Page 19 of Sadie's Guarded Harbor

“Shit.” Mike took off his hat and ran a hand over his balding head. “You’re right. Definitely not an accident. Who would want to hurt you? Piss anyone off lately?”

“I really need to take a look at you now,” Eric said and unlooped a stethoscope from around his neck. “I can do the initial evaluation while you talk, but I need you in the back of the ambulance for a more thorough check when you’re done. You’re pretty banged up.”

“Fine.” Tommy stood still and let Eric do his job while he continued his conversation with his dad—but dammit if it wasn’t distracting to have the other man flapping around him. “Not that I know of. The last big case I helped with, the bad guy ended up dead. But Owen was the lead on that case, not me.”

“What about small crimes. Something a guy—or girl—could hold a grudge over?”

He thought back over his recent caseload but nothing but parking tickets and busting up a high-school party came to mind. “Nothing.”

Mike glanced past Tommy. “Where were you coming from?”

A car door slammed. Another cruiser had driven up while he talked to his dad and parked behind the slashing red lights of the ambulance. “I was at Shawn Downs’ place. I was heading back to town and going to stop at Katherine’s before I went home.”

Eric took a step back. “Looks like superficial wounds. But I’ll meet you in my truck when you’re done.” He gave a nod and retreated to the ambulance.

A familiar silhouette trudged forward at a clipped pace. Sadie closed the distance between them, her round face pinched tight in either concern or anger.

“Did you notice anyone lingering around Shawn’s place? Anyone follow you after you left?” Mike asked.

Sadie stopped beside Mike and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you okay?”

Tommy lifted a shoulder. “Not too bad.”

“Good, then I don’t have to feel bad for asking you what you were doing at Shawn’s alone.”

He sighed and bounced his gaze between his dad and his temporary partner. With his head pounding and ribs aching, the last thing he wanted to do was have this conversation with either one of them.

Sadie keptAmelia’s hand tucked in hers as they followed Tommy up the ancient stairs to his apartment. He rented a place above the local pizza shop in downtown Water’s Edge, and the smell of garlic and oregano hung heavy in the air. He moved slow, obviously in more pain than he’d let on to her or the emergency worker.

“I wish we lived in a pizza place,” Amelia whispered, awe clear in her little voice.

She smiled down at her daughter and squeezed her hand. “Dream big, little one.”

Tommy grinned over his shoulder, and she barely made out the bruise on his cheekbone in the dimly lit stairwell. “Trust me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Everything I own smells like cheese.”

Amelia giggled.

“Thanks for walking me home, ladies, but I can take it from here.”

“I want to smell your cheesy apartment.” Amelia let go of Sadie’s hand and grabbed hold of Tommy’s “Please.”

Normally she’d scold Amelia for nagging, but she was determined to get Tommy situated and see for herself he was fine before leaving. When her police scanner had announced his accident on her way home from the shelter she hadn’t thought, just moved on instinct.

And instinct had driven her and Amelia straight to Tommy.

He insisted he wasn’t hurt too bad, but his slight limp and the circles under his eyes told a different story. Before she could take Amelia home, she had to make sure he had everything he needed to tend to his cuts and bruises.

Tommy grinned down at Amelia, but Sadie could see how hard it was for him not to wince. “How can I say no to such a polite girl?” He unlocked and pushed open his door, letting Amelia in front of him.

Amelia ran inside. “You’re silly. It doesn’t smell like cheese, but it is messy. Mama never lets my room get this messy.”

“Glad to know.” Tommy chuckled and shrugged out of his jacket.

Sadie moved passed him into the small living room that flowed right into the kitchen. Her gaze landed on the empty takeout containers on the granite countertop, the smattering ofpapers littered across the two-person table stuffed in a corner, and the cozy blanket draped over the back of the leather couch.

Amelia was right. No way she’d let so much clutter linger in any room of their tidy home.

“Do you want to help Tommy clean up? You know how to throw away trash. I’m sure it’d be a huge help.” Sadie was of a firm belief that a clean home created a clean mind. She’d spent so many years with nothing that she took great care of the things she now owned, and she wanted to teach that lesson to her daughter as well.

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