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SEVEN
The moment the chopper disappeared over the trees Carter ushered everyone into the family room. “Okay, we have a situation. Sandy and Julie, can you take care of Anna and Jaime? I promised them they could ride the horses and I don’t like to break my word.”
“Sure. We’ll have a great time.” Sandy looked at her husband. “Jake, if you leave your truck for me, we’ll clean up here, take the girls for a ride, and then drop them at Wolfe’s house.” She turned to Jo. “If that’s okay, Jo?”
“Yeah, that would work.” Jo smiled. “You’d like that wouldn’t you, Jaime? Anna and Julie live close to the sheriff’s office. I’ll be five minutes away.”
“That sounds like fun.” Jaime grinned and gave her mom a hug. “You don’t have to worry about me, Mom. I’m not a baby.”
“Come on then, girls. Let’s get you out of those dresses and back into your jeans.” Julie herded them down the hallway. “Then I’ll go and grab my things out of the truck and we’ll go and see the horses.”
When Sandy set off for the kitchen with the leftover cake, Carter quickly brought Rowley and Jo up to date. “I’ll go and change. Do you have spare uniforms at the office?”
“Yeah.” Rowley scratched his cheek. “Jenna is going to be like a bear with a sore head when she finds out about this.”
“Ty did the right thing.” Emily’s brow wrinkled into a frown. “Jenna deserves some time away with Dave.” She shrugged. “We’ll just make sure when she comes back, we have everything under control. I’ll head straight to the morgue and meet Dad. We’ll need to get started. With two victims to process, it’s going to be a ton of work.”
Carter pushed back his Stetson. “Okay, let’s get at it.” He whistled to Zorro and patted his leg for Duke to follow him and then headed for the door. “I’ll leave the dogs in the cottage. They enjoy each other’s company and we’re going to be busy. Jenna insisted that Pumpkin is fine to do her own thing. She has food and water, so I guess I’ll leave her be.”
“That’s a good idea.” Jo walked along beside him back to the cottage. “Getting back to the homicides, if it’s exactly the same MO in both cases, it makes this interesting.” She picked her way over the uneven ground on strapless heels. “I guess we look for symbolism. I’ll need to see the crime scene photographs to get a profile up on this guy.”
Carter noticed the strained expression on Jo’s face. “Sure, but what’s up, Jo? I mean apart from the case. There’s something troubling you. I can tell.”
“It’s having Jaime here in the middle of a murder investigation. I shield her from my work, and it’s too easy with everyone involved for things to slip out. She’s way too young to be exposed to what people are capable of doing to each other.” Jo’s mouth turned down. “I’d prefer to take Jaime home today if possible. I trust Wolfe’s housekeeper, but if I’m worrying about Jaime, I’m not concentrating on the case.”
Carter removed his hat as he walked into the cottage and tossed it on a peg. He turned to look at her. “Taking her home isn’t a problem, but are you sure you don’t want to spend more time with her? You don’t have to come into the office at all. We can manage for a time without you. I’m sure Jaime would appreciate a couple more days here on the ranch with you.”
“I appreciate the thought, but you need a profiler.” Jo smiled at him. “Jaime is very independent and is used to me coming and going. She’s not an infant. She is eight now and as smart as a whip. It’s not like I’m away every day, but when I am she is in such a great routine she hardly misses me. The video chats help me more than they do her. I miss her when I’m away and she seems to bounce through it like it’s just another day.” She smiled at him and hung up her jacket. “I owe everything to our nanny. Clara’s been there since Jaime’s birth and they’re very close. She’s more like her grandmother.”
Carter stopped to look at her. “Okay, I’ll go and refuel the chopper and we’ll leave as soon as we get the chance. It won’t take long if you ask Clara to meet us at the office. You’re always worrying about Jaime’s welfare, but are you happy, Jo?”
“Yeah, funnily enough I am.” Jo shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on one finger. “With school and her dancing lessons, I only get to see her before she heads out to school or in the evenings anyway. Not having a man in my life, I prefer to keep busy.” She sighed. “I miss being married. It would be nice to have someone to discuss my day with when I get home. I didn’t think it mattered until I watched Jenna and Dave’s wedding. I miss that connection.” She gave him a rueful smile. “But I have you to watch my back, so it’s not all doom and gloom.”
“True.” Carter headed for his room. “I still can’t figure why you chose me as your partner. I’m a lost cause, Jo.”
“There’s no such thing.” Jo followed him down the hall. “Anyway, I like a challenge. We were both broken when we arrived out at Snakeskin Gully and we’re honest with each other. I like that we can work together without walking on eggshells all the time. You say it like it is and I like that about you, even if you have a faulty filter at times.”
Amused, because Jo rarely talked about her previous life and husband, Carter turned at the door. “You have to admit I’ve changed.” He smiled at her. “Thanks to you and Jenna, I’m almost human again.”
“Yeah, but you’ve always been civil to me, and I appreciate it.” Jo kicked off her shoes and bent to pick them up.
Carter regarded her with interest. This was another side to Jo he hadn’t seen before. She’d always been ultra-professional with him from the get-go and, as she was his superior, he’d always tread lightly around her. She rarely let her guard down and having her admit her vulnerability surprised him. He smiled at her. “Everyone deserves to have at least one close friend. I’ve noticed Cage gets all flustered around you. Maybe you should ask him out for a coffee.”
“Sheriff Cage Walker is a very nice man, but I’d drive him crazy.” Jo giggled. “He’s an old soul in a young body and speaks so slowly. Every time we talk, I feel like he’s in slow motion and I’m flashing around him.” She snorted with amusement. “Now, don’t you start matchmaking. I already have Em on my case.” She waved him away. “Go and change your clothes. We have people waiting for us to solve this crime.” She hurried down the hallway.
Shaking his head, Carter looked after her. She ran circles around him too.
