Chapter Twenty-Two

Mrs. Sinclair's phone call had lifted Aja Blue's spirits, for which Christian was extremely grateful. He hated for her to be sad. She tried to hide her pain, but he was so attuned to her that he noticed every mood swing. Knowing that her assistant would be remembered with a scholarship in his name had brightened her outlook tremendously. Nothing would bring him back, but she could honor his memory and keep it alive.

Kayne drove to the hospital so they could check on Detective Herbert. Christian wondered if she was still there. After her stunt yesterday, he wouldn't have put it past her to flee in the middle of the night. He might've done the same thing.

Surprisingly, she was in her room but dressed and tapping her fingers on the mattress. Her booted foot was still propped up on pillows. Her head jerked up when they entered.

"Hey."

"How are you feeling?" Presley asked.

"Good as new. Ready to get out of here."

"What's the holdup?" Kayne wanted to know.

"My ride. Captain Parsa sent someone, but there was an accident, and they stopped to take care of it."

"Were you released?" Christian asked.

"Yes." She waved a stack of papers. "Got the signatures and everything."

Christian was skeptical but offered, "We can drive you home."

She swung around and grabbed the crutches. "Yes, please."

Aja Blue and Presley helped her stand. Detective Herbert tried not to wince, but Christian saw it.

"Are you sure you should leave?"

"Yes. I'll rest better at home."

Kayne picked up a bag of her personal items, and they exited the room. They adjusted their pace so that the detective could keep up. It was slow going as she learned how to navigate with her crutches, which frustrated her, judging by the grunts and curses. Once they were at the SUV, Christian watched as she tried to figure out how to get inside. He walked over and lifted her, placing her in the passenger seat. She clenched her jaw but thanked him. He handed her the crutches and waited until she was buckled in before closing the door.

Once they were settled inside, she said, "Tell me what's going on with the case. Captain Parsa has been frustratingly tight-lipped."

She'd eventually find out, so they talked about everything that had happened, including the two bodyguards flipping on Pastor Chet and the accident being tied to him.

"Did they arrest him? And believe me, it pains me to ask since it's my department."

"He's in the wind," Christian told her.

"Oh, my God, are you kidding me? I wouldn't have let him out of my sight."

"He had a good lawyer," Christian said, though he agreed with the detective. He wouldn't have let a potential murder suspect out of his sight, either.

Kayne followed her directions, and they pulled into a nicely landscaped apartment complex. It was inland, away from the beach, so the rent had to be lower, but the parking lot was clean, and the buildings looked new.

Detective Herbert slid out of the SUV before Christian could help her. "I'll escort her to her apartment," he told the others.

She'd taken off, crutching her way down the sidewalk. He jogged after her, glad when she stopped at a first-floor unit. Once she opened the door, he handed her the bag from the hospital. "You have my number if you need anything."

She nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate the ride."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes. Thanks."

It was evident that she was fiercely independent and didn't like relying on anyone else. He'd been that way before he started working with CObrA Securities. Now, he counted on his coworkers and valued their assistance.

With a wave, he headed back to the others. Presley had moved to the front passenger seat, so he slid in beside Aja Blue. She smiled at him, and it took every ounce of his restraint to refrain from leaning over and kissing her senseless.

Their time together was coming to an end, and that made him sad. He wasn't leaving until Pastor Chet was captured, but he had faith the police would apprehend him quickly. Until then, he was still a threat to Aja Blue.

They decided to have dinner at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. Fresh seafood wasn't something they had the chance to eat often, living in the landlocked Midwest, so they indulged anytime they could.

Christian could tell Aja Blue was putting on an act, trying to hide her somber mood. He hoped being around others would help ease the pain from losing Jay for a little while. Kayne and Presley were two of his best friends. Aja Blue fit in with them, and it felt right,

An image flashed in his head of the future. He was old and gray-haired, sitting on a deck overlooking the lake back home. Aja Blue was by his side, holding his hand and smiling.

It had been so real that Christian swore it was a premonition.

#

Nicole Herbert glanced at the cast on her foot and cursed. She wasn't used to being on the sidelines. Her mother used to joke that she'd come out of the womb at a full gallop like Secretariat racing for the finish line at the 1973 Belmont Stakes. Inactivity wasn't in her vocabulary. Growing up, she'd played every sport she could, which included being the only girl on several men's teams. It wasn't in her nature to be passive.

Nicole couldn't believe Captain Parsa had kicked her off the case. It was hers! He'd been one of her staunchest supporters and the main reason she'd made detective at a young age. But right now, she cursed him and everyone at the station.

