Page 10 of Cold Case Discovery

One side of his mouthalmostcurved. “My siblings can’tmakeme do anything.”

“But she did. Because she’s Mary, andshecan make you do things. Especially when she’s that pregnant.”

He shrugged, not refuting it. He squinted out at the mountains, the pretty Hudson Ranch, and didn’t say anything. But he didn’t leave either.

And she knew heshouldn’tsince he had all that family under his very own roof, but she could see the loneliness on him. Because like recognized like.

“They’ll run tests,” she said reassuringly. Maybe she didn’t understand the hands-off stance he was taking, but she wanted him to know it was handled. “They’ll do what they can to determine when. How.”

“I know how it works, Chloe.”

It was ridiculous the little thrill she got out of this man calling her by her first name when he damn wellshould. It wasn’t like they were at work. “Sometimes it’s good to hear someone else say what you already know.”

He didn’t say anything to that, and she knew she should go.Hadto get out of here soon. But she just couldn’t step away from him when he seemed so alone.

“They’re not going to let me within a hundred feet of this case since my name is on the deed of the land. They’ve already questioned Ry. I’ll be next.”

“What about your parents?”

She shrugged, trying not to go on the defensive. He had every right to ask that question. Hell,she’dasked that question. “I imagine they’ll do that too. But they’ll have to get down to Texas to visit Dad in prison—and if they have better luck tracking down my mother than I ever have, more power to them. I’ll be first because I’m here. Because I was there.”

“I was there with you.”

“I didn’t mention it.”

“Chloe. I called it in.”

She shrugged. “You can always say I called you first and then you called it in.”

“Why would I lie about that?”

“You know why, Jack.”

“I know whyyouthink I should lie, but I don’t think you have any clue whatIthink.”

She had no business getting pissed at him over relationship stuff. Mostly because she was just as much to blame foreverythinginvolved in this, but also because now so clearly wasn’t the time.

But she was tired, and she was feeling all emotional over too many things to count, andhewas the one who’d brought it up. So she snapped. “Oh, really? Then enlighten me. What does the almighty Jack Hudson think?”

“You think it’s because I’m embarrassed. Because of your family or because I’m your boss.”

“That’s not embarrassing, Jack. It’s unethical. Something you are historically very opposed to.” She looked up at him to give him a kind ofso theresmirk, but his expression was serious, his gaze steady, and when he spoke, he spoke with all the gravity of the truth.

“I’m not embarrassed of you, Chloe. Not in the least.”

Her foolish heart felt as though it actually skipped a beat. Was she really this pathetic?

Yes, yes you are. When it comes to him, you always have been.

She swallowed, trying to find some retort that would settle all this terrible longing inside her, but she heard the sound of a car approaching and turned toward it.

Not just any car. A Bent County cruiser was driving up the gravel road when Chloe had been planning to get out of here before they showed up. Because no doubt the detectives were inside.

“Damn,” she muttered.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to protect you, Chloe,” Jack said, like that made any sense. But before she could ask him what on earth he was talking about, he was striding forward to meet the detectives.

JACKDEALTWITHthe detectives. He didn’t lie to them about being with Chloe when her brother called, but he didn’t explain either. Since the detectives were more concerned with identifying the remains, keeping Sunrise SD out of the proceedings and the Brink family connection to the Hudson family, they didn’t prod for answers. It wasn’t relevant to the case.

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