Page 103 of Love Me Fearless

“That’s good to hear,” Luke says, sounding relieved. “And no surprise, given how tough she is.”

“I know you’ve got work to do, but if you have time, I would love to catch up.”

“I’ll make time.” In the background, his car door thumps shut. “I’m just leaving the hotel. Can you meet me sometime this morning? I want to hit the ground running, and from what the sheriff has told me, you’ve got valuable intel.”

“I’m actually on my way to the station now.”

“Oh?”

“My, uh, friend, Ava is coming in to talk with the deputies and I’m her escort.”

“Hold it,” he says. “Ava as inyourAva?”

My chest pinches with a powerful ache. “Yeah.”

“What are you not telling me?”

“I’m not holding back, promise.” I run a hand through my hair but it just reminds me of Ava tugging at it when she comes. I force a deep breath. “Everything is happening really fast.”

“Then I guess I’ll see you soon.”

We end the call as I cruise up behind Ava at the traffic light. Even from here, her shoulders look tense. Memories from the nightmare that woke her flash through my mind, and with it come questions I don’t have answers for. Questions that scare me.

At the station, I park next to Ava in the lot and jump down in time to open her door.

Her honey-brown eyes warm as I reach for her hand. The contact sends little sparks dancing over my skin.

“You don’t have to walk me inside,” she says.

“What if I want to?”

She rolls her eyes, but her smile gives her away. “Fine.”

“Plus I have a date with a FBI profiler,” I add as we start walking.

Her steps pause and she shoots me a glance. “Um, what?”

“You remember my friend Luke Ballard?”

“Of course.” She glances at the building, confusion clouding her expression. “He’s here?”

“Yep.” I pull open the station’s heavy glass door for her. “After the accident, he got recruited by the feds.”

“I see.” Her gaze turns calculating—I can practically see the gears turning in her sharp mind. “It’s serious then, if he’s involved.”

My stomach hollows. “It means they’re not afraid to pool resources.”

“Right,” she says.

We check in with the receptionist, a young kid with a sternexpression. Zach appears behind him, the circles beneath his eyes making it clear how little sleep his caseload is allowing him.

“Morning,” he says briskly, opening the door to let us in. “Ava, you’ll be with me and Everett in the conference room.” He leads us past an open room with two rows of cubicle desks, most of them empty. “Hutch, Special Agent Ballard is waiting for you in the chief’s office.”

Ava gives me a quick glance. “Bye,” she whispers.

I entwine my fingers with hers and give her palm a soft squeeze. It pains me to separate from her, but she’s in good hands, and I’m eager to do my part to help Luke. At the hallway, Zach heads for the door straight ahead while I turn left, toward the chief’s office.

I knock on the door.

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