Page 48 of Shiver

Fondly,

Devra.

p.s. You’ll find your car at my house.

Riley winced.If she was so certain this man from her past was Michelle’s killer, why didn’t she confide in him? Why didn’t she trust him? He walked back into the kitchen.

Tony took one look at his face and said, “She’s gone?”

Riley nodded and dropped the note onto the table.

Tony shook his head. “How far can a lady and her cat get? We’re in the boondocks out here.”

“She took my car. She’s scared and she’s running from whomever she saw in this sketch, from whoever attacked me last night.” He pointed to the drawing on the table, but even as the excuse tumbled off his tongue, he tensed with frustration. He could have taken care of her; he could have taken care of them both.

Tony took another slug off his cup. “Guess I can forget about that nap.”

“Guess so,” Riley agreed and left the room to finish getting dressed.

Five minutes later, they climbed into Tony’s car. “She couldn’t have had too much of a head start on us,” he reasoned, but couldn’t help feel relieved when he saw his Expedition parked on the street, and Devra’s Suburban still in the driveway outside her house.

“Listen, Tony. Do me a favor and drop me off. I need time to convince her that she should be the one to tell the captain about Tommy. It’s the best way to defuse the situation.”

Tony threw him a skeptical look. “Are you sure you’re being objective here about our pretty Miss Morgan?”

Riley sighed. “I’m trying. If she doesn’t talk to him, then I’ll go in and do it myself. Trust me, Tony. I’m following my gut here, and my gut says she’s innocent.”

“What about our talk last night about her coming unhinged?”

“That was before she went after the intruder with my gun. Besides, last night Mac looked just as good a suspect as she did. I think there’s a lot more to this puzzle that we need to figure out and my money is still on Devra giving us the pieces.”

“All right,” Tony relented. “You’re lucky I was up half the night and am exhausted. I’ll give you a call around four.” He pulled over and let Riley out.

“Thanks,” Riley said as he hopped out of the car. He watched Tony drive away, then hurried up the walk just as Devra came out the front door with boxes teetering in her arms.

“Riley,” she gasped.

“Morning, doll.”

Without looking him in the eye, she handed him a box. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said with a little laugh that didn’t quite ring true. “I absolutely hate being here alone.”

“Then why chance coming back? Why not ask for help?”

She grimaced and, for a second, had the decency to look sorry for running out on him.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Far away from here,” she responded with dead seriousness.

Did she really not trust him to help her? To protect her? He cringed as the words ran through his mind. He was lousy at protection. He hadn’t been able to stop his mother from being killed right in front of him, nor had he been able to help Michelle.

He pushed down the utter feeling of failure that swept through him every time he thought of it and focused on Devra. “Stay and let me help you. We can figure this out.”

She stopped, dropped the boxes in the back of her Suburban and stared at him. “Didn’t you get my note?”

He didn’t respond.

“Well, then, you know I can’t.” She grabbed the boxes he’d been holding and slid them in the back hatch with the others.

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