Page 8 of Cold Light of Day

Both men laughed again, enjoying their joke at Grier’s expense. It was all in fun and he didn’t mind, but he ignored the teasing and bit into the warm fry bread and savored the moment. He definitely needed to lay off the rich food if he wanted to stay in shape.

“I heard you saved someone from drowning today,” Sandford said. “So probably best you didn’t go fishing with me.”

Otis nodded. “I knew the first time we met that God brought you here for a purpose greater than your own.”

To save a drowning woman?

What was he supposed to say to that? Peering out the window, Grier caught sight of the smallest police station he’d ever seen right across the street. At that same moment—of course—the chief exited and climbed into her vehicle. She had donned her chief-of-police attire in short order and moved with determination and confidence. He couldn’t help the admiration. She was...something. She drove off, and he watched the vehicle until it disappeared.

“Uh...huh. I see how it is.” Otis cracked a knowing smile.

Grier hoped not. “There’s nothing to see.”

“If you say so.”

“You two enjoy your day.” Sandford slid out of the booth and stood. “I’ve got places to go and people to see.”

Sandford was fit but still hobbled as he left, offering Nina a congenial nod when he passed her. Grier had hoped to catch Ike so he could get those salmon scraps for Cap, but he only spotted Pearl chatting it up with customers at the counter, and he wouldn’t interrupt.

Otis sat in the other side of the booth to face Grier.

After finishing off the sausage, Grier looked up at Otis, who’d been watching him too long. “You got something to say, go ahead and speak your mind.”

“You can’t hide the truth forever, son, but I’ll tell you mypiece about the chief. You’d better be sure before you get in too deep.”

“I’m not...you’ve got me wrong.” He had no plans to get in too deep with the chief.

Maybe Otis saw more than Grier was ready to admit. He shouldn’t get involved for a hundred reasons he could never tell Otis or anyone, not the least of which was that he’d come here to disappear. To get lost and be forgotten.

Problem was, he had a feeling he was already lost—at least to himself—before he even arrived. Now that he was here, he felt almost...well...found. As if those thoughts made any sense.

Otis glanced around and sipped his coffee, and Grier was glad the man wasn’t pressing him, though, actually, Grier kind of wanted to press Otis. What did he mean about being sure before he got in too deep with her? What was there to be concerned about as far as Otis knew?

Grier finished off his breakfast and tried to put those questions to rest. But something else Otis had said floated to the surface.

“God brought you here for a purpose.”

If Otis knew the whole story, he would say something different.

Grier usually appreciated Otis’s cryptic speech, but not today. Agitation crawled over him, and he wasn’t sure why. He sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere. The Interceptor returned, and the chief hopped out of the vehicle, looked up and down the street as if to cross, then stared at the Lively Moose, her eyes catching him staring at her through the glass.

The way she looked at him...

“I think that’s your cue that it’s time to work.” Otis set his coffee on the edge of the table to signal he needed more.

Grier’s pulse jumped. “I don’t work for the chief.”

“Sure you don’t.”

Otis was only teasing, but Grier knew something was up. Heleft enough money on the table for his breakfast and Sandford’s and Otis’s, plus a sizable tip for Nina, then slid out of the booth.

Cutting his gaze to Otis, he nodded. “See you later.”

“Watch your back.”

Always.

Exiting the restaurant, he didn’t catch sight of the chief. Relief washed over him as he made a beeline for his truck. Time to get out of town for a few days. He started up the engine. The chief’s face suddenly appeared outside his window, startling him. She knocked on it, her strange eyes pinning him in place.

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