Page 23 of Just Right

"Okay. It's not too far. He could have gone there. Or be taking a roundabout route," she concluded.

Interestingly, it was a ten-minute walk from the cafe. He lived in an apartment block just three streets down. He hadn’t gone straight there. But that had been because he’d fled in a panic and was hoping to lose Connor in this twisting, turning route he’d taken. If she’d been him, she’d have headed home.

She’d now completely lost both Landon and Connor. So, she had a choice. It was go back to the cafe, or head to his house.

Going back to the café was pointless because he wouldn’t be there. There was no way he would have headed back there again.

Cami checked the maps once more, fixing the route to his place into her mind. And then at a fast walk, because she didn't trust her legs not to buckle under her if she tried to run again, she set off for the apartments. They were only a block away from where she was now, a surprisingly short distance.

The apartment buildings were set back from the road, an enclave of two- and three-story buildings that formed a mini estate. She walked up to it, seeing the main entrance ahead. He was on the ground floor of apartment three.

There didn't seem to be any security in place at the main gate, and she guessed each apartment had its own bell or buzzer. She felt her throat tighten.

What if he was there? What if he was in his house right now, packing his bags and readying to run? She’d have to face him alone if Connor had lost him.

What if he was nowhere around, and she'd made a huge mistake? That was an even worse eventuality.

But for now, she should send Connor the coordinates. He might be running, but if he wasn’t, he might need them. Quickly, Cami messaged them to him with the words,“Landon’s address.”

She took a deep breath. She felt a little calmer now, and she felt ready to walk into the face of danger.

Apartment three was set one back from the road. She followed the paved path around to it and found the door for his unit.

It was locked up tight. The blinds were drawn, and she couldn't hear anything from inside.

Cami hesitated. Should she wait here? Or should she go back to the main road and keep a lookout for Connor, either arriving or messaging her back.

But, at that moment, there was a thump of footsteps and her head jerked up.

Landon, looking frantic and exhausted, with his laptop bag bouncing on his back, sprinted along the walkway. He had his key in his hand, ready to unlock the door. When he saw Cami, he stopped dead, an expression of shock on his face.

He turned and began sprinting the other way.

"No! Wait!"

Feeling appalled that this chase was starting all over again and that Connor was nowhere to be seen, Cami forced her aching legs to move and set off in pursuit.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Cami raced after Landon, feeling shocked that this was happening all over again. Shocked and worried, because now it was up to her to chase him down. At least she could see that the zigzag route, which must have succeeded in losing Connor, had also taken its toll on him. His limbs were flailing. He was puffing for breath, stumbling over the curbside as he reached the pedestrian path.

And there, to her extreme relief, she saw Connor racing in his direction. Sending the coordinates had been the right thing to do. The cavalry had arrived, and now there was nowhere for Landon to go.

Again, he hesitated and turned, but that only meant he was facing Cami, and the next moment, Connor grabbed his arm from behind.

“Enough, now,” he said, puffing out the words to the exhausted suspect. “Enough now. You’re coming in for questioning. I’m going to call a car to fetch you now. And don’t try anything else.”

To make sure he didn’t, Connor handcuffed his hands behind him before making the call. Just a couple of minutes later, a police car pulled up.

“We’ll take him in, and give you a ride back to your car,” the officer at the wheel said.

Cami had never been so relieved to collapse on the comfortable fabric of the car’s passenger seat. Her legs were aching, and she spent the short ride to Connor’s car trying to get her breath back and her thoughts in order to prepare for the questioning ahead. Luckily, Landon seemed to be just as sapped from the run. He spent the journey in silence and didn’t struggle or complain at all.

They changed cars when they reached the place where Connor had parked and drove behind the other cops to the local police department. Once at the local police department, they unloaded Landon and escorted him in. Connor took him straight to the front desk.

“We have a suspect to question. Is there an interview room available?”

Cami was getting used to the look and feel of these rooms, which the police officer showed them to as soon as Landon had been officially signed in and his details taken. She was used to the bright lighting, the featureless walls, and the observation window, which she knew was made of one-way glass.

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