Page 48 of Sadie's Guarded Harbor

“You guys must be getting close to finding the killer,” Katherine said. “First someone went after Tommy. Now Sadie. They want to stop you.”

“From what?” Sadie threw up her free hand and another cough tore through her. “I didn’t even find any records for Shawn. Someone made sure there was no trace of any of his wrongdoings.”

“What about the files you made me grab?” Tommy asked.

“Cold cases from the year Shawn graduated high school as well as the following year. I thought maybe something would stand out we could tie to Shawn. Something that could help make sense of this mess.”

Katherine sank down into the chair. “That would be the year before I graduated.”

Tommy released his grip on her hand and rubbed a palm over his face. “Shit.”

Sadie turned wide eyes on him. “What is it?”

Mike cleared his throat, gaining her attention. “That’s the year their mother was killed.”

A boulder dropped in the pit of her stomach. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I just grabbed them.”

“No, it was good thinking. Something could be in those files we hadn’t considered.” Tommy squeezed her knee.

“He’s right,” Mike said. “Smart move. But it appears as though you two have already made someone very nervous. Have you talked to anyone who could have gotten spooked?”

Sadie gasped. “Curtis McLane.”

Katherine tented her brows. “You think he’s capable of not only murdering Shawn, but coming after two sheriff’s deputies?”

Sadie shrugged. “We talked to him again this morning. His finances aren’t lining up. We let him know we were looking into discrepancies in his statements. It just doesn’t add up that he’s taken money from Shawn all these years.”

“True,” Katherine said. “But why take out the person who’s giving you money? Why put your business at risk?”

A dull ache built in Sadie’s forehead. Between the smoke inhalation and the mounting questions, a migraine was sure to attack soon.

Tommy stood and cool air rushed in to take his place, leaving her yearning for him to stay. “I’ve wondered the same thing,” he said. “We need to speak to him again. Now. We’ll squeeze out all the information he’s hiding. One way or another.”

18

Tommy entered Sadie’s house and rubbed the back of his neck. He tossed the files he’d brought in from the car on the side table pressed against the wall. The physical connection she initiated at the hospital led him to believe she’d gotten past their misunderstanding last night, but he couldn’t leave the status of whatever was going on between them to assumptions.

She cast a glance over her shoulder as she kicked off her boots. “I won’t take long. I just didn’t want to show up to interview a suspect in your sister’s yoga pants and baggy sweatshirt. Not to mention my hair reeks.”

“No problem. I can make some calls while you get cleaned up.” In the shower. Naked. Wet. He swallowed hard and tried to erase that tempting image.

She straightened and frowned. “What calls?”

“Local autobody shops. I want to check to see if anyone sold any tires recently that match the treads of the ones left near the train tracks.”

Her shoulders deflated. “Good idea. We really need a break in this case.”

He absently crossed one arm over his ribs. The pain had subsided but the memory remained. “A lot has happened the last couple days.” Fear of her reaction held his tongue for a beat. He swallowed, keeping his gaze trained on her face. “Like what happened between us.”

She swiped her tongue over her lips. “About last night?—”

He held up a hand, the need to get his words out before whatever excuse she presented weighed heavy on his chest. “I’m sorry if I crossed a line. If I misread your feelings. I should have just listened. That wasn’t the time or place to kiss you.”

She closed the distance between them, her eyes wide and unreadable. “I’m sorry. You’ve been so kind, so nice to me. You’ve brought me and Amelia around your family, introduced me to friends I could have if I’d just give a little bit of effort, and were there for me when I desperately needed it. That kiss…” Sadie pressed her fingertips to her mouth.

“You don’t have to say anything else. It’s fine. I can take a hint. Friends are important and I will always be around for that. Even when the case is solved, and we’ve moved on to different things.” He shrugged and offered her a small smile even though an unexpected knife twisted in his heart. He wanted to know so much more about her, wanted to be around her daughter and get more drawings of rainbows to hang on his fridge.

Dropping her hand and her gaze, she bit into her bottom lip.

---