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Eli’s lips twitched. “You didn’t think to pick one up for me, Isabella?”
She shot him a haughty look. Eli wasn’t her favorite person—not after breaking up with Sienna. He couldn’t blame her for taking his ex’s side. But Isabella surprised him by pulling out a new cell phone in a box and extending it in his direction. “Ryker told me what model to get. I hope it’s correct. Call your provider and have them port your old number to it, but once that’s done, you’ll be back in business.”
He accepted the box. “Wow. I was joking. I didn’t actually expect you to buy me a cell phone.”
“You’re helping Sienna. It’s the least I could do.” Her lips softened into a grin. “Besides, I intend to bill you for the phone and my assistant’s time.”
He laughed. “It’s a deal.”
Isabella turned to Sienna. “Call me if you need anything else.”
“Will do.”
The two women hugged and then Isabella left. Sienna rubbed her temple absently with one finger as if she was fighting back a headache. Her complexion was pale, and she looked exhausted.
Eli gently took her elbow and pushed her into a nearby chair before handing her the bag of crackers. “Eat something. You’ll feel better.”
She tossed him a grateful smile before fishing out a cracker and popping it in her mouth. He offered her his coffee too. Technically they could leave, but Eli wasn’t going anywhere until the conversation between the chief and his colleagues was finished. At the moment, Cole was talking. His expression was calm, and the chief seemed to be listening. Progress.
“I didn’t see any sign of Ruby in Dallas’s boat.” Sienna wrapped her hands around the takeaway coffee cup. “Did you?”
“No.” Eli took the chair recently abandoned by Ryker. “Initially, when he wouldn’t give us a tour, I thought she might be on board. But after the attack, he came to our rescue and didn’t hesitate to shelter us inside the cabin.”
Sienna frowned, twirling the coffee cup. “Maybe I focused too quickly on Dallas. I think we should look for other suspects.” Her movements slowed, her gaze nearly meeting his before skittering away. “I mean… unless you’ve decided that you’re done with this case. I wouldn’t blame you.” Her words tumbled out in a rush. “You nearly died today too and—”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Eli placed his hand on her forearm. The fabric of her shirt was soft under his callused palm.
Nerves jittered his insides at the simple touch. Oh yeah, their earlier kiss had unleashed all his pent-up emotions. Ryker was right. There was no way to move forward without coming to an understanding. “In fact, I think you and I should talk later.”
Now her gaze shot up to meet his. Surprise flickered in the multicolored depths. Blues and greens and a hint of brown melded together in a complicated storm that mirrored her personality. Sienna was a mystery to him. Always had been, he realized. Her way of thinking was so unlike his own. Eli couldn’t guess what explanation she’d have for bailing Dalton out of jail behind his back, but it’d been a mistake to walk away without giving her the opportunity.
She’d deserved better.
The chief's office opened, interrupting their conversation. Cole and Ryker emerged.
Eli rose as they approached. “Well?”
“There’s no sign of the man who attacked you today,” Ryker said. “Officers located the speedboat about half a mile from the marina. It’d been stolen. Crime scene techs are processing it now for fingerprints, but initial reports indicate it’s been wiped down.”
Eli wasn’t surprised. Whoever was behind these attacks had planned and executed them with careful consideration. “He’s tried to kill Sienna twice. I don’t think he’s done.”
“The chief agreed to allow us to investigate the attacks.” Cole met his gaze. “But he wants you and Sienna to back off. And Eli, he’s serious about this. He’s already placed a phone call to Lieutenant Rodriguez, warning her that if she doesn’t reprimand you, then he’s going to file an official complaint.”
Eli was tired of the chief threatening his job. “What about Ruby’s disappearance? Or Albert’s murder?”
“That’s not officially in our purview.” Cole held up a hand, warding off an argument from Eli. “But if we find direct evidence that these attacks on Sienna are connected to Albert’s murder or Ruby’s disappearance, we’re permitted to follow those leads.”
Eli’s gaze shot to Ryker. His friend’s expression was hard. Ryker wasn’t pleased with the outcome anymore than Eli was. The chief was tying their hands. Attempting to appear cooperative while preventing them from actually conducting a thorough investigation.
Nothing had changed. Eli and Sienna were still on their own as a killer hunted their every move.
ELEVEN
Thunderclouds hovered in the distance as Sienna reached in the pocket of her jacket to pull out a sugar cube for Oliver. The horse happily gobbled up the treat before nudging her for more. She ran a hand over his blaze, wishing she had time for a ride—nothing cleared her head more than racing across the fields—but there was too much to do.
Ruby was still missing. The young woman could be dead by now, the desperate phone call made to her grandmother last week sealing her fate. But Sienna wouldn’t jump to that conclusion without evidence. She’d work off the assumption that Ruby was still alive. If Dallas didn’t have her, then it was time to look for other suspects.
“You’re up early.”
