Page 12 of Crossing Lines

The nurse touched his foot then moved to pry open his eyelids and shine a light into his eyes, her gaze switching anxiously between his face and the monitors. She glanced at Sam. “I don’t feel any resistance. But the other night when I was tending to him, I thought I saw an eyelid flutter, so I had the doctor check. He didn’t see anything, and the movements could be involuntary, but at least that’s progress.

“Oh.” Sam felt disappointed, but maybe involuntary movements were the first sign. “Progress is good, I guess.”

Lucy, who had moved to the corner when the nurse came in, seemed to agree. She approached the bed and nuzzled Kevin’s hand as if to encourage further progress. Sam half-hoped the officer would suddenly pet her, but he didn’t. Maybe next time.

“It is.” The nurse smiled at Kevin then petted Lucy. “We’ll let you know if anything major happens, Chief.”

As Sam left, he allowed himself a smidgeon of hope. Everything else about the day had been crappy, but maybe this was a sign things were taking a turn for the better.

* * *

Holy Spirits was housed in a decommissioned church. It still had a few of the pews and the stained glass windows, but the alter had been replaced by a long bar, and round tables dotted the room. Instead of the smell of incense, it now smelled like French fries and beer, and the jukebox blasted rock and roll instead of religious hymns.

Mick was already waiting at the bar, his large hands wrapped around a tumbler of dark-amber whiskey.

Sam slipped onto the stool beside him.

“Hey, bud. How’s it going?” Mick asked.

“Long day.”

Billie, the owner, came over, and Sam ordered a Moosenose, his favorite brand of local beer.

“I heard about the body. Young kid?” Mick’s blue eyes brimmed with sympathy.

“Teen. The mother was in just last night, reporting her missing. I was hoping she got lost in the woods or was shacked up with a boyfriend.” Sam accepted the beer from Billie with a nod. “No such luck.”

Mick shook his head. “That’s a shame. You don’t think it has anything to do with the bodies from a few weeks ago, do you?”

Sam shrugged. “Those were from five years ago. Not to mention the guy we think put them there is in jail.”

“You said you weren’t totally sure they were from Thorne, but then the evidence came in and it seemed like a good course of action. What does Jo think?” Mick glanced over his shoulder into the bar. “Where is Jo, anyway?”

Sam pressed his lips together. “She went to pick up her sister, Bridget.”

Mick’s left brow quirked up. “She did get clean then? Do you think she can help identify Thorne?”

The bodies they’d found earlier in the summer had been runaways. It turned out Jo’s sister had known one of the victims and had mentioned her going off with an important man from up north right about the time the murders took place. White Rock was up north, and Thorne certainly did think he was important. But Bridget had been too fragile and busy trying to get off drugs to ask her to make an identification from a picture. Jo hadn’t wanted to push her, and Sam had agreed.

But now… maybe after she got settled in at Jo’s, things would be different. And right now, they might need that identification more than ever. “I’m not sure. We’ll see. Jo and I aren’t exactly on the same wavelength right now, so I’m not sure about asking her.”

Mick looked surprised. “What? Why? I thought you guys were tight. Anything to do with Marnie Wilson?”

Sam looked at Mick. “Why would Marnie Wilson have anything to do with it?”

Mick shrugged. “You were spending some time with her; thought maybe there was some jealousy.”

“No. Nothing like that. Jo and I are just friends.” Why would Mick say that? Sure, Sam sensed that Jo disapproved of him having lunch with Marnie Wilson, but Sam had only dined with her at Harry Woolston’s insistence. It was just a short lunch. Purely business. Surely Jo wouldn’t be jealous. That was ridiculous.

“Uh huh. So what’s it about then?”

Sam wanted to get Mick’s advice, but it wasn’t his place to tell Mick about Jo’s sister and the investigation she’d been doing over the years. “I can’t really give details, but she wasn’t exactly straight with me about the reason she came to White Rock, and it’s put a wedge in our relationship.”

“What? Did she do something criminal?”

“No. It was a personal reason.”

“Then what business is it of yours? It’s not like you didn’t keep personal things from her. You guys are partners, not married. You’re allowed to have personal lives that don’t involve each other.”

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