Page 58 of Backdraft
"Someone from a previous case?" He was writing in his notebook.
"Yes, and no. The guy I thought I saw is incarcerated and won't be released for another couple of years. But the person reminded me of him."
The more I talked about this, the sillier I felt. No matter what a freak Benjamin was, I couldn't see how it could be him.
I finished writing and handed him the pad and pen back. He radioed to his dispatch and was provided with an occurrence number. He advised the dispatcher to ensure the new one was linked to the previous one.
"That's about as much as I can do at this point. Keep vigilant and call me if anything else happens." He passed me his card. "In the meantime, I'll do some digging. It would be helpful if I could see your file on this guy that's locked up."
I nodded. "That's fine. Let me know when. I’m staying at Taylor’s."
He glanced at Taylor and then back to me. "Tomorrow? I could come by Tay's house, or you could come back here."
I looked at Taylor and raised my eyebrows in question.
"What do you prefer?" he asked me.
"Your place?"
Taylor nodded.
"Fine, I'm on shift change tomorrow, going to nights, so I'll stop by on my way in if that's okay? About five?"
We settled the time, and I rose from the chair with Taylor behind me.
"Oh, just a second," he said as we faced him. "It was you that was hosed down in your hot-pink skivvies, wasn't it?"
"What?" I was confused, then it dawned on me.
"The asbestos fire?" he offered.
"Oh, uhm…how…?
"Small town." He smiled, and he wasn't being malicious. I sensed a tone of humor and realized how I responded to this would cement how I was perceived here in Oak Creek.
"You got it. What's a girl to do when exposed to asbestos? Thanks so much. See you tomorrow."
We left the interview room, and I smiled when I heard the cop chuckle.
"What was all that?" Taylor asked as he escorted me to the truck, and I noticed how he glanced around the parking lot.
"What?
"All that business about hot-pink skivvies and being hosed down."
"Oh, that. You didn't hear?" I teased. "Guess you're just out of the loop." I was trying to lighten the mood. The last couple of hours had been very intense.
He was silent when he held open the truck door and I got in. Taylor stepped back with his hands on his hips, and I thought he couldn't be more gorgeous. But the expression on his face wasn't exactly happy. His frown reached his eyes.
What had done it? The note, coming here, or the comment the cop had made? Should I try and say something funny or just let it go? I mean, if I can compartmentalize this, I hoped he could too.
"See you at home." I wiggled my fingers at him in a wave. "Toodles."
Taylor watched Drea drive off and then hurried to his truck. He wanted to follow her home to make sure she got there safely.
He was trying to figure out why he was so pissed off all of a sudden. He felt like a heel for being angry. She'd just been through something, and he was supposed to be supportive.
He left the parking lot and drove faster than he should to catch up with her.
