Page 44 of Billionaire Protector

Scott sighed, drawing back his attention. “It’s going to be difficult to get this guy. He or she is pretty good at covering his tracks.” His eyes lit as he looked behind Cole. “Hey Donovan, what are you doing here? I thought you were sick.”

“I am,” Donovan rumbled, although his sharp scowl read more angry than sick. “Don’t worry, it’s not contagious, just something I ate. When I heard there was another incident, I wanted to check it out.”

Cole reached over and gave his onetime teammate a hearty handshake. “Thanks, but there’s not much to do. Sarah is the only one who saw the culprit, and he didn’t leave any clues behind.”

“Sarah saw a suspicious person out the window and investigated on her own,” Scott read the electronic notes from his tablet. “He used the fire as a diversion to get away, and since he was disguised, she didn’t see anything. Cole came a few minutes later.”

“A few minutes later?” Donovan’s gaze sharpened. “Weren’t they in the same restaurant? Why in the world did she go alone?” Anger deepened his voice. “We might have caught him if Cole had been there–” He stopped. “Wait, did you say Sarah was the only person who saw him?”

Unease seized Cole. He knew where this was going, and yeah, he’d been there, too. They only had Sarah’s word that a suspect existed at all. For a fraction of a second, he thought she’d made it up. Yet no matter how he looked at it, it just didn’t make sense. She couldn’t have set the fire.

Could she?

Despite his own misgivings, the guys speculating left him cold. “Sarah is the sheriff. There’s no reason to doubt her.”

Donovan fisted his hands. “Are you serious? Did you miss our entire childhood? Her childhood?”

Cole lowered his voice to a hiss. “You know I didn’t, but we’re not children anymore. She has nothing to gain–”

“Hey guys.”

Cole bit back a swear word. He tried to read Sarah’s expression, but she was a closed vault locked by seven layers of security. How long had she been there? What had she heard?

If she’d heard anything damning, she showed no indication. “We’re done here. The owner has been notified and is going to take care of the shed tomorrow. Let’s get back to the station.Donovan, if you’re not feeling well, you can go home. I’m also going home after I pick up my car so I can be awake for my shift tomorrow.”

The men returned silent nods, and they broke down the crime scene without another word. Cole and Sarah also didn’t talk as they drove the short distance to the station. Had she heard him defend her against Donovan’s accusations? If she asked point blank if he suspected her, could he honestly answer no?

Sarah leapt out of the vehicle the minute it stopped, with only a quick goodbye. Cole waited as she got into her squad car and turned onto the road. Continued to wait as she turned left at the end of the block.

Only she lived in theotherdirection.

Thoughts swirled, descending into a conspiracy theorist’s playbook. Where was she going? Was it legal? Did it have anything to do with the case?

Cole gripped the steering wheel until the leather squeaked. This was ridiculous. Obviously, she’d decided to pick up something to eat, get gas or run an errand. Except she’d just eaten, the nearest gas station was on the way home and all the stores were closed. Maybe she was going to see someone. Maybe she was going to meet a guy.

He revved up the car.

He drove swiftly, turning just in time to see Sarah hug another corner. He dimmed his headlights, trailing far enough to avoid detection. She stopped at a familiar location a mile away, parked and walked to a man lying down in the middle of the sidewalk. Cole frowned, exhaled. She was meeting a man, but it wasn’t a romantic rendezvous.

Alfred Tanning moaned from the ground.

He shouldn’t intrude, but he couldn’t just leave Sarah alone with her inebriated father. Even if she wouldn’t welcome hissupport, she had it. He parked on the curb a little away and silently crept to them. The stink of alcohol and cigarettes hit him far before he reached the couple.

“You need to get up.” Sarah glared down at her father, trying unsuccessfully to pull him up. “This is ridiculous.”

The older man resisted, writhing and moaning on the sidewalk. “Just leave me out here. It’s what I deserve.”

Sarah reached up to the sky. “No matter what you deserve, you still can’t be out here.” She tried again to lift him, with no success. “Where is Sue Anne?”

“Gone. I told her the truth and she left.”

“The truth?”

“That she’s a good-for-nothing, son of a bi–”

“Dad,” Sarah growled. “That’s the fourth one this month, and each one wants more money. You have to get yourself under control. Can we just talk about reha–”

“Don’t say it. Been there, done that, accomplished nothing. Just leave me here. I deserve it for ruining your life.”

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