Page 35 of Hey, Daddy

Her crying was absolutely gutting me.

I’d peeked at her twice on the drive over, and she was still on her knees beside the dog, though the second time she had her rolling cart next to her.

“What’s going on?” Sergeant Daniels asked as he came to a stop inside my office door, unable to come all the way in because John was blocking him from entering farther.

I almost didn’t want to tell him.

I was getting that feeling a lot lately, though.

Ever since I’d realized that the damn woman was living right next to me, the one that was now under surveillance thanks to her brother, was also the same woman that I’d spent a singular fantastic moment with.

It was like the universe kept throwing us together for a reason, and I never ignored my gut.

I knew that she was meant to be in my life.

“Her shelter dog died,” I replied neutrally.

I hoped that my sorrow didn’t leech into my voice.

I hated that she was crying right now.

I hated even more that I was watching her cry over a goddamn monitor instead of holding her in my arms and comforting her.

“Didn’t she just get that dog like, what, a month ago?” he asked.

“Yes,” I muttered.

Not that that should matter.

I’d seen her bond with the damn dog.

And fuck, why did she adopt one so old?

It was like she was setting herself up for the heartbreak.

“Then what’s the big deal?” he asked.

Irritation plucked at my nerves, and I had to hold back the automatic response that seemed to be coming to my lips faster and faster lately.

“Fuck you” seemed to be two of my favorite words.

“Have you gotten anything of consequence?” he asked when I didn’t bother to reply.

If I had, I might very well say something I couldn’t take back.

I gritted my teeth, but luckily John saved me from having to answer, which would have been a dead giveaway that I was pissed as hell.

“There’s nothing here, Sarge,” John said, surprising the two of us. “The woman is clean as a whistle. She goes to church on Sundays. She goes to volunteer at the shelter in town now. She adopts old dogs that she knows are going to die soon. She fuckin’ rounds up her change everywhere she goes to donate to anything they throw in front of her face. She’s never met a stranger she didn’t like. She smiles all the fuckin’ time. She barely ever leaves her apartment. There’s literally nothing here. This is the wrong girl, and you’re wasting valuable resources on focusing on a woman that’s not the killer here. I know that you’re focusing so hard because of who her brother is, but seriously. This is not your girl.”

Sergeant Daniels really was a smart guy, and I watched as the facts hit him in the face. Facts we’ve been throwing at him for a month.

“I know.” He sighed. “I’m getting this push down from the top to find something, anything, and I agree with you. I know she didn’t do it. But I don’t have a choice.”

Daniels left, leaving John and me alone.

“Crying killing you?” he asked.

John didn’t have access to the visual feed, but he had access to the audio.

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