The Sheriff's Secret. Julie Lindsey Anne
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Название: The Sheriff's Secret
Автор: Julie Lindsey Anne
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
isbn: 9781474078856
isbn:
She nodded her head, an expression of disbelief on her brow. “So, this is about me? The shooting, too? Steven died because of me somehow? It’s insane! He’d barely begun his recovery.” She stopped. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“You’re probably in shock.” West offered a hand to help her onto the bed. “Sit back. Put your head between your knees and breathe.” He waited for her to comply. “You okay now?”
“No.”
West turned to lean against the bed at her side. “None of the things that have happened today are your fault. None of them. Whoever’s doing this is unstable. Deranged. He could’ve picked anyone to unleash his anger on. It had nothing to do with you. It could just as easily have been the neighbor, or the grocery clerk, or the librarian. Understand?”
She sobbed against the back of her hand, but nodded her agreement.
West stepped away from the bed. He needed to get her out of there. “Do you want me to pack the bag?”
Tina slid onto her feet. “Don’t you ever get tired of bossing people around?” she grouched.
“No. Where are your bags?”
“Oh, my gosh! Lily!” She dug into her purse and brought out her phone. “I have to call the sitter. If this is about me, then Lily’s in danger!”
West moved into her line of sight. “That’s not a guarantee, and I’ve already sent a deputy to check on her.”
“How did you know where she was?”
He smiled. “There’s a giant pink heart on the refrigerator with Lily’s schedule and Mary’s contact information. I saw it when you got me the ice.”
Her lips lifted into a small smile. “Right. Thank you.” She adjusted the phone against her cheek. “Mary? This is Tina. How’s Lily?” Tina’s voice cracked on the last little word. Tears rolled over her cheeks as her smile widened and turned to laughter. “Thank you. Okay. Thank you.” When she disconnected, Tina looked weightless, as if everything awful in her day had been forgotten. “Lily’s okay. Mary saw what happened on the news. She’s been worried about me, but they’re both fine. They’re eating applesauce and blowing bubbles. She said I should take as long as I need. She knows I have things to sort out, but I just want to end this awful day and pick up my baby. The sooner I have her back in my arms, the sooner something might make sense again.”
She stuffed her things into a bag from the closet then looked at the bathroom door. “Should I bring a towel for the shower?”
“No.” West marveled at the way the promise of seeing her baby had rejuvenated and refocused her. “We have towels at the station.”
“Okay.” Tina rolled her shoulders back and hiked the bag over one shoulder. “Let me grab Lily’s things, and we can go.”
Tina touched her hair nervously as she entered the bustling sheriff’s department. West hadn’t made a big deal out of her appearance, but she knew exactly what she looked like. Death.
The cluster of deputies and administrative staff huddled around a desk straightened to welcome their leader. Cole broke away from the group as West and Tina approached. The others stopped to stare.
“Tina Ellet,” West said, “I’d like you to meet the Cade County Sheriff’s Department. Team, this is Miss Ellet.”
The group offered warm smiles, but their gazes traveled the circuit from her to West and then to Cole. He’d clearly filled the group in on her history with their sheriff. Ridiculously, her cheeks heated.
Cole greeted West with a handshake, then turned an apologetic expression on Tina. “I’m sorry this is happening to you.” He barely resembled the gangly teen she remembered. No more acne or braces. His undeniable Garrett genes had brought him through puberty with a gold star. Exactly like his brothers.
She pulled the bag higher on her shoulder and gripped it with one hand. “Thanks.”
Tina scanned her new surroundings with curiosity. Miraculously, she’d never been inside the station before. It wasn’t the way she’d imagined. Based on the horror stories her father had told, she’d assumed the place was dark and scary. Full of people like him in handcuffs. Instead, the building was open-concept, bright and clean. The walls were lined in diplomas, Don’t Text and Drive posters and a cluster of community boards with fund-raising flyers pinned to them.
West lifted a hand in Tina’s direction, but dropped it quickly with a frown. “There’s coffee and hot water for tea in the break room, and there’s normally something to eat on the counter. Fruit. Bagels.” He stepped away from the little group, and she followed.
She hurried behind him down a long hallway lined with closed doors. Her stomach twisted into painful knots at the thought of food. “Just a shower, I think.”
He stopped at a door marked Locker Room. “We’ll need to put your clothes into an evidence bag, so leave them out when you’re done.” He pushed the door open and held it for her. “I’ll flip the in-use sign so no one bothers you. Small building. Everything’s coed.”
Tina hesitated. Police station or not, the empty room was frightening. “Will you be here when I get out?”
West looked over his shoulder. “I’ll try. I need to touch base with my team and see what’s been done. If no one’s visited the two men who missed your group this afternoon, then I’d like to get over there myself. I’ve got a limited number of deputies and a vested interest in this case.”
Tina tried not to wonder if that “vested interest” was her. “Has anyone tried calling the men who missed the meeting?” Why hadn’t she thought to do that? “I have their numbers in my phone.” She dug nervously through the giant bag on her shoulder and nearly dumped the contents.
“Hey.” West’s steady hand fell upon her fluttering one. “Stop.” He gripped her fingers until she looked his way.
She pulled in deep breaths, borrowing strength from his touch. “What if the gunman visited them before coming to our session? Maybe that’s why they weren’t in group today.”
“It’s unlikely,” West said, “but we’re going to find out. Plus, I have questions for them. We really don’t know what’s going on in the big picture yet.” He lowered his face to her level and searched her with kind eyes. “Can you think of any connection between the victim and yourself beyond your recent professional relationship?”
Tina considered the way she’d found Steven asleep at a bus stop outside the hospital last month. They were strangers until then, and had only seen each other at group sessions since. “No. None. Why?”
“I’m still trying to figure out how the shooting and the break-in are related. The crimes are vastly different, but the timing has my flags up. If the shooter is the same man who attacked me at your home, understanding СКАЧАТЬ