Page 38 of Among the Innocent

“Marge says she’s going to call you if she needs anything,” she said in a somewhat unsteady voice. “But I would appreciate it if you would check in on her from time to time.”

Sam smiled. “It’s my pleasure.”

She got in next to Dalton and tried not to think about her reaction to him. He was her boss, and she was in a fight for her life to bring in a killer before he claimed another innocent person.

“You look rested,” he told her.

Leah shifted in her seat. “And you don’t. Seriously, when was the last time you slept?”

Dalton chuckled at her directness. “Too long ago to remember.”

She cleared her throat. “Has there been anything new from the investigation?”

“Not really. It appears the killer wiped the car clean, so there were no viable prints. We’re reaching out to the car’s owner now.”

Tension coiled through her body. With the anniversary of her family’s deaths approaching, their faces were always close. She’d gone over every single detail of that night. John’s handsome face contorted in anger when she’d rejected him sent shivers between her shoulder blades.

He’d tried to hide himself, distort his voice, and yet she’d known. If she’d agreed to go away with him, would her family still be alive? The guilt gnawed at her insides.

Dalton parked out front. They stepped into the station andwere greeted by Sugar’s booming voice. “Someone phoned here and wanted to speak to you, Leah.”

Leah frowned. “Who was it?”

“She wouldn’t give her name, but she said she needed to speak with you right away about Beth Zook.”

Her pulse kicked out a frantic beat. “Did she leave a number to call her back?”

“No, but she said she was calling from one of the tourist shops. Told me she’d like to meet you at the mission around four.”

An uneasy feeling filtered through Leah.

“She said she would only speak to you.” Sugar leveled a narrowed look her way. “You think it’s a setup?”

“It could be—unless it’s Eva.” Leah looked at Dalton. “Maybe something we said got through to her.”

“Or it could be the killer trying to lure you out.”

“You really think he’d take such a chance in a public place? He’d have to know we’d have officers there. Let me go in alone. You can be parked down the street.”

“Leah, it doesn’t take long to kill someone.”

She flinched. Truth be told, the idea of facing off with John again terrified her. Still ... “I don’t think we can afford to dismiss this.”

He blew out a weighty sigh. “You’re right, but I’m calling in the tribal police for additional backup, and we’ll have people stationed around the area in case something goes wrong.”

“Thank you.” With almost an hour to kill, her thoughts raced over every possible outcome. Leah needed something to take her mind off the meeting. She claimed the chair across from his after they entered his office. “What do you think the killer’s connection is to Wyoming? With the two unsolved cases and now a car stolen from the state, there has to be one.”

“You’re right, there is. We just haven’t found it yet.” He settled into his chair and watched her from across his desk.

Something unnamed passed between them that had her rising unsteadily to her feet. “I’m going to grab a cup of coffee. I could use the caffeine.” She headed for the door without looking at him. “You want me to get you some, because...” Leah stopped talking when she realized she was babbling. She pulled in a breath and turned back to him.

“No, thank you,” he said softly, the edge of his mouth quirking into a smile. “I’ve had way too much already. I’ll call the tribal police and get them set up.”

Leah didn’t answer. She reached the break room and poured coffee with unsteady hands. What had gotten into her? Was her awareness of Dalton simply because of this case dredging up old feelings from the past? She sipped the coffee and felt it burn her anxious stomach. Everything in her life had been stunted by the murders of her family, including her ability to fall in love. She’d give anything to be normal again.

Dalton stuck his head in. “If you’re ready I’d like to get everyone in place ahead of the meet.”

His gravelly voice washed over her, reminding her of all the things missing in her life. Things she’d never really considered important until now.

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