Page 10 of In Dangerous Water

Taking a deep breath, I picked up my clipboard and snagged my whistle. I needed to concentrate on my job. The girls deserved a coach who was focused and on task. Squaring myshoulders, I walked out to the pool deck to get the girls’ high school swim team practice underway.

A few hours later practice was wrapping up. The girls were chatting and drying off, and I was sitting on one of the lower bleachers going over their times when I noticed that Tim was walking across the pool deck. I smiled, pleased to see him, until I realized that he wasn’t alone. Austin and the silver-haired detective I’d spoken to the previous night were also there.

Tim met my eyes as he and the other two men walked straight for me. The set expression on his face let me know that this wasn’t a casual drop in. Tim was in uniform, and Austin and the other detective had their badges in plain sight.

This was obviously about the letters. My heart slammed once and began to race in apprehension.

Austin spoke first. “Ms. Golden.”

I stood up clutching my clip board. “Detective Callahan.” It seemed only right that I address him formally—since he had done the same. Nodding to the other men, I fought to keep my voice level. “Deputy Emerson, Detective Miller.”

“Ma’am.” Detective Miller returned my nod.

Tim stepped forward. “Could the four of us speak privately? In your office perhaps?”

“Certainly,” I replied. “Let me get my swimmers settled.”

“Is everything okay, Coach?” one of my swimmers asked.

I managed to smile at her. “Yes, Lynn, it is.”

Lynn passed suspicious eyes over the officers. “I can stay with you if you want.”

I reached out and gave her arm a friendly squeeze. “It’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she said with a nod. “I’ll clear everyone out of here so you can have your meeting with no interruptions.” With that,she picked up her pool bag and began to herd the rest of her team toward the exit.

“Thank you, Lynn,” I called after her.

The teen flashed me a big smile from over her shoulder. “I got your back, Coach.”

I returned my attention to the three men. “Gentlemen, if you’d follow me?” I walked straight to my office and opened the door for them. After heading in last, I closed it behind me. There was a large glass window in the door and another on the wall beside it that overlooked the pool. Contrary to what most people thought, my office was separate andnotconnected to the swimmers’ dressing rooms.

Going directly to my desk, I sat behind it. I did that for three reasons. First, it made me appear more in charge of the situation and second, I could keep my shaking hands out of sight beneath the desktop. Finally: it would help shield me from the three officers’ emotions.

The desk was the best and most discrete psychic shield I could make for my office. It literally created a physical barrier. When I’d first taken the job at the aquatic center, I had placed crystals and small packets of saltinsideof my desk to help ward off bad vibes and to absorb any random stray emotions from others.

Tim stayed standing by the door, while Austin and the other detective sat in the pair of chairs that were across the small room and got right to business.

Austin began to speak. “We pulled the security footage from the aquatic center parking lot from yesterday. Unfortunately, your car wasnotparked in a section that was on camera.”

I picked up my crystal paperweight from the desk. A large, polished oval of labradorite, the shimmering blue stone was used to deflect negativity. It was also highly protective. “Did thecamera happen to pick up anyone dressed in a gray sweatshirt with the hood up?”

Tim’s eyes narrowed at my question, but before he could speak Detective Miller answered me. “No, it did not. We believe that whoever did this was aware of exactly where the security cameras were aimed.”

“Which would be closer to the entrance,” I said, shaking my head.

“Ms. Golden.” Detective Miller pulled a small notepad from his jacket pocket. “Have you had any contact recently with your former boyfriend, Chase Montoya?”

I blinked at the older man’s question.

“Cordelia,” Austin said gently. “Part of our investigation means that we are taking a look into your background. Your past relationships and friends.”

My stomach cramped hard at the news, but I managed to answer the question. “No, Detective Miller. I haven’t heard from or seen Chase since my last competition.”

“Which was when?” Miller asked politely.

“Nationals. That was five years ago.”

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