Page 52 of Water's Edge

I hang up just as Ronnie makes her way over from her temporary desk.

“I’ve got the detective from Kitsap on the phone,” she says. “He wants to know if we’re going to have a meeting here or do we want to come there? He’s already talked to Clallam County and they can go either way. He sounds anxious to see what we’ve got.”

I think for a moment. “Give me his number and tell him I’ll call him back. I need to see what the sheriff wants.” I don’t, really, but I need time to think how to do this. I already have a helper. Ronnie has worked out okay, but I work alone. Not out of jealousy, or to guard my case, but more because I do whatever it takes to find the bastard and take him out of play. I don’t need partners holding me back or holding me accountable.

I’m not sure how Ronnie will react to what I just asked Cass to do.

Ronnie goes back to her desk and gets on the phone.

My desk phone rings, and I answer. “Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Carpenter.”

“Thank goodness. I thought maybe you’d quit.”

I know the voice immediately. “Hello, Dan.”

Dan Anderson is a man I met on my last major case, involving multiple murders up in Snow Creek. He lived in the area of the murders and helped with background information on two of the victims. He asked me out, I accepted, and the date went fairly well. And then the case had ended, and I didn’t keep up with him. In fact, he left a couple of voice messages that I never got around to returning. I don’t think I intended to. I figured he would get tired and give up. Most men would. Apparently not Dan.

“It’s been a while, Megan.”

Actually it has been two months and some change. I almost ask how he got my desk number but catch myself before the words come out.

“Yes, it has. Sorry.” I find myself almost doing the wholeI’ve been busyorIt’s me, not youroutine. He saves me from babbling.

Actually, he saves me from ruining a potential relationship—something that has been in short supply of late.

As of always.

“I’m sorry for not reaching out before now,” Dan says. He doesn’t ask if I’d gotten his messages. He’s not confrontational or judgmental that way.

“I should have called you,” I say.

The line is silent. I’m wondering what to say next and I guess he is too. So awkward.

“Well, I’ll let you go. You’re probably in the middle of some big case. I just wanted to hear your voice again.”

I don’t need a relationship right now. Then I feel my resolve melting. “Actually, I am. But if you’re ever in the area, we should get together for coffee or something.”

It was like the words just escaped from my mouth. Just came out. I didn’t mean them. Or did I?

“As it happens, I’m in the area.”

“Port Hadlock?”

“No, Port Townsend,” he says. “I might as well come clean. I ran into Mindy a while back and she suggested I call you. In case you’re wondering, she’s the one who gave me this number.”

That figures. Mindy has been pushing me to have a life for as long as I’ve known her. “I’m pretty tied up today,” I say.

Iambusy, but it’s really not you. It’s me. I’m sorry.

He lets out a breath. “Oh. Okay. Maybe some other time.”

His disappointment is palpable through the phone and I immediately amend my response.

“Dan,” I say, “wait. I might be able to meet you downtown, at the waterfront. You remember where Hops Ahoy is, right?”

We had our first and only date there. Mindy came along with me to be an escape route if I didn’t like him. He showed up and the two of them did most of the talking. I couldn’t share my past and felt horrible making things up. Not that I couldn’t come up with lies quick. I just didn’t like lying to Dan. He walked me to my car and asked me for another date. It didn’t happen.

I didn’t let it.

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