The last thing she needed right now was to fall for her temporary partner. Her heart had been closed off for so long after the deaths of her parents, her uncle and then believing Opal was gone, that she didn’t know if anything could pry her heart open again.
ELEVEN
Two hours later, after a thorough canvassing of the neighborhood and the businesses within a one-mile radius of the house that was being used as an OB clinic, they had very little information to go on.
One neighbor reported there were all sorts of shenanigans going on in the middle of the night at the address Jennifer had relayed to them. But the neighbor didn’t see so well in the dark and couldn’t give any description of those going in or out of the house. No one else in the area seemed to know who owned or resided in the place.
Colt hated the sense of defeat invading his chest, the feeling of being no closer to discovering information on the whereabouts of Dr. Rolls, the baby smugglers or the missing woman, Mia Andrews.
The defeat mingled with his frustration and rage at not being able to find Shadow. Or Opal. The image of the despair in Maren’s eyes filled his mind, twisting his heart. He’d taken her into his arms to offer his support and had found himself not wanting to let her go. He was growing attached and was at risk of becoming too close to her, too involved.
He had to keep her at a distance. But he found that keeping his guard up was becoming harder with every moment they spent together. After the betrayal of Rebecca, he’d promised himself he wouldn’t give anyone the power to hurt him again. Even if Maren wouldn’t purposely break his heart, getting heartbroken again was a fate he’d do anything to avoid.
His mood darkened as they headed back to the SUV.
The loud grumble of his stomach had her turning toward him with a raised eyebrow.
“There’s a diner I know of where the owners let the K-9 handlers and their dogs eat inside,” she told him. “It’ll get us out of this heat. And it’s safe. Lots of law enforcement eat there, so we’ll have built-in backup.”
That sounded good to Colt. He knew she’d be anxious to find her sister, but this morning’s search had been exhaustive, and they did need to eat. Also, it would provide a distraction so he couldn’t analyze the emotional turmoil going on inside him regarding Maren. That would be a good thing. Seeing her so distraught and down over the plight of her sister tore him up inside. Offering comfort to her seemed natural and right.
Just as almost kissing her the night before had.
But he needed to keep his perspective straight. He wasn’t ready to allow his heart free rein. There was too much at stake. And he would return to Denver when this partnership was over, while she would stay with her task force and eventually return to the Colorado Springs Police Department.
There just didn’t seem to be a future for them. The thought left him feeling empty in a way he hadn’t in a long time, if ever. It made no sense. They’d only recently met. Sure, he liked her, trusted her and cared about her well-being. But that was what one did with a partner, right? Didn’t mean there was anything romantic about his feelings.
Thankfully, by the time they made it to the diner the lunch crowd had dispersed and there was an empty booth in the back. He and Maren slid into a corner, their dogs at their feet, where they could watch the front entrance, the back entrance and the window that faced the street.
There would be no surprises for them while they ate lunch. They both quickly ordered. Colt opted for a hamburger and fries while Maren chose a grilled chicken sandwich and coleslaw. The waitress brought over bowls of water for the dogs, which both canines lapped up eagerly.
“Can I give them each a pup cup?” the waitress, whose name tag read Heleene, asked.
“Rusk will love you for the rest of your life,” Colt told her.
“Haven will be equally enamored,” Maren said.
Heleene retreated, returning a few minutes later to give each dog a small paper container filled with whipped cream.
The dogs settled in to lap up their treats.
An awkward silence descended between Colt and Maren. He wasn’t quite sure how to breach it. Staying focused on their cases seemed like the best idea. “Tell me about your team members,” he asked.
She cocked her head with a smile. He realized he was taking a note from her playbook when she’d asked him to tell her about his family. He’d understood then that she hadn’t wanted to be the one talking.
“I’ll tell you everything I know,” she said. “We’ve only been a team for three months now. I haven’t delved too much into anyone’s personal stories.”
Remembering she had mentioned that they shared the grief bond, he said, “Tell me about Eli.”
“I only know there’s some tragedy there. No details.”
While she talked about each of the team members, giving very brief information that she knew about where the person was from and the specialty of their K-9, Colt found himself mesmerized by her voice.
Affection swelled within his chest. She paid attention to the details. He liked that about her and he trusted her in a way he hadn’t trusted anyone other than family.
But could he trust his heart? Could he open up and let her in?
The memory of his bad judgment where Rebecca was concerned rose in his mind like a large stop sign.
