Bait, p.13
Bait, page 13
“You think something happened.”
Liam didn’t miss a beat. “I also want to know where Sheriff Allens is.”
The last time Liam saw the man he’d been leaving his house with a shotgun and now Caisey was missing? Liam didn’t like this at all. What had the sheriff done?
“But—” A male officer stepped forward.
Liam lifted his hand. “Regardless of his standing in this town, until further notice Frank Allens is a suspect in the murder of his niece and I want him brought in.”
The phone rang and Big Al crossed to the front desk to answer it. Liam sucked down the rest of his coffee and glanced at the door. Caisey had been gone for hours.
He didn’t like this. He didn’t like it at all.
“I’ve got them.”
Liam looked up. Big Al was grinning. “Steve, the tow truck driver from the garage, was on his way back from dropping someone home who got too sloshed at Pete’s bar. Says he was flagged down two miles outside of town by Thompson and Agent Lyons. They’re soaking wet, but he’s bringing them in right now.”
**
Caisey was in the big chair behind Sheriff Allens’ desk, eating one of the cheeseburgers someone had picked up from Pete’s bar for everyone. The bread was a little stale, but the thickness of the patty and the amount of cheese made up for it.
“Hungry much?”
“You should be thankful Pete’s kitchen was still open or I’d be gnawing on your hand.”
Liam sighed. “Thanks, I’m done with my burger now.”
“Hand it over then.” Not that she would eat it, or that he would give it up, but she wasn’t going to let an opportunity for extended banter pass by unacknowledged. Batting retorts back and forth with Liam chased away the shadows. Caisey ignored the look on her partner’s face and took another bite. For the first time that day she actually felt warm, even if Officer Kurter’s workout clothes were for someone nearly a foot taller than Caisey.
“Are you ready?”
Caisey nodded.
“Here—” Liam set Caisey’s over-the-counter pain meds on the sheriff’s desk between them. “Since you have something in your stomach now, and I know you won’t take the hard stuff.”
“Thanks.”
“How bad is your leg hurting?”
Caisey leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to tell him her head hurt now, too. “Worse than a black eye, not as bad as being stabbed in the first place.”
“Sure about that? A quick trip to the medical center probably isn’t a bad idea.”
“I’ll see how the night goes.”
Liam tugged the desk phone around. He hit speakerphone and dialed the number so fast Caisey’s ears blurred the beeps together into a muddle.
“Burkot.”
“Yes, sir. I’m here with Special Agent Lyons.”
“Go ahead.”
Caisey took a deep breath. “I accompanied Gabe Thompson back to his residence, my father’s cabin. There I conversed with a friend of his via Skype. The friend—Mitch something, I’ll have to check on that—confirmed he had spoken with Gabe at the time Emma Allens disappeared. And I checked the call log on his Skype. Four-fifteen to four fifty- five.”
Liam shifted in his chair. “The Medical Examiner put the time of death as between four p.m. and six p.m. which doesn’t completely absolve Mr. Thompson. It’s still possible that Gabe caught up with Emma, killed her and disposed of her body in the woods. There are officers processing the mess at the cabin as we speak.”
He nodded to Caisey and she told them about the sheriff’s arrival and his pursuit of her and Gabe. When she described how she’d used deadly force, her voice broke. Then she told them about falling over the edge of the ravine, regaining consciousness on the bank of the river, and how she and Gabe walked six miles to find a road. Liam’s face paled. Burkot must have heard the regret in her voice, because he started going on about every law enforcement agent who’d faced aggressive force from a dirty cop, and how she needed to take comfort in the fact it was justified.
Caisey stared at her fingers, clenched together on the desk. Gabe had been carrying her when she came around. She could still feel the rhythm of his steps, just as wet and cold as she had been and he’d still done it. After she freaked out, he’d touched her. So gently she could still see the look of kindness in his eyes. Like she was someone he cared for. Then he’d held her hand while she clung to his warmth until it filled her and she didn’t shiver quite so much. He’d never complained, just led her out at the pace she set, content to let her be quiet instead of pestering her with questions about how she was doing.
The young man she’d gone out with all those years ago had grown into a dream of what could have been. The man she was coming to know now was strong and confident. He didn’t push, but allowed her to be who she was. It was too bad she would eventually go back to Denver and he’d get on with his life here. She wouldn’t have a reason to visit her dad’s cabin.
Chapter 18
LIAM PINCHED HER finger and gave her a look that said, focus. Caisey glared, but his attention was on the call. “I’ll contact the Medical Examiner and tell him to clear his morning. We’ll head out with a search party and locate the sheriff’s body first thing.”
“Good deal.” Someone on Burkot’s end said something. The line went quiet, and then he came back on. “Gotta run. Liam get this wrapped up and get back.”
Caisey was fine with that. Life could go back to normal instead of her living in this wonky world where nothing made sense. Why else would the Chloroform Killer have left her alive?
Then they’d shown up here right after the sheriff—maybe—killed his niece. The timing had been perfect to help Gabe, so he didn’t get arrested for murder. Had God brought them here for exactly that? She’d believe it if the sheriff hadn’t tried to kill them too. Had he snapped and suffered a psychotic break? Or had he been cracked before he killed his niece? It would certainly explain why some people killed the ones they were supposed to protect.