Yes, her head pounded like a heavy metal rocker punishing the drums, and maybe her body felt like it'd been run over by a dump truck. Twice. Still, her brain was firing on all cylinders. And okay, if she was honest with herself, the drugs had dulled her senses a bit, but she could still investigate the hell out of the case. If only Captain Parsa would let her.

Nicole thought about the people she'd met from CObrA Securities. They were competent, intelligent, capable, and thorough. She recognized the traits since she also possessed them. Plus, she truly liked them. Christian and Kayne were strong and definite alpha males. She and Presley were a lot alike.

Nicole didn't have many female friends. Huh, when she thought about it, she didn't have male friends either. She had coworkers, but as far as having someone to say, hey, let's grab a beer, there was no one. Wow. How had she gotten to that point in her life?

As soon as she graduated college with a criminal justice degree, Nicole had enrolled in the police academy, knowing that law enforcement was what she wanted to do with her life. Nicole tried to reassure herself that she only wanted to put away bad guys, like Olivia Benson on Law and Order SVU. Her mother had freaked out, worrying that her only daughter was playing with bullets. Sadly, her mother had passed away before Nicole graduated from the academy.

As the only daughter of a single mother, the loss had hit hard. Nicole had busied herself with work to forget about anything else, to the point that her job had become her life. She'd buried her feelings with her mother.

Now, as she crutched around her apartment, she wondered what had become of her life. She loved the feeling of her plant-covered space. Her mother had adored flora, transferring her love to her daughter. It took everything Nicole had to keep the foliage alive, but it was her favorite hobby, her release. Otherwise, there was nothing personal in the space. She merely existed.

Again, her thoughts scrolled back to the CObrA Securities agents. Nicole loved her job but would be lying if she said she wasn't intrigued. Knowing Presley had also been a detective had piqued her interest. Nicole remembered little about their conversation. The car accident had wiped out most of her short-term memory. But the company's reputation was stellar. It was considered a badge of honor to work for them. They were revered around the country.

Was she seriously considering applying for a job?

#

Despite the devastation of the last week, Aja Blue felt a sliver of hope, and it had everything to do with the man beside her and his coworkers. Mrs. Sinclair had something to do with it too. Her benevolent gesture wouldn't bring Jay back, but it would allow his memory to live forever. The gratitude Aja Blue felt was immense.

She never would have been able to come up with anything like what Mrs. Sinclair had bestowed on Jay. To have a scholarship named after him! What an incredible honor.

She needed to inform Sara Lea, Marla, and Darwin about it. Then she remembered Charlotta at Crystal Galaxy had asked to be informed about Jay. Aja Blue wanted everyone there to know that Jay hadn't skipped out on them.

A thought struck, and she turned to Christian. "He rarely took personal time."

"What was that?"

"Jay. He didn't take vacation days. The message said he was taking time off, so he didn't send it."

"I'd say you're right," Christian agreed. "That's why the note was generic."

"The killer was probably buying time so no one would be looking for him," Kayne deduced.

That was plain evil. Who would do something like that?

Christian's phone buzzed. "It's Captain Parsa. Maybe they caught Pastor Chet."

He slid out of the booth and exited the restaurant. Aja Blue wanted to go after him and listen to the conversation. Instead, she focused on Kayne and Presley. They told her about their coworker's son's antics. Christian had relayed stories about him, too.

"I'm telling you, he'll be president one day," Kayne insisted. "Kai Costa. Remember the name."

Presley raised her water glass. "I agree. The kid is fearless and a bonafide hero."

Aja Blue would love to meet him. He'd saved his stepsister from harm and another girl in a separate incident. He was undoubtedly Superman material.

Christian returned and slid into the booth. "Forensic personnel processed Jay's car. It had been swept out, so there were few foreign particles, and every surface was wiped down, even the seat adjuster."

"That's often overlooked," Presley noted. "The person was a pro."

"Or watched a ton of crime scene shows," Aja Blue added. When they turned to her, she shrugged. "I've seen enough of them to know about that too."

"Yeah, that's possible," Christian agreed. "Unfortunately, it doesn't give us any clues about who his killer was."

"Pastor Chet," Presley argued. "Why else would he ghost?"

Christian nodded. "Good question. Hopefully, the cops will catch him soon, and we'll have an answer."

They finished dinner and returned to the house. Aja Blue reached for Christian's hand and guided him to her room. He slowly undressed her, worshiping her body thoroughly. Then he made love to her until she lost her mind.