Page 83 of Obsession

Without commenting, he leaned in close and wrapped it around her hand. His nearness and the heady scent of his aftershave sent her heart into overdrive.

“I just don’t want you getting hurt,” he said softly as he attached the Velcro.

“I’ll be with you,” she said. “Besides, how could talking to an older couple be dangerous?”

45

Sam tested the snugness of the splint, his fingers lingering on hers. When he looked up, the warmth in her green eyes caught him by surprise. Desire to wrap Emma in his arms blindsided him. How quickly things changed. He’d gone from swearing to never give her the power to hurt him again to practically handing his heart over with a red bow tied around it. She pulled her hand away, breaking the spell.

“Thank you,” she said. “Have you contacted the Selbys?”

“Actually, I thought it’d be better to drop in without letting them know we’re coming.” He didn’t like letting Emma tag along, but if he didn’t, there was no doubt in his mind she would investigate on her own. At least this way, he had some control. “But first, you have to promise you won’t nose around in this investigation on your own.” When she hesitated, he said, “The deal is off, then.”

She held up her left hand. “Okay, I won’t investigate on my own.”

“Is that a promise?” Emma always kept her promises.

“Yes,” she grumbled.

“If you’re ready, then...”

She picked Suzy up and hugged her. “I’ll be back, and I don’t want my curtains shredded while I’m gone. Got it?”

He smiled. “Are we talking to animals now?”

“Wearen’t talking to anyone. I am. And I don’t get any flack back from her.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He opened her door just as her neighbor unlocked his. Sam tried to place the name.

“Good morning, Greg,” Emma said.

Sam remembered now. Gregory Hart.

“Good morning.” He eyed the two of them. “Isn’t this your day off?”

Emma glanced down at her uniform. “It was, but you know how it is.”

“Yeah. Your time is never your own. Well, have a good day,” he said and disappeared into his apartment.

Okay, Hart knew when Emma worked and when she didn’t. Interesting. “Does he always keep up with you?”

“I wasn’t even aware he knew my days off, although it wouldn’t be hard to figure out.”

She started down the stairs and he said, “Let me go first.”

“What? So you can stop my fall?”

“Something like that.” Once they were on the ground floor, he said, “Wait here.”

Sam stepped out on the porch, scanned the area, and then checked the street in front of the apartment, noting that the Natchez PD hadn’t installed the license plate readers yet. He would call Nate and see if the readers had been delivered to the police department. Then he scanned the neighborhood again, and everything looked normal. He stepped back inside and said, “All clear.”

The Selbys lived just outside of Natchez, and a few minutes later they drove to Highway 61 and turned south.

“Are you sure you shouldn’t call them and make sure they’re home?” Emma asked. Her tone made it evident she didn’t think just dropping in was a good idea.

“Trust me, I’ve done this before.”

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