Chapter 13

Iwas at my desk, but I definitely wasn't working. The computer was on, and I was staring at the screen, but all I could see was Lindsey's body laid out before me. That moment when she had closed her eyes, legs wide, expecting me to pierce her opening with my cock, was seared into my memory like a flashpoint.

That act had been glorious, but it had been a colossal fucking mistake. I shouldn't have indulged myself. I should have taken the beer she offered instead of downing two entire screwdrivers. I should have suggested that we hook up the television instead or drink coffee on opposite sides of the porch.

Going into this arrangement, I had known I was attracted to her. Hell, all of my fantasies had been about her since catching her eyeing me in the grocery store. That didn't make sleeping with her right, when I was in a position of authority.

A position of authority? I laughed at the thought. I was no more an authority figure to her than she was to me. She was just off-limits, that was all. We had a business relationship, and it had to remain a business relationship no matter how sweet her kisses tasted. I would have to redouble my efforts to avoid her, or at least avoid having sex with her. The fact that her bedroom was literally right down the hall was going to make that resolution a hard one to keep.

"Hey," a voice called me out of my daydream.

I inhaled slowly, fighting the urge to jump. "Hey."

It was Ryan, the officer who had been working the drug case before I came along. "Have you moved into your cabin?" He took a seat at his own desk, facing mine.

"Yeah." I typed something just to look like I was busy.

"How is it?"

I shrugged, picturing Lindsey's body grinding beneath me. "It's good."

"How's the new roommate?" Ryan grinned, as if he knew something.

I sighed. "So far, so good."

"I don't know if I could manage being just roommates with Lindsey." Ryan had also been born in Singer's Ridge and had gone to high school with both Lindsey and Ava.

I narrowed my eyes. "How was dinner last week?" I tossed the examination back at him.

"Oh, you know…" He stretched awkwardly. "Ava was there."

"And how did that go?" I asked.

"Not good," he admitted. "How's the case?"

I laughed, because we should have been talking about the case to begin with, not as a method of diverting attention from each of our love lives. I filled Ryan in on everything I had discovered, including my suspicion that something fishy was going on over at the hair salon.

"Do you think the girls know?" Ryan asked.

I shook my head. I was going to give Lindsey the benefit of the doubt. Unless she proved to me that she was a willing participant in the drug scheme, I was going to put her down as innocent.

"What's our next move?" Ryan said.

"I think we need to talk to them. You can talk to Ava, and I'll talk to Lindsey. See if you can get any details about large purchases that have been made or deliveries they're receiving."

Ryan frowned.

"You don't think Ava has anything to do with it, do you?" I asked.

"No," Ryan said quickly. "It's just…things ended kind of awkwardly for us. I wasn't…the most stand-up guy if you know what I mean."

"Right." I didn't know exactly what had happened between Ryan and Ava, but I could guess.

"Maybe I could talk to Lindsey, and you could talk to Ava?" Ryan suggested.

I shrugged. "Sure."

We waited until after six when we knew the girls would be off work. We walked over to the hair salon and panicked a little when we found it empty.

"Look, it's Ava's car." Ryan pointed across the street at the diner.

We jogged across the street and up the porch steps into the most popular dinner place in town. It didn't take long to find the girls sharing a booth. Lindsey sat with her back to us, leaning forward as if she were sharing a secret. Ava saw us first, pointing a finger to silence her friend.

Lindsey turned, and I could see her face light up. She was actually happy to see me. I hoped she didn't think we were now engaged in some kind of relationship. The sex had been a mistake—a life-affirming, earth-shattering mistake. I didn't look forward to a conversation where I might have to establish boundaries. I hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"Evening, ladies," I said.

Ava smiled like she knew something but kept her mouth shut.

"I was wondering if we might have a word with you about the hair salon?"

Their faces fell when they realized this was not a social call.

"If you could come back to the station with me?" I asked Ava.

"Me?" she said.

"Yes." I nodded.

The two girls looked at each other in confusion. "But we haven't finished our dinner," Ava protested.

"It'll just take a few minutes," I promised.

"Okay." Ava slid out of the booth, smiling shyly at Ryan as she passed him.

Lindsey looked up at me with wounded eyes, and I wondered why. I was asking Ava back to the station to give a witness statement, not to have dinner. Hell, I was interrupting their dinner—it should have been obvious that this wasn't a date. Still, I couldn't shake Lindsey's disappointed gaze. It followed me all the way back to the station.

"Do you want a coffee?" I asked Ava when we reached my office.

"No, thank you," she said stiffly.

