“Let me know tomorrow if there’s any further issue with the car, but I suspect all they needed was to be reinflated. And I’d recommend house and yard alarms.” Chief Myers handed Bree her card. “I’m just wondering if this is the stick after you turned down the carrot in the Maria’s Café parking lot. Maybe an intimidation show. Not that I know what’s going on, but I’d certainly like to. I’ll inform the county sheriff too. And don’t hesitate to call me. I don’t like this.” The police chief wished them both a good evening and left.
“I’d better head on home and see if the cats left me anything to drink,” Tess said.
“Hopefully something stronger than a bowl of milk. I’d invite you in, but—”
“But that’s not a good idea.” Their kiss had only fed that deepquiver at the focal point of Tess’s elevating libido—if they were going to stop at a kiss, now was the time. And she needed to stop at a kiss. She didn’t want to be a friend with benefits. That was a recipe for more pain because she wanted so much more.
Bree touched her arm. “I’m sorry. This attack feels personal, and I know I’m upset…and exhausted.” Bree shook her head. “Too much going on. Too much to sort out. But you need to know how much I appreciate your company and support tonight.”
Tess nodded. She was beat too, but she decided not to leave before one last comment, not to go home stewing about the raffle envelope in her car. She’d decided, as they’d sat on that porch and she’d felt the chemistry of that kiss, that she was fool enough to leave the door ajar. She could probably handle a small crash.
“I’d like you to share my raffle win,” Tess said. “Shall we schedule a meeting to watch whales with a bit of follow-up food?” She held her breath as her emotions yo-yoed again.
Bree nodded. “A meeting with you, me, and a pod of Moby Dicks on the agenda. I’m in.”
The yo-yo took an upswing.
Chapter Fourteen
After Tess had headed home the night before, Bree had left Ned a message about what had happened to her tires. Now it was Sunday morning, and the first thing she did was check her car. She texted Tess that her tires looked fine. She kept it light and on topic because she was struggling with all that was happening—not just with the incidents. She’d probably exposed too much of her own feelings with the tears and the kiss. Her resolve to not get romantically involved with Tess was experiencing fissures. Cracks that reached her heart.
As she drank a cup of coffee and waited for Ned to return her call, Bree thought about Tess and how she was growing on Bree. She’d found herself delighted at how well Tess had accepted her family, and how they’d embraced her. Tahoe had been the beginning, but even back here in Corazon Cove, their time together was so good. Tess’s support after her meltdown over the flat tires last night only added to her deepening feelings for Tess. As she finished her coffee, Bree’s phone rang with a return call from Ned.
“My tires are okay this morning,” Bree said. “You need to know that local law enforcement, Chief Stella Myers, has been informed. She’ll update the county sheriff’s office too. I know your agency’s investigation is targeted at addressing the judicial misconduct claimed in the complaints and any consequences you can dole out are limited, so I’m glad the police chief’s involved.”
“Yes, I can understand contacting the local police, that’scertainly appropriate. But let me add that we’ve worked very hard to keep this assessment under wraps so we can reach a resolution—I want to repeat that you need to continue maintaining confidentiality with regard to the CJP investigation. What does it serve to risk a leak about the investigation that would give anyone involved at the courthouse a chance to take actions of their own? They could pursue a cover-up or silence a perceived threat,” Nate responded.
“Of course I didn’t mention your involvement to Chief Myers, but I think you might want to talk to her. I think—”
“I’d like to bring you up to speed if that’s okay,” Ned interrupted. “After your message, I personally talked to Stella Myers before I returned your call. The Corazon Cove police chief is now in the confidential loop. She’s up to speed on the current events, and she’ll be watching for criminal activity. She’ll have her patrol officers keeping an extra eye out in the courthouse area.” Ned paused, then grunted into the phone. “And after this incident, I’m sure Chief Myers will assign your place and Fairchild’s to extra patrols too. She’s also ready to jump in if this ends up outside of the scope of the Commission. Chief Myers worked with the county sheriff’s office after Fairchild’s shooting and is willing to work with the FBI if that’s necessary too.”
“Thanks, Ned. That’s good news, but I need to add that while I know your hands are tied and you’re focused on your job, this confidential role is impacting my life. It’s having major repercussions in both my professional and private lives. I now have to regard my new colleagues with suspicion. I’ve just moved to a new town, and I feel like I’m being dishonest with my one friend.” That was the polite version.
Ned shifted into a more aggressive mode. “The sooner we finish and determine the next steps, the safer you should be. And that includes others who might be collateral damage, or in the way.”
“Are you talking about Tess’s safety?” Bree swallowed hard.
“I wouldn’t disagree.” Ned’s reply had its intended effect on Bree’s emotions.
“What’s going on, Ned?” Bree struggled to keep her tone professional.
“I honestly don’t exactly know, but the little pieces I do know aren’t out of line with the complaints. I don’t have the liberty of sharing it all with you, but if it helps you to stick with your role, remember that Fairchild’s shooting is unsolved. Someone almost killed her.”
“This is shaping into more than what I signed up for. And I suspect you knew that before I agreed to my end of things.” Bree felt a mix of emotions—unhappiness, anger, frustration. But Ned also held the incentive that would keep her involved in resolving whatever this was about, and he clearly had no qualms about flashing that card. Bree was unsure where she stood on so many things right now, but Tess’s safety was not among those things.
“I don’t have all the answers, but we’re working on it.”
“You told me that Tess isn’t directly involved in any of the complaints. I’ve spent time with her—I can tell you that she’s a straight arrow. As I indicated before, keeping this from her is not what I want.” Bree could feel her blood pressure rising.
“A straight arrow somebody shot in the courthouse parking lot a little over a year ago. It looks like she got caught in the middle of something.”
“Exactly,” Bree huffed.
“Well, as long as we don’t have the full picture, would you want to bet that she’s not in danger?” Ned asked. “You must realize that Fairchild is safer if we resolve this. The more people who know about the investigation, the greater the chance someone involved will hear about it. Their response could impact the resolution…or worse.”
And that was the direct hit, the hardball pitch from Ned. Shecouldn’t just walk away if there was a chance Tess was in danger—not after the bullet that had come so close to ending her life. Not if Bree was in a position to prevent it, and she had a front row seat.
After a long silence, Ned asked, “Are you still with me?” and Bree knew he didn’t mean on the phone line. “You’ve already made sure that Fairchild knows as much as you know except for the Commission’s involvement, so I’m sure she’s on the alert and being careful.”
