Page 36 of Stay Baby Stay

“Stephanie Heartwell,” says a woman’s voice; he must’ve put his phone on speaker. “Wife of Ronald Heartwell, owner of Heart’s Hardware. Mother to two teenaged sons. The family lives in Farragut.”

I realize this must be Cal’s partner on the phone. I hear the spray of the shower, and the sound of Cal running a toothbrush over his teeth. I slip out of bed without bothering to get dressed to linger in the doorway.

“Perfect,” he says around his toothbrush. “Text me the address. I’ll be there in forty.”

“No, you won’t,” Abby says. “You can’t interview witnesses while you’re on leave.”

“That’s why you’ll be the one interviewing her. I’ll just be there observing.”

“Harris’s got me tagging along on an aggravated assault call.” Her sigh crackles through the speaker. “I take it the girl’s still MIA.”

“Unfortunately. Any word on the driver?” He catches my gaze in the mirror and points to the shower. I’m definitely going to need to wash the night off me before we head out to look for Kenzie.

He gives my ass a quick squeeze as I move past him on my way to the shower.

“Nothing of note,” Abby says. “With the number of people coming and going from those parties, I’m not surprised nobody remembers one driver in particular.”

A chill scampers down my back as I step beneath the spray. I have a hard time believing anyone could forget that man’s icy gaze.

“Maybe your witness is confused,” Abby continues. I scowl at the tile. “Look, once her friend’s been missing twenty-four hours, she can come down to the station to file an official report. You can bring her in yourself. Just don’t let Harris see you.”

“I’ll do that,” Cal says.

He thanks her and hangs up. A gust of cool air sweeps across my back as he climbs into the shower with me. He squirts a dollop of shampoo into his palm and motions for me to turn around.

“Are we going to the station?” I ask. He washes my hair and neck, and my muscles instantly melt from the amount of care in his touch. I’d been worried things would be weird between us after last night, but the awkwardness I expected to feel upon waking never showed up.

“Not just yet. I want to see if I can get Stephanie to talk first.”

“But shouldn’t you let your partner do that?”

“Probably.” He guides me under the spray to rinse off, then begins soaping my body. “But I’ve never been all that good at following protocol, especially when it gets in the way of progress.”

We finish showering and then get dressed. While Cal places a call to someone who can hopefully tell us Steph’s address, I take a few spare seconds to line my eyes in red and black. I want to look fierce, like someone you wouldn’t want to mess with.

“Heart’s Hardware,” Cal says into his phone. “I figured you might’ve worked with him. Any idea where he lives? ...At his house? You got the address handy?” He heads downstairs, and I trail behind him, my gaze zeroing in on the holster at his hip. “Thanks, brother. I owe you... Fine, we’ll call it even.”

Cal hangs up. He notes my wary expression, my gaze that won’t stop darting to the gun at his side.

“A cop’s always gotta be prepared,” he says. His mouth curves as his gaze drips over my white, skin-tight tank top and black denim cut-offs. “Look at you...”

I rest my hands on my hips. “I’m going for investigation chic.”

His gaze darts away from mine. He pours me a bowl of granola and adds a few glugs of milk.

“Do we have time for breakfast?” I ask, taking the bowl and spoon he offers me.

“There’s always time for breakfast. Now, you sit at the table, relax, eat. While I go pay Mrs. Heartwell a friendly visit.”

I stop the spoon halfway to my mouth.

“You mean, stay here?”

“I prefer the term, stay safe.” He drinks down half his coffee.

I lay my spoon down. “Cal, I appreciate that you want to protect me, but there’s no way I’m not coming with you to Steph’s.”

“Sorry, sweetheart, that’s the way it’s gotta be.”

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