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“How’s Jamie?” Jeb asked, walking past them and going to the coffeepot. He poured himself a cup and sipped while continuing to watch them.
“He’s better,” Leigh said just as Cullen answered, “Fine.” It was Leigh who added, “But he wasn’t able to ID the person who attacked him.”
With just a flick of his gaze to Cullen, Jeb let her know that he was looking at the person he thought had done it. “Rocky said you’d had all the Triple R hands questioned, and—”
“I’m running the investigation by the book,” Leigh interrupted. “It’s all under control.” Which was no doubt her way of saying her father should butt out.
Jeb didn’t.
“If you were by the book,” Jeb stated, his jaw tight and set, “we wouldn’t be having this conversation in front of the man who should be on your suspect list.”
“I didn’t start this conversation,” Leigh snapped. “You did when you came in here and started slinging around accusations and giving meadvicethat I don’t need or want.”
There was some serious temper in her tone, but it didn’t last. Cullen could see that she reined herself right in. Probably because she’d had a lot of experience doing that over the years.
“Everything’s under control,” she repeated, much calmer this time.
She had a staring match with Jeb that lasted several long moments before Jeb huffed. “I’m worried about you,” Jeb finally said, and he’d reined in most of his own temper as well.Most.“Someone tried to kill you.”
“Someone tried to killus,” Leigh corrected, and she hiked her thumb toward Cullen. “We don’t know which of us was the target.”
Jeb opened his mouth but then closed it. He nodded, conceding that she had a point, and he downed a good bit of his coffee like medicine.
“I’m going across the street to the diner to see if Minnie needs anything,” Jeb said.
Minnie Orr was the owner of the diner and someone that most folks classified as Jeb’sfriend. They were probably lovers and likely had been for years.
“Give Minnie my best,” Leigh said, and she walked out of the break room, heading back in the direction of her office.
Jeb didn’t follow her. Neither did Cullen, and he suspected that her father had a whole lot left to say to him. And he was right.
“You need to keep away from her,” Jeb warned him, his voice a growling whisper. “Leigh doesn’t need your kind ofhelp.”
“She apparently doesn’t need yours, either,” Cullen threw back at him, and he didn’t whisper. No way was he going to cover up for Jeb Mercer taking a dig at him.
Jeb flinched, finished off his coffee and slapped the cup on the table. “If you killed Alexa, I’ll make sure you end up behind bars.”
Cullen looked him straight in the eyes. He wasn’t a cop, never had been, but he knew how to stare someone down. “Same goes for you.”
Now Jeb did more than flinch. His eyes widened. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You were a smart cop so follow the dots,” Cullen spat out. “Someone killed my ex in my home. Someone who might have wanted to cause trouble for me. When I come up with possibilities of who’d want to cause that kind of trouble for me or my family, your name’s always at the top of the list.”
Oh, Jeb’s temper returned. He aimed his index finger at Cullen, and the man’s hand was shaking. “You—”
But that was all Jeb managed to say before his face went pasty white, and he staggered back a step. Since Jeb looked ready to pass out, Cullen hurried to him and caught onto his arm.
“I’m all right,” Jeb insisted, and he tried to bat Cullen’s hand away, but he held on. Jeb dragged in several short breaths, wincing with each one. “You don’t say a word about this to Leigh, understand?”
Cullen ignored that and went with a question of his own. “Are you sick?”
“No. I’m just a little light-headed. I need to get something to eat at the diner.” Jeb finally managed to get out of Cullen’s grip, and he stepped back, making eye contact with him. “Not a word about this to Leigh,” he repeated.
Cullen had no intention of agreeing to that, but if Jeb was truly sick, and Cullen thought he was, then Leigh would figure it out soon enough. An illