Page 17 of Rescued Faith

Libby walked in with a tray full of two steaming mugs, creamer, and sugar. “Did I just hear you convince my sister to stay for a while?” She looked like she was holding back a grin,probably excited for a little free babysitting, especially if Dan was gone.

Penny grabbed her mug and poured creamer into it. “I said a day or two.”

“We’ll take it.” Libby let the grin loose.

Jude sipped his black coffee. “Thanks for the help. I’ll have Bryce contact you.”

Penny coughed as her own drink went down the wrong pipe. “Bryce?”

“He’s on the task force too.”

Of course he was.

She set her mug down and speared Jude with a weighty look of her own. “But if I do this, I need to be hired. No more favors. I want a contract.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem to hire you officially. We’re desperate for leads.”

“All right. Get me the paperwork and I’ll get started.”

“I know I’m leaving the task force in good hands if you take my place.”

If God wanted to shine on her, someone would say no to hiring her on. Then she’d be able to leave this town behind with a clear conscience and not look back.

SIX

Bryce tapped his thumb on the steering wheel of his truck, Jude’s text message running through his mind.

Penny will meet you at the police station.

No big deal. Not even sure why Jude thought to tell him. Bryce could walk into that police station and treat Penny just like any other person. Seeing each other in a work context might help him keep his head.

He killed the engine and hopped out of his truck. She was probably only there to help ID the guys that tried to kill her last night. She’d update them on what she knew, then she’d be on her merry way. Again.

And he would learn to move on with his life. Not let this rattle him. Because he wasn’t the same guy anymore.

He turned his head to the side to crack his neck as he walked through the front doors. It would be fine. Busy chatter and the smell of coffee and copy-machine toner surrounded him. Men and women in dark-blue uniforms were scattered throughout the area behind the main counter.

And there in the middle of it all sat Penny, her blonde hair clean and curled, the black boots and skinny jeans giving herthat nod to the biker look that she pulled off really well. Her smile brought back a wave of good memories. Bryce couldn’t help but meet it with a grin of his own. They’d had a lot of fun together.

Alotof fun.

He tried to cover the hitch in his step as he walked up to Penny, who sat with Olivia Tazwell at a desk in the bullpen.

“You okay?” Olivia raised an eyebrow as she studied him.

“Sure thing.” He swiped a pen off her desk and twirled it through his fingers. “Well, if it isn’t Penny Mitchell. PI extraordinaire. I thought you would’ve been long gone by now.” He winked, hoping a playful vibe would cover up anything else that might leak out.

“Looks like you guys can’t handle things without me.” She gave him a sassy look she’d given him a million times before.

Obviously she knew how to play this game too. Just like old times.

And just like old times, he slipped into the role. See? He would be fine.

“I suppose you’re trying to ID those guys that threw you in the closet. Any luck?”

“As a matter of fact, we found them. I got pictures of them outside before I went into the warehouse. Olivia and I just ran them through facial recognition and got our matches.”

Olivia pointed at the computer screen. “Meet DaNeal Gomez and Arturo Hernandez.”

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