I needed something to do, and sipping a calming chamomile tea sounded like the perfect distraction.
Headlights flashed in the window.
My heart skipped a beat.Someone’s in the driveway.
I almost dropped my teacup as my breath caught in my throat.
I couldn’t tell you how long I stood there, frozen, before I moved to look out the window.
Maybe it’s Officer Campbell.
I ran down the hall to grab my phone.
No message.
Back at the door, my heart raced as I peeked through a slit in the curtain covering the window.
The car backed out and drove away.
I stared at the road long after the car had disappeared from sight.
A minute later my phone buzzed with a text from Officer Campbell.
They used your driveway to turn around. I grabbed the plate # and sent it to John, just in case.
Nothing to worry about. No need to panic.
“Nina, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, just making sure we didn’t have unexpected company.”
“Is our tea ready? I’m ready to watch my silver fox Naval investigator.” Nana Sue had a crush on the lead character, and I couldn’t blame her. He looked great for a guy in his seventies.
Of course I thought of Austin the instant she said silver fox. How could I not? Not that it mattered; he’d never be interested in me.
Chapter 28
Austin
The next morning, Gibson and I were at a local forensics lab John had recommended. SSI used them regularly, and John had called in a favor and gotten us private use of the lab.
Mostly private. There was one forensic scientist onsite to help us if we needed it.
Tosupervise us.
No one in their right mind would leave two strangers, regardless of their IDs and badges, completely unattended in their lab.
“We have to remove them from the bags.”
“I know.” But first, we’d examined them through the plastic bags.
My blue medical gloves stood out in the white and stainless steel room as I reached for the vacuum-sealed plastic bag with the cherry baby blanket inside.
Nina had folded it so that her name was visible in the corner.
I could imagine the embroidered letters matching the red of the cherries, when both were new and bright.
No wonder she likes cherries.
