Page 19 of Deep Tide

“I’ll put it into your contacts.”

He pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped in his passcode as she eyed the screen, looking for a woman’s picture or any hint of a significant other. But his background photo was the tip of a kayak splashing through whitewater.

He handed the phone over, and she entered her name and number into his contacts.

“Thank you,” he said as she handed it back.

“You’re welcome.”

The moment stretched out as he gazed down at her, and she though he might kiss her right there on the crowded sidewalk. Her stomach fluttered at the thought.

“Good night, Leyla.”

“Good night.”

He stepped back. But the heated look in his eyes told her she’d be hearing from him again.

CHAPTER

FOUR

We got bumped,” Nicole said, stepping out of the busy hallway.

“What’s that?”

“Bumped,” she repeated over the phone. “Postponed. Something came up, and the ME didn’t get started until nine, so we just wrapped up. Can you tell Brady for me?”

“Why don’t you tell him?” Emmet asked. “You’re the lead detective.”

Nicole gritted her teeth. She really didn’t want to get into a pissing war with him right now. Or ever. But obviously, he still had his back up about her being tapped to lead the investigation.

She stepped deeper into an alcove beside the water fountains and restrooms. The county headquarters was unusually busy today.

“I tried calling,” she said, “but he didn’t pick up. So, would you mind letting him know I won’t be back for another hour? I figured if you’re at the station—”

“Fine, I’ll tell him.”

“Thank you.”

“What did you learn?”

“A lot.”

“Such as?”

“Well, it sounds like we’re looking for a big knife. Something with at least a six-inch blade and a serrated edge on one side.”

Emmet whistled. “Damn. A hunting knife.”

“Sounds like.”

“Okay, what else?”

“And he found no signs of sexual assault,” she said. “They’re going to send off the swabs and all, but there were no indications of anything.”

“We hadn’t really expected any.”

Nicole wasn’t sure what to expect with this case anymore. Different elements of it had seemed odd from the beginning.

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