Page 34 of Colorado K-9 Rescue
“I do.”
Evan continued to hold her. Mckenna was in no hurry to break away. His cologne smelled wonderful, and she could feel his strength.
The sheriff came over and cleared her throat. Mckenna and Evan pulled apart as the sheriff glared at her.
“Why didn’t you come forward with the information about the party when you were kidnapped?” the sheriff asked.
Mckenna didn’t know what to say at first. Evan glanced between the two women and was about to say something when Mckenna spoke up. “I was young, and I thought I should protect her. I know now that was wrong. But I was only eighteen.”
“But Penny Gardner wouldn’t have thrown those parties if you’d said something. Lily wouldn’t be traumatized and Autumn would still be alive.”
Mckenna scowled at Evan. The statement about her guilt when it came to Lily and Autumn was remarkably similar to what she’d said to him in the chapel when she’d first told him about the parties.
“Let’s not go down this road. Mckenna knows she made a mistake,” Evan said, trying to get between the two women. “What’s happened has happened.”
“But if your girlfriend had spoken up, then maybe we wouldn’t be here now.”
Now Mckenna’s hurt had turned to fury. “Do you think that I don’t know that? That I don’t wish I’d done something different? I wish I had and now there’s nothing I can do. I can’t go back in time. So lay off. I’m willing to be a witness and help gather other witnesses so this doesn’t happen to anyone ever again. I’m going back to the office. Call me if you need something. And I’mnothis girlfriend.”
Mckenna turned around and stomped off, ready to get out of there. Evan jogged up behind her.
“Mckenna, stop. Please?” he said.
“I have nothing to say to you,” she said, getting in her vehicle. “You could have stood up for me a little bit more instead of saying I made a mistake.”
To Mckenna’s surprise he leaned in, pulled her close and kissed her. “I’m sorry the sheriff said all that. She’s frustrated and she took it out on you, which isn’t right. I’ll talk to her. I promise. And I shouldn’t have said that you made a mistake. That came out wrong. I’m sorry.”
“I wanted to come with today because I thought it would help me feel better about not saying anything. Instead, I feel worse. I wish I could go back in time and say something, but I can’t. And the sheriff is right—Autumn is dead now because of me. Because I didn’t tell the truth about Penny.”
“Autumn’s death is not your fault. You were eighteen and trying to protect someone you looked up to. Autumn’s death is the fault of a sick person that we’re going to catch. Not you. Not Lily. Call me if you want, okay?”
“Okay.” Mckenna knew there was a part of her that wanted to call him and another part that was mad and ready to never speak to him again. She had both the urge to invite him to her house and spend the evening with him and to slap him for saying what he did. Now her anxiety was really flaring up, but for different reasons.
Mckenna and Mocha spent the rest of the day at the office. Mocha crashed on his plush dog bed, happy snores coming from him as Mckenna worked through her to-do list. She glanced down at her dog, glad he could rest. He’d been working hard, and while she knew he enjoyed his job, it was tough on him too. Everyone in this line of work needed their rest and downtime.
Hanging up the phone from her last call of the day, Mckenna leaned forward and put her elbows on her desk. Coming back to work had helped her and been a good distraction, but now it was time to go home, and somehow, even the home she loved for its charm and coziness seemed like it was going to be empty. Thank goodness for Mocha. But Mckenna knew what she was really thinking—she wouldn’t mind another person being in her house and that person was Evan. Darn him for making everything so complicated.
“Hey, there.”
Mckenna glanced up and saw Cassidy standing in the doorway.
“You doing okay?” Cassidy asked, coming in and taking a seat. Mocha lifted his head, saw it was his former handler, and after a few stretches, strode over to say hello. He put his head in Cassidy’s lap, and she started petting him and scratching his ears. Mocha wagged his tail and leaned more into Cassidy’s leg.
“He likes that,” Mckenna said, avoiding Cassidy’s question.
“Yeah, he does.”
They sat in silence and Mckenna knew that Cassidy really was wondering if she was okay. Was it so bad to be honest? “It was a tough day.”
Cassidy continued petting Mocha. “I bet. This case with the two girls must be rough on you. You know you can ask to not be on it anymore.”
Mckenna shrugged. “I could, but I also understand it better than anyone.”
“How’s Agent Knox treating you? Is he being nice or still taking advantage of you?”
Mckenna laughed and shook her head. “He’s being nice and the kiss you heard about was not him taking advantage of me. In fact, it might be the other way around, but at the same time he’s so infuriating. I don’t know what to think of him. One minute I think he’s nice and the next minute he makes me mad.”
“Oh, really?”
