Treasure Point Secrets. Sarah Varland

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       FOUR

      Shiloh was beyond ready to get to work the next morning. The storm the night before had set her on edge. Along with the threatening note, the weather had unearthed memories she’d thought long buried. The crashing thunder had sounded the same as it had on the night Annie had been killed. Shiloh had lain awake all night, caught between the past and the present. Even if she’d been inclined to heed the warnings of the note found in her mailbox, she couldn’t forget the past. It was etched in her memory with the clarity of a lightning flash.

      This morning, as she navigated her new cruiser toward the station, she considered her options. Running was not one of them, as far as she was concerned. If they’d bothered to track her here, they’d track her anywhere, and she didn’t want to live life continually looking over her shoulder. Besides, as part of the law-enforcement community, she could keep an eye on things. Wasn’t that the reason she’d left behind her job as a history professor and had become a cop?

      Her cousin’s face flashed in her mind. Keeping an eye on things wasn’t the only reason. Shiloh owed it to Annie to finish what she had started.

      Maybe Shiloh was looking at this wrong.

      Regardless, she didn’t have time to worry about it right now. She parked her car and entered the police station in time for roll call, when the day’s assignments were given out. She learned she’d be patrolling an area near Widow Hamilton’s house that included several miles of Treasure Point’s coastal marshes.

      “Officer Evans, the chief needs to see you in his office. Anyone have questions?”

      Lieutenant Rich Davies scanned the room, brows raising when he came to Shiloh as though he expected her to have a question. Her cheeks burned with a blush she hoped no one noticed; she felt like a kid who’d been called out for talking in class. She hadn’t been paying attention but wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of admitting it.

      The meeting was dismissed, and Shiloh walked to the chief’s door and knocked. Uneasy flutters danced in her stomach as she tried to figure out what he could want.

      “Come in.”

      She pushed the door open, willing away the tumultuous thoughts while forcing a pleasant smile on her face. “You wanted to see me?”

      The chief nodded. Shiloh stepped in to take a seat when she noticed that one of the desk chairs was occupied. Her step faltered. “I can come back later if you’re already in a meeting.” That sandy-blond hair could belong to only one person.

      “No, now’s a fine time.” The chief cleared his throat. “Lieutenant Davies already give out assignments for the day?”

      Shiloh nodded as she sat.

      “What I told him I’d tell you myself is that you have something of an extra assignment for the next several weeks.”

      The flutters in her stomach returned full force.

      “You already know Adam is the new chaplain...”

      With the words “extra assignment” and “Adam” in such close proximity, the flutters turned to concrete bricks. There was no good way for this to turn out. Shiloh straightened in her chair, listening closely. There had to be a way to get out of whatever her commanding officer was suggesting; she never gave up without a fight.

      The chief shifted in his chair. “What you may not realize is the difficulty of a man in his position. He’s here to help the department and the town, and he can’t do that if he doesn’t know people, doesn’t fit in like a local. For the next few weeks I’m assigning Adam to ride along with you. As you get the chance, tell him about the town, introduce him to people. As the other officers see you accepting him, they’ll start to. Everyone loves you, Shiloh. They look to you.” The chief nodded as though he was as pleased with his decision as Shiloh was displeased. “Do this for me and for Adam, would you?”

      “Sir, I’m flattered that you think this would help him, but wouldn’t my time be better spent pursuing whoever tried to run me off the road the other day? Or checking out Widow Hamilton’s house for her?”

      “Your time is best spent doing what I’ve asked you to do.” The chief’s voice was still kind, but she could hear the steel in it. Nothing about this was optional.

      Or fair, in Shiloh’s opinion.

      “I understand the two of you knew each other in Savannah. I would think you’d be eager to help out an old friend.”

      Shiloh’s eyes darted to Adam as the chief spoke. Was it her imagination or was there a degree of pleading in those gorgeous eyes? Once upon a time those eyes had melted her like chocolate on a hot summer day. Even now their effect was difficult to resist.

      She let out a breath. “You’re right. It’s the least I can do to help an old friend.”

      The chief nodded, the matter settled to him. “Good.”

      Shiloh could feel Adam’s eyes on her and knew if she looked she would read his thanks in them. But the fact that she couldn’t bring herself to intentionally hurt him like he’d hurt her didn’t mean she was ready to buddy up to him, either. Without another word to either man, she started for the door.

      “And, Officer Evans?”

      Shiloh СКАЧАТЬ