Page 20 of Raging Inferno

“Noted. Coffee?”

Presley shook her head. “I never acquired a taste for it.”

“Seriously? Are you sure you were a cop?”

She smiled. “Diet Coke does the same thing.”

“I have that too.” He slid off the stool and opened the fridge to hand her a cold bottle of soda. “How about an omelet?”

“That sounds delicious. Let me help.”

Together, they chopped veggies and fried bacon. They chatted about current events and Serenity Shores’s happenings. Gia came bopping in, her hair a riot of tangled curls.

“Presley! You’re still here.” Gia hugged her.

“I am.”

“Are you going to hang out with me again today? Please say yes.”

She looked so hopeful, and Presley hated disappointing the girl. She glanced at Dominic for help.

“Gia, honey, Presley and I have errands to run this morning. Amber Wick will be here to watch you while I’m gone.”

“But Daddy, I want to go with you.”

“I’m sorry, honey. This is work-related.”

“I can help,” she insisted.

Dominic gave her a look, and she relented. “Okay. Will you come back and hang out with me, Presley?”

“Gia, Presley is only visiting town for a short time. She has other things to do while she’s here.”

Gia’s shoulders slumped, and she trudged to the bar, climbing onto one of the stools. Her elbows hit the countertop, and she held her head in despair. Presley’s heart broke. She couldn’t disappoint the girl.

“If it’s okay with your dad, I’ll come back for a little while, and we can play a board game or something.”

Gia dropped her arms, and her eyes lit with hope. “Really?”

Presley glanced at Dominic, who looked from her to his daughter. “It’s fine with me.”

“Yay!” Gia fist pumped, and then she held out a hand for Presley to slap, which she did.

Dominic excused himself to answer the door when the bell chimed. He returned with a teenage girl in tow.

“Presley, this is Amber.”

They exchanged greetings. “Gia, you ready to make some more bracelets?”

“Uh, not really. I made some with Presley yesterday. I’d rather do a puzzle.” She hugged Dominic and then Presley. “See you soon.”

They decided Dominic would drive since he knew his way around. It’d been too many years since Presley had tried to navigate the streets of Serenity Shores and Duluth, where Tamera Watts lived.

Dominic started the SUV. “I need to stop by the police station. After that, who do you want to visit first?”

Presley buckled her seatbelt. “Jessie Hooper. She was always the ringleader.”

Dominic put the car in drive and motored out of the garage. He glanced over at her. “You’ve made quite an impression on my daughter.”

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