Page 112 of Obsession

That was obvious, and Emma hid a smile. Dr. Gordon Cole was totally smitten with her neighbor.

“Do you have a minute?” Sam asked. “I have a couple of questions I’d like to run by you.”

Gordon frowned and checked his watch. “I can give you a few minutes. What kind of questions are you talking about?”

“I’d rather not say out here in the hall. Can you stop by Emma’s a second?”

The doctor glanced back at Taylor and nodded. “See you tomorrow at eight?”

“Yes,” Taylor said, “and be on time.”

Emma followed the two men inside her apartment. She had no idea what Sam wanted to talk to Gordon about.

Gordon’s smile faded. “What’s this all about?”

“I was talking to Sheriff Carter tonight,” Sam said, “and he made a remark that left me with more questions than answers.”

“Oh? Why would you pay any attention to anything he said? The man has Alzheimer’s.”

“He seemed pretty clear tonight when he said Trey wasn’t responsible for Mary Jo Selby’s death.”

Gordon stared at Sam, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. Slowly he shook his head. “I can’t help you there since I don’t have a clue what he was talking about.”

Emma didn’t believe him. “Are you saying you don’t remember anything?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“Come on, Gordy,” Sam said. “You left the Hideaway with Trey and Ryan the night Mary Jo died, and she was with you.”

“That was a long time ago, and I was pretty out of it that night.” He palmed his hands. “By the time we left the Hideaway, I was wasted.”

“Where’d you go?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know. I remember leaving the tavern and nothing else until Trey dropped me off at my folks’ house. That’s it.” Gordon’s face had turned pasty, and sweat beaded his upper lip. “Anything in between is gone, but why don’t you ask Trey? He was the one who wasn’t drinking much.”

“I plan to.” Sam’s frustration spilled over into his voice. He took a card from his wallet and handed it to the doctor. “If you remember anything, give me a call.”

“Of course, but I doubt anything more will come to me.”

After he left, she looked at Sam. “Do you believe he doesn’t remember anything?”

“No. He’s hiding something, just like Sheriff Carter.”

61

After a restless night, Sam crawled out of bed at six. He tried to avoid Jenny, who was already up and getting Jace ready for school. He was still angry at her for her outburst at the hospital.

Sam called the hospital to check on George Selby and his daughter and was told they were slightly improved but still critical. Then he texted his mom to check on her and received a message back that his dad was better and that he would go home today.

Home to the house they’d once shared until the divorce. Another text hit his phone, his mom asking when he would drop by the house. His finger hovered over the keys, and then he shoved his phone in his pocket. He wasn’t ready for that. Sam had held on to his anger for so long it was hard to let it go. What if Emma had the same trouble forgiving him? He slipped his phone back out.Soon,he texted.

Jenny came into the kitchen while he was drinking his second cup of coffee. She poured herself a mug, and cupping it in her hands, she turned to him. “All right. I’m sorry for what I said to Emma last night.”

“You should be. Why did you do that?”

She jutted her chin. “To show you Emma Winters would throw you under the bus the first chance she got.”

He had to believe Emma would come around. “Did it ever occur to you I might be in love with her?”

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