Page 17 of Investigate Away
He stuffed his AirPods back in his ear. “Hey Siri, call Jenna Earls.”
It rang once. “Hey, Chief. What’s up?”
“Are you in your patrol car?”
“Yup. Just sitting up at the corner by the motel, waiting to get someone for a rolling stop.”
He laughed. “I need you to drive down to my neighborhood and check out a car parked just at the bend by my house.”
“Be there in five.”
He tapped his phone but left the earpiece in while he pretended to kick back and enjoy his second beer. Which actually felt really good as it bubbled down his esophagus and into his stomach.
Headlights cut through the dark night.
The car in question flicked its lights on and eased down the road.
His cell buzzed.
“Hey, Jenna,” he said.
“I’ve got the plate, and I’m running it now. Do you want me to follow… Well, now, that’s interesting.”
“What?”
“The car is registered to Bailey Redding.”
“Of course it is,” he said. “Yeah. Follow her. Find out if she’s staying here on the island and if you can come up with a reason to pull her over, do it.”
“She’s got a taillight out.”
“Perfect. Feel free to give her a ticket,” he said. “We need to feed the beast that all women cops are bitches.”
“God, you’re such an asshole,” she said with a laugh.
He’d known Jenna for years. They went through the academy together and for a short time were partners as beat cops. They didn’t come any better than Jenna.
“I won’t argue that point,” he said before ending the call. He finished his beer. Time to head inside and try to get some sleep.
It was going to be hard with Callie in his house.
Worse, because she wouldn’t be in his bed.
4
Callie leaned against the porch railing and looked out over the sound. Life on Whidbey Island seemed to slow to a snail’s pace. A year ago, she could only tolerate that for a day, maybe two. Now, she thought she might like to live this way for the rest of her life.
The view alone soothed her aching heart. His house sat up on the hill in the back of the neighborhood and looked out over everyone else. It was if the chief of police was actually keeping an eye on his citizens.
One of his neighbors walked down the street with a dog in tow. She glanced up and waved with a puzzled expression.
Small towns.
People would be talking, but she suspected Seattle was already abuzz about her return. She might not be famous, but she certainly left an impression, and the video still occasionally made the rounds on social media.
She blew into the oversized mug. She’d managed to make a pot of coffee without blowing anything up. She had horrible luck with appliances. Back in the day, she’d broken so many of Jag’s gadgets that he banned her from his kitchen.
“Good morning, sunshine.”
