Page 305 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

He nodded. “I wish I didn’t have to leave, but I have some urgent business that needs my attention.”

Sam was in uniform when she made her way to the kitchen.

“I guess I’m on my own today,” Emily said.

“As on your own as you can be with your bodyguard sitting beside you.”

“Gavin’s assigning me a new bodyguard today.”

Sam grinned. “Is he single?”

“Her name is Sandra.”

“That’s disappointing.” Sam frowned.

“Gavin is single.”

He grinned. “I am, and if I didn’t have somewhere to be, I’d love to spend time getting to know you better, Samantha.”

“Oh boy.” Emily giggled.

Once Sandra arrived and the introductions were made, Sandra slipped out onto the deck and left Emily alone with Sam.

“It looks like you have two love interests now: Gavin and Austin.”

“Neither one of them is a love interest.”

“You might want to tell them that. I think they’re both interested.”

Sam shook her head. “I’m going to see if Sandra would like some coffee.”

Emily stuffed a pod in the Keurig. “I’ll take her some. You probably have to get to work.”

“I do.” She pushed her bangs off her forehead. “I wish I had the day off.”

“Me too.”

“Come by at noon. We’ll have lunch together, but you’ll have to bring something. I didn’t have time to pack my lunch.”

Emily smiled. “Meet me at Adams Falls?”

“Perfect.” Sam grabbed her keys from the hook where she kept them and waved as she opened the front door. “See you later.”

Emily took out a second coffee pod and brewed another cup then carried them both out on the deck to sit with Sandra. “I brought cream and sugar since I wasn’t sure what you took in your coffee.”

The woman’s eyes lit with gratitude. “Thank you. You’re a godsend.”

“I don’t know about that, but I’m glad to be of service. You are stuck here because of me.”

“Just doing my job.”

The morning dragged on as Emily considered all the possibilities of where Jamie could be. It was supposed to be her. The thought made her shudder. When eleven o’clock rolled around, she prepared some tuna fish sandwiches and took a couple of bottles of water from Sam’s fridge.

When she arrived at the parking area, a familiar truck caught her eye. She backed her car in next to it, gritting her teeth as she did. She’d been setup. Sam was a traitor.

Emily’s eyes scanned the area until she spotted him leaning against a tree near the path down to Adams Falls. She made her way over to him. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk, and you won’t take my calls.” Wade scrubbed his large hand over his face.

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