We were alone in the building. Cheryl and the chief had gone home for the night. Ryan was at the diner with Lindsey. The other policeman on duty was out patrolling. The night dispatcher worked from home, so we barely ever saw her.

I turned all the lights on to avoid a romantic setting and pointed to the chair beside my desk. "Have a seat."

Ava sat.

"Did you know Carrie Fishburn?" I opened, intending to shock her.

Ava nodded. She was clearly uncomfortable but determined to see this through.

"What about Barbara Clydesdale?"

"Yes, I knew them both," Ava said.

I listed the other two victims, and she admitted to knowing all four of them.

"What is this about?" Ava interrupted me. "Do you think we had something to do with their deaths? They all died of drug overdoses."

"Don't you think it's odd that all four victims were clients of yours?" I put it to her bluntly.

"I didn't think about it." Ava gulped. "Everyone's a client. There isn't another hair salon in town."

"Have you noticed anything strange at work recently?" I asked.

Ava shook her head.

"Any large purchases like a new floor or any renovations?"

She shook her head again.

"Any regular deliveries?" I tried my last indicator.

"We get restocked with product every two weeks," Ava said. "Does that help?"

"Does the product come with anything else?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"How is it delivered?"

"Jimmy brings it in, stocks our shelves, and then I sign for it."

"Okay," I sighed, handing her a business card. "If you think of anything else, call me."

"Do you think we had something to do with all those people dying?" She stared at the card in disbelief.

"No," I assured her. "I'm just covering my bases."

"I'll let you know if I see anything," she promised.

"Thank you." I stood up to escort her out. "Can I drive you back to your car?"

"That's not necessary." She shook her head.

"Please," I insisted. "Back in Nashville, it was considered reprehensible to allow a female witness to walk around the city alone at night."

"This isn't Nashville," Ava laughed, "but you can drive me to my car."

We climbed into my truck, an awkward silence falling between us. I was pretty sure that she and Lindsey had been talking about me when we had interrupted their dinner. How much did Ava know about what had happened at the cabin? Did she think I was as much of an ass as I considered myself?

"So," Ava said as we approached the diner, "what are your intentions with my friend?"

I cleared my throat. "Lindsey's great. I really like her. But I think we need to keep our relationship professional."

"Professional?" Ava parroted.

"Friendly," I reconsidered.

"That's it?"

This was uncomfortable, and I didn't respond, letting silence settle on us as I coasted into a parking spot. Lindsey's car was gone. I didn't know where Ryan was; I hadn't seen him on the way over here. Possibly he was still in the diner, getting takeout or something.

Ava climbed out of the truck and waved. Instead of going to her car, she returned to the diner; and I wondered if she would run into Ryan again. It wasn't any of my business. Ryan had been reluctant to question his former girlfriend, so I had stepped up. If they met after hours, it wasn't my problem.

I drove home to the cabin I shared with Lindsey. It was pitch-black in the forest by the time I shut my lights off and climbed out of the truck. I wasn't familiar enough with the terrain to know where to put my feet in the dark. I tripped up on the stairs, falling forward and catching myself with a palm on wooden floorboards. Behind me, I could hear the crickets chirping. Above me, more stars than I was used to seeing decorated the sky. Despite all the drama, I realized that purchasing this home had been the right thing to do.

I opened the door to find Lindsey on the couch, reading a book. I wasn't sure how to approach her. Should I act like we were friends, when really, we were just getting to know each other? Should I ask her how her day went? What I really wanted to do was grab a fistful of her hair, tilt her head back, and kiss her. But hadn't I just decided that we couldn't do that anymore? This professional relationship was going to be harder than I had anticipated.

"Hello," I said.

She didn't look up from her book.

"Did you get home okay?" It was my go-to question with female witnesses, though as soon as it was out of my mouth, I realized how ridiculous it sounded.

She narrowed her eyes, setting the book down in her lap.

"Dumb question." I moved into the kitchen to wash my hands and investigate the refrigerator.

She stood up, taking the book with her, crossed the living room, and went to the hallway. A moment later, I heard a bedroom door closing. I stood, one hand on the refrigerator door, wondering if I should chase after her. She hadn't even said hello. Something was clearly wrong, but I was worried that she had second thoughts about our lovemaking. I cursed myself for fucking up the living situation before it had even started. Tomorrow, I decided, I would make it up to her. We would have a talk and air out all our dirty laundry. As painful as it would be, we would clear the air, set boundaries, and make a fresh start. But tonight, I was tired and hungry; I was going to eat something and hit the sack.