetite. Something she hadn’t thought possible.
He took out the sandwiches, opened them and nudged one in her direction. Hallie took a bite and wasn’t disappointed. It tasted just as good as it had way back then.
“Just got word that Aaron’s improving,” Reed said, tackling his own sandwich. “He might be able to have visitors today.”
The relief hit her hard, and it was welcome news. The last report she’d gotten was from three hours ago, there’d been no change in the deputy’s condition. She prayed he made a full recovery.
“Nothing yet from the bomb squad or CSIs,” he went on, washing the food down with a gulp of coffee. “Maybe we’ll get something soon though.”
“Yes, maybe. I just got a report from SAPD on Charity and Jay,” she said, sitting across from him. “Charity is being held in a psychiatric facility where she’ll undergoing evaluation. FYI, she’s been in and out of residential care for most of her teens and adult life. She’s on a variety of meds, and it’s possible she’ll be determined unfit to stand trial.”
Judging from Reed’s expression, that was exactly what he’d expected to hear. It’d been obvious to both of them that Charity hadn’t exactly been stable. Obvious, too, that she’d been spoon-fed lies by Jay to set her off.
“What about Jay?” Reed asked.
She doubted this would surprise him either. “Released without charges. He insists he didn’t incite Charity, that Luther’s article had done that, and everything that Charity said backed him up.”
Hallie didn’t expect that to change, which meant that Jay would remain a free man. A potentially dangerous one if this grudge against her had led to the murder of two people and the critical injuries of a deputy.
“As for my father,” she went on. “I can sue for libel and defamation of character, but that would only stir up the story even more.”
She bit off more of the sandwich, forced it down. The deliciousness was fading fast. Of course, it was. Not much could stay appetizing with these topics of conversation. Reed was the notable exception to that.
“And there’s a nutshell of my life for the past twenty-four hours,” Hallie went on. “The murders. Aaron being hurt. Corman’s venom. Charity’s attack. Luther’s article, and myfather accusing me of being aware of numerous capital crimes.” She groaned. “I’ll bet Owen is regretting hiring me.”
“I’ll take that bet,” Reed was quick to say. “Because I know he’s not. What he is regretting is the hell you’re going through right now, but he’s stepped back because he knows you can handle it. I know you can handle it,” he emphasized.
She looked at him, wondering how he could have this much faith in her. Wondering how she’d gotten so lucky to have him back in her life. This wasn’t their relationship of old, one that would send them running to the nearest bed. They couldn’t take that route now. But Hallie was thankful she had someone on her side.
“Do you want to hear what happened when I was a kid?” she asked.
He didn’t take his gaze off her. “Only if you want to tell me.”
She did want that, Hallie realized. Even if it felt like opening a vein and letting the blood pour out like a river. But maybe if she got it all out, if she said all the gut-twisting words, it would help. Sort of a catharsis.
“Some of this you heard during the trials,” she started. “Some you didn’t. When I was a baby, my parents would use me to get money from my grandparents. I learned years later, they were tapping all four of them, and when those wells ran dry, that’s when they move onto robbery and murder.”