What was it the sheriff said right before they went over the edge?
Burkot chimed in again. “Get some rest, Agent Lyons. You’re supposed to be on vacation.” He hung up.
Liam pushed the phone back into place and eyed her. “We should figure out where we’re going to stay tonight. I can have Big Al call the inn and see if there are a couple of rooms, if you want.”
A full night of sleep would be good. She set the rest of the burger down, willing to admit there was no way she could possibly finish it all. Her gaze drifted up to Liam. He was staring at her, so she glared right back. Was he trying to read her? He should know by now that didn’t work. “What?”
His eyes narrowed. “You want to tell me how you’re really doing? You had an ordeal and you spent the whole day with your dream man and you’re both still in one piece. Mostly. Talk to me, Case.”
She wasn’t even on the same planet as being up to firing back over that crack about her dream man. “I’m okay.”
Liam threw up his hands.
“I am. It wasn’t fun, but I’m here, aren’t I? Gabe and I got out of there in one piece, like you said. I could’ve done without waking up and thinking he was a serial killer for a second. But when I saw the sun and really looked at him, I realized it was Gabe—”
“Sparks—”
“As opposed to being back in that mine? Sure, I’ll take that any day of the week, even if romantic relationships aren’t exactly my strong suit.”
Liam had the good grace to cover his snort.
Caisey folded her arms. “How about you?”
She paused before she snapped at him about his sister, long enough that her brain caught up with her mouth. Thank you, God. That wouldn’t be something Liam would appreciate, for all the compassion in the intention. If she fluffed up the delivery, it would only make it worse.
“You spent all afternoon and evening with the body of a dead teenage girl. It must have brought up some not so pleasant memories for you. How are you doing?”
His face softened. “I don’t think I’ll ever see something like that and not remember finding my sister.”
Caisey knew how much it took for him to act like he was okay. What she didn’t know was if it was healing or he was still pretending it didn’t bother him. Becoming a Christian had smoothed out so much of what set Liam’s emotions all over the place and made it easier for him to do his job and be detached. Now all Caisey had to do was figure out how to get her faith to do the same for her, when so much still surfaced.
Being with Gabe sent her back to being captured by the Chloroform Killer, which had in turn jolted her back to being seventeen and being abducted—she hated that word. Just one day she’d like to wake up and not remember any of it. A clean slate. That’s what she wanted most of all, to step forward and not have the sum of the past in her head all the time.
“You look like you’re drifting off.”
“Let’s get this wrapped up so we can find beds.” Caisey stood and stretched. “My car is still at Gabe’s.”
“I hope Big Al can find us something, because I really don’t want to bunk downstairs in the cells.”
She grinned. “It could be fun. Like camping, but for drunks you don’t want to drive home.”
Liam shook his head. “You’ve always had a warped sense of humor.”
They stepped out of the Sheriff’s office into the main room of the station. Uniformed sheriff’s deputies stood around with Big Al and Babs, their attention on the two FBI agents who had—in a single day—disrupted their lives and killed their sheriff.
Gabe was dipping French fries into ketchup, his focus solely on his meal, which Caisey was grateful for. She still wanted to ask God why. Why after all these years of being hung up on a guy did she suddenly find him again if she was just going to go back to her life?
What was the point? God wasn’t in the business of poking his children like a kid with a stick in an ant hill. If this was her one chance at claiming happiness for herself she was doing a lousy job of it. Serial killers and homicidal cops didn’t make for good date material. But she honestly didn’t know what did.
Liam nudged her. “You’re staring at him.”
**
Gabe saw her face and wondered what her partner said to her. He got that their job meant they had a close relationship, and it was clear from the way they interacted that they understood each other well, so what did it mean? If he and Caisey ever came to some kind of understanding, would Gabe always wonder in the back of his mind if something was going on between her and Liam?
He closed the container on the last few fries he didn’t need and tossed it in the trash.
Why couldn’t he just have a normal relationship where he got to know a woman and gradually fell for her? It had to be better than this paralyzing condition that meant he hadn’t been able to get close to anyone in all the years since the date with Caisey. He should probably call Becka tomorrow, or stop by the diner and tell her they should probably call off their date.
Speaking of Becka.
Gabe made his way past officers milling around and through the divide in the counter. Becka was at the front door, wide-eyed at all the activity in the room. He didn’t blame her. It was like every sworn-in cop in the county was here.
“Hey.”
She gave him a small smile, one that made him inexplicably sad. She was a nice girl, the timing was just bad. Gabe had thought he was free to explore a relationship with a cute, home-town girl who would be enjoyable company.
Concern furrowed her brow. “Are you okay?” She looked tired, probably from being on her feet at the diner all day. And yet she had come here, ostensibly to check on him. “I heard the sheriff brought you in for questioning about Emma’s disappearance. Then I heard you were missing.”
Gabe touched her arm. “It’s been a long day, but I’m all right.”
