Page 79 of Losing Control

“I think anticipation is part of the enjoyment, don’t you, Gaby?” He laughed as she struggled more, but he’d tied her good and tight. “Yes, I’ve found that to be true. So, I’m going to leave you here for a while, to contemplate the exciting things we’re going to do together. But I won’t be long.”

He started toward the door but turned back. “Oh, and don’t count on anyone accidentally finding you. If anyone ever knew about this place, they’ve long since forgotten. No, you’ll be nice and safe until I get back. See you in a little while.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Cole looked at his watch. Again. Scott, Zak, Nick and Nita had been closeted in the conference room for nearly two hours, and he wondered if they were making any progress reviewing all those cases. If they had something to tell him, they would, but all of this was making him very jittery. Probably because of Dana.

He’d busied himself with paperwork. Making phone calls. Fending off questions from his deputies. Finally, at eleven o’clock he gave it up and told Grace he was going to Harry’s. “Call me there as soon as the door to the conference room opens. I can be back here in five.”

“Got it.”

He clapped his Stetson on as he headed toward the door. “Where’s Gaylen?”

“In his office.”

Cole stopped in the doorway to the small cubicle. “Care to go to Harry’s with me? I’m about to jump out of my skin.”

Gaylen shook his head. “I’ve put off these traffic reports too long. My boss might fire me.”

Cole chuckled. “That’ll be the day. Okay, I’ll be back soon.”

The pre-lunch crowd was beginning to fill up the restaurant when he swung open the door to Harry’s. He spotted Adele and Tate Bishop in a booth toward the back and headed toward them.

“Twice in one day,” he joked with his uncle.

Adele slid over to make room for him, leaning toward him to plant a kiss on his cheek.

“We hardly see you these days, Cole,” she complained. “The other night you took off before I could hardly say hello. Do I have to come into town at the crack of dawn like Tate does to have a meal with you?”

He took off his hat and reached around her to put it on the little ledge next to the booth, giving her a quick hug as he did so. “Just as soon as I get this case put to bed, you won’t be able to get rid of me.”

“You work too hard,” she told him.

“The boy’s in the middle of a mess, Del,” Tate pointed out. “Leave him be. When he gets it put away, he’ll need a dinner to patch him back up.”

“I’m not used to seeing both of you in town in the middle of the day,” Cole commented. He accepted coffee from the waitress then waved her away.

“Adele had an eye doctor’s appointment,” Tate explained. “She had to have her eyes dilated so she can’t drive. I’m playing chauffeur.”

“Besides,” she grinned, “this way I get a free lunch.”

Cole was about to lift his mug when someone stuck a folded newspaper under his nose. He looked up to see John Garrett standing beside him.

“Hot off the presses,” the older man told him. “Let me know what you think.”

“I will. Thanks.” He unfolded the paper and began the front-page story.

“Would you like to join us, John?” Adele asked.

“Maybe just for a minute.”

But before he could slide into the booth, another man called to them. Cole looked up to see Jed Nickels standing next to John. The man was nearly as tall as both Tate Bishop and John Garrett, but he’d let himself go somewhat to seed physically when he’d left office. His belly pushed a little too hard against his belt and a double chin softened his jawline. The former sheriff nodded to everyone.

“I stopped by your office, Cole, and Grace told me you were here. I thought I’d see if that security company is doing you any good.”

Cole laid the newspaper down on the table. “I’ll let you know in a little while. They’re going over the crime reports and the autopsies with Nita right now. I got antsy waiting around, so I came over here to get some relief from that poison Grace brews.”

He stopped himself just short of mentioning what was happening with the old cases. He didn’t want Jed to think they were second-guessing him after all this time until he had something concrete to go on.

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