Page 69 of Murder in Calusa Cove
Both Hayes and Betsy turned at the sound. Betsy wiped at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve, her expression tightening into something more composed, more distant.
“Sorry,” Chloe said, her tone even, betraying none of what she’d felt standing in the hall. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Hayes straightened, a hint of tension pulling at his brow. “You’re not. We were just?—”
“Catching up,” Betsy offered with a soft, brittle smile.
Chloe nodded once, eyes flicking between them. “I’m heading to the station. Don’t wait up for me.”
“I can text Dawson to see if there’s room over at the B&B. That would be safer for Betsy.” Hayes grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. “We can drop her off, and I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t have to,” Chloe said quickly, her gaze holding his just a second too long.
“I want to.” He stepped closer. “Considering everything, you shouldn’t be going anywhere alone.”
“I’m a federal agent. I can’t handle myself.” Chloe glared.
“Not the point. Now let’s go.” He waved his hand toward the door.
Betsy looked between them, her mouth pressed into a firm line. “I feel like I should stay here. This is where Fedora would go. It’s the address she has for Hayes.”
“I can’t get into the details of everything we’re working on, but you shouldn’t be alone either. Dawson’s wife runs the B&B. You’ll be safe there.” Hayes rested a hand gently on Betsy’s shoulder. “I need you to trust me, the team, and Chloe. Can you do that?”
Betsy nodded.
“We'd better get going.” Chloe waved her hand toward the door.
Betsy snagged her purse and headed out in front of them.
Hayes paused, holding her gaze and taking her by the forearms. “Are you okay? I can’t imagine what your father told you, and having Dewey Hale be the man your mom… Well, what it means is a lot to process.”
“All I’m thinking about right now are the questions we need Stacey to answer, picking up Dewey in a way that will make an arrest stick, and the rest…” She let out a sigh. “I’ll figure it out after I’ve had a chance… I don’t know. But I can’t think about it.”
Gently, he brushed his lips over her mouth. “I’m right here. You can lean on me. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be there for you, Chloe. I promise. I know you don’t want to hear it right now, but it doesn’t make it any less true.” He ran his thumbs across her cheek.
“I know, but the world just flipped again, and I need a beat.”
“I get that, but I’m not letting you push me away. I’m fighting for us because I believe we’re worth it.” He turned her and gave her a little shove out the door, not letting her respond.
It was probably for the best.
Too many emotions lingered just under the surface. Her mother had had an affair. It had resulted in a pregnancy. Her father wasn’t her dad after all…and a murderer might be.
That killer was living in plain sight.
And he just might have kidnapped someone who mattered to the man…she loved.
It was all too much.
She knew whatever had existed between Hayes and Betsy had ended a long time ago.
Still, it didn’t stop the ache curling just beneath her ribs.
Not because she doubted Hayes or was jealous of Betsy.
But because she knew how hard it was to outrun old ghosts—especially when hers had just caught up.
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