He let his hand drop and she saw it, but he couldn’t help that his heart had always been all about Caisey, even if she was probably taken. That one date had been a measuring rod against which he set every woman he saw. And when he looked at Becka, there was nothing there but pleasant feelings. There was just no…what was that word? Whatever it was, it was glaringly obvious now that it was missing.
Gabe looked back over his shoulder. Caisey’s eyes were on him and Becka, and he thought he saw a flash of something there that made him want to smile.
“Who is that?”
Gabe turned back to Becka. “It’s complicated.”
“I see that.” Becka bit her lip. “When the big-shot FBI agent leaves, why don’t you give me a call?”
“Becka—”
“I’m not going to lie and say its fine, Gabe, because it isn’t. But I get it.”
Gabe opened his big idiot mouth to apologize, but she was halfway out the door. At the last second Becka turned back to give him a sad look. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
Big Al shook his head, like Gabe disappointed him, but he didn’t understand about Caisey. Gabe didn’t even understand it himself; he just knew his heart refused to listen to what his head thought was the most sensible course of action.
Gabe strode to where Caisey and Liam stood talking to a female officer. “Do I need to stay, or is there someone who can give me a ride home?”
Caisey nodded. “You don’t have to stay, but—”
“Your cabin was trashed.” Agent Conners was taller than Gabe and clean cut. Even though it was late, he still looked like the all-American kid who grew up to be a cop and not a lawyer only because he wanted to carry a gun for a living. “It’s not exactly livable, but I can take you to get some stuff if you want to get a room in town.”
“And my computer?” Gabe saw the look on the man’s face. “Look, Agent Conners—”
“Liam is fine.”
“If my computer is gone, there’s not much point going back there at all.” Gabe blew out a breath. “It’s a good thing I back everything up online, or I’d be totally lost.”
Caisey moved between them. “Liam, you wanna give me your keys and I’ll take Gabe to get a change of clothes?”
Agent Conners frowned. “You sure about that?”
Gabe didn’t even want to know what they were talking about, at least not since Caisey immediately lifted her chin and went into a stare-down with her partner. “I’m sure.”
Liam sighed and gave her a set of keys from his pocket. “We’re still going to have to pick up your car at some point.”
“Tomorrow will be fine. I’ll go with Gabe now and come straight back, mom.”
“Case—”
“It’ll be fine. That coffee gave me a second wind and I can grab my duffel while I’m there. Chill, okay? I won’t do anything you wouldn’t do in my place.”
Agent Liam Conners clearly knew something Gabe didn’t, since he glanced between Gabe and Caisey. Did he have a problem with them being together? Gabe had figured she was spoken for, but by her partner? He didn’t know if the FBI allowed that.
Maybe it was just friendly concern, since Gabe was the unknown component. But whether or not they were, or ever had been, in a relationship that was more than partners and friends, Liam seemed to think he had a say over what she did. That could be good for Gabe, or it could be really bad.
The door flung open and two uniformed Colorado State Patrol officers sauntered in. One was older and his hat was askew, showing off silver hair that matched his handlebar mustache. The other was in his twenties and had a rough beard.
The first one pulled a toothpick from his mouth. “We’ll take it from here, folks.”
Chapter 19
“YOU SAY SHERIFF Allens is dead?”
Caisey nodded. She was in the front seat of the state patrol car while Gabe rode in the back. “I appreciate you giving Mr. Thompson and I a ride back to his place. I left my car there earlier and after the day I’ve had I just couldn’t face waiting for my partner to sort himself out.”
Her leg had started to throb again and her muscles all felt like jelly, but she shot the cop a smile. “You know what I mean?”
He nodded, like she was the little woman he needed to placate. “It’s no bother at all, ma’am, just doing my duty for a fellow law officer.”
Caisey nodded herself, seizing the opportunity to study the man. “Long drive?”
He shrugged. “Couple hours.”
“You like working this region?”
“Sure.” He shrugged again, like that was his default response. “I like the mountains.”
Except this was Colorado and you didn’t need to come west of Denver just to see mountains. He must not have worked for the state patrol long if he didn’t even know that. Maybe the younger officer had been with them longer. That guy had stayed behind at the sheriff’s office with Liam to get the run down on the case.
On the surface they were doing everything they should be, but still. Caisey couldn’t quit the idea that something was…off with these guys. What it was, she couldn’t put her finger on.
She glanced back at Gabe in the backseat. “You fall asleep yet?”
A low chuckle emerged from his throat. “Just about. I think I lost my second wind. What time is it, anyway?”
“Almost two.”
“Seriously? I don’t think I’ve stayed up this late since college.”
Caisey laughed. “Those wild days of youth?”
“More like all-nighters studying.”
“Ah, the studious type.”
“That’s me. Nerd to the core.” He paused. “But there was this one time. I had this date that lasted all night.” His voice was wistful, now.
Caisey pressed her lips together so she didn’t grin like an idiot. He might be a nerd, but he filled out the shoulders of his t-shirt nicely. The glasses he’d been wearing before they jumped in the ravine suited his face. A face that was older now, but what drew her to him was still there. His intelligence made him seem so solid, deep like he saw underneath what was on the surface.
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