They drove past the diner. Yellow police tape cordoned off the building. A couple of police vehicles lingered. Collecting evidence, no doubt. Quinn took a deep breath, fighting against the memories.
The officer stopped the cruiser at the entrance to the small parking lot where Reid’s car was parked.
“Let me get my car, and I’ll follow you to Quinn’s house,” Reid said.
Quinn didn’t argue. She had accepted that she was going to need all the help she could get. Reid followed the cruiser to her two-story duplex with not much of a front yard. Quinn and JJ got out and stood next to the cruiser.
“If you’ll hand me your keys, I’ll go inside and look around.” The officer held out his hand.
“I don’t have my keys with me. They’re in my purse at the diner, but I have a key hidden under that plant.” She pointed to one of the flowerpots on her porch. He went up the steps and picked up the potted plant, grabbed the key, and then turned to the front door. The officer fiddled with a note stuck to the door before going inside. It must not have been too important because he left it where it was.
Reid parked his vehicle across the street and sauntered over to where she and JJ stood. “He checking the place?”
“Yes.” Quinn pulled JJ closer. “He said it was just a precaution.”
The officer stepped onto the porch and waved them in. Quinn led the way up the porch steps, and Reid brought up the back.
“Everything looks okay. No sign of a disturbance.” The officer pulled the sticky note off the door and handed it to Quinn, along with her key. “It looks like you missed a delivery.”
“Thank you.” She looked over the note and stuck it in her pocket before sticking her hand out to the officer. “Thank you for checking out the house. It makes me feel a little better.”
He shook her hand. “No problem. Call if you need anything.”
Quinn turned to JJ as the officer headed back to his cruiser. “Why don’t you go inside and turn on the TV? I think today calls for no school.”
His eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Really. Now, go.” She patted his back as he walked into the house.
“Why was Joe here?” She turned to Reid and crossed her arms. She sized him up. He stood about three inches taller than her. Broad shoulders but not muscle bound. He looked like he took care of himself but didn’t spend his life in the gym. She needed answers, and now was the time to get them.
He crossed his arms, matching her stance. “Like I told the detective, he didn’t tell me.”
She searched his face, looking for a hint that he was being dishonest.
“You know everything,” he said. A car drove slowly past the duplex. Reid followed it with his gaze until it disappeared around the corner. “We need to go inside. I don’t like that we’re standing out here in the open.”
She dropped her arms as she looked up and down the street. “Of course. Up until today, I would have thought you were being paranoid.” She turned and walked inside. The thought of her neighborhood and her home not being safe laid heavy on her heart.
Once inside, he shut and locked the door. “Keep the door locked at all times. We don’t know if and when they will strike again. And no more keys hidden outside.”
“They’re going to come back, aren’t they?” She sank into a dining room chair.
Reid looked toward JJ, who had come in and parked himself in front of the TV in the adjoining living room. “I’m afraid they will until they get what they want.”
“I don’t know what they want.” Desperation filled her voice.
“Unfortunately, neither do I. And with Joe gone, the only other people who do are the attackers from the diner.”
“So, it’s up to us to figure it out so we’re not sitting ducks.” Her voice was stronger with that statement.
“This obviously has something to do with Joe. He’s the one that texted me and had me meet him at the diner where you work. Then, he called to tell me to get you and JJ out of there because he knew people were coming.”
She nodded. “But how are I and JJ connected?”
“What’s your relationship with Joe now?”
Quinn looked at her son, who was engrossed in some cartoon. Hadn’t Reid heard her at the police station? “We don’t have arelationshipnow.” She lowered her voice. “Joe was a mistake. But that mistake gave me the two greatest gifts.”
