Page 26 of More Than Nothing
“Could you drop me a little way out, please?” Elenie fixed him with unreadable eyes. “It’s best we aren’t seen together.”
His gaze sharpened. “Why?”
Elenie shrugged and, though he opened his mouth to pursue it, Roman decided to let her eat in peace and added that to the list of things to discuss later.
When he entered the diner mid-morning, he’d already achieved a lot. There was a satisfying dent in the large pile of paperwork that littered his desk and he’d had time to run a few errands, too. Roman scanned the room, eyes settling on Otto, who was bent over his newspaper, coffee cup in hand. Elenie was behind the counter, dividing a carrot cake into equal slices. She didn’t see him as he slid into a seat opposite the old man.
“Good morning, Chief.” Otto’s greeting was subdued. He flicked a glance in Elenie’s direction. “Have you seen our lovely friend yet today?”
Roman’s mouth tightened as he nodded. “I have, Otto. I have. I’m on it, don’t worry.”
Otto shook his head and wiped a hand over his mouth. His clever eyes were sad. “I don’t know, Chief. It’s just not right.”
Roman pushed a padded envelope across the table toward him. “This is for Elenie,” he said. “Would you mind passing it on to her? I’d appreciate your help. And I haven’t forgotten that coffee we said we’d have, but could we make it another time? I’ve got a lot on today.”
Otto closed his hand over the package with a nod. “Whenever you like, Chief. I’m often here.”
Roman watched Elenie for a few more seconds, then made himself look away, said goodbye to the old man and left.
Chapter 13
Elenie
Weak and queasy, Elenie lowered herself gingerly onto a rickety chair in the staff area. Everything hurt. Resting her head against the wall, she tried to relax her jaw. Her breaktime and the chance to sit down for ten minutes had been all that kept her going through the morning.
She studied the package in her hands and turned it over a couple of times. Otto had given it to her when she’d refilled his coffee. Finally pushing a finger under the flap, she tugged it open. A piece of paper and a box containing a cell phone slid onto her lap. Elenie unfolded the note.
I want you to be able to reach me if you need to. I’ve put my number into the contacts on this phone under Thea’s name.
I’ve added Summer’s number as well. She can pass a message to Dougie if you can’t get hold of me.
If anything happens to this phone, I will replace it.
Roman
Elenie read the words multiple times, mainly because she kept getting distracted by the angular sweep of Roman’s writing and the knowledge that he’d held the paper, touched the package. It was so unexpectedly generous. Why would he do this?
She was used to people backing away. No one wanted to get involved with anything to do with the Daxes. Although it sucked, she didn’t really blame them when they judged, belittled, and attacked, depending on their previous exposure to Frank or the boys. It had been tempting to think things were looking up with the hint of a couple of new friends and one afternoon in the company of a man so far out of her league it wasn’t funny. But none of them would stick. No one ever did. Martinez just wanted his intel. That was the bottom line. The last few days had hammered home the folly of fanciful hopes.
But Elenie would remember last night as if it were a rip in the space-time continuum.
Though her face had throbbed and wrenching cramps sawed at her ribs, she’d never felt so safe. The layers of sleep, so deep she couldn’t quite fight her way to the top, adding to the feeling of an alternate reality. She’d drifted in the relief of half-consciousness, with no idea where she was or how she’d got there, knowing Roman was close by because his scent surrounded her. The cotton sheets the smoothest, cleanest bedding she’d ever slept in. Everything still and peaceful.
Halfway through the night, she’d woken, her body too sore, limbs too heavy, to move. The room lay in shadows, a pale wash of moonlight cast over the floor. Roman was asleep in an armchair by the window, long legs stretched out in front of him, his strong, dark features just visible in the half-light. He looked uncomfortable, yet utterly relaxed. A sexy sentinel. A rumpled god of the night. She’d watched him without moving for as long as she could stay awake.
Elenie gave a tiny groan and held the note against her face, the paper cool on her cheek. What a mess. She had nothing to offer the police chief. She was a liability to the calm and order of other people’s lives and any contact with him was a huge risk for her own. Elenie would be wise to steer well clear of Roman Martinez. And he would be even wiser to stay away from her.
She filed the shameful memory of rubbing her cheek against his arm when he’d pulled the soft covers up to her shoulders. And tried her hardest not to dwell on the fact that it had stilled next to her skin for just a moment.
The door was thrown open. “Ten minutes, Elenie, not twenty!” Delia yelled.
It had been nine.
“I’m coming.” She dragged herself to her feet.
“This is not a good look for the diner.” Delia grumbled as Elenie passed her in the corridor. “There’s a reason I didn’t give the uniform to Terence Crawford, you know.”
Elenie lifted her chin. “Short-sighted of you. He’d look good in burgundy.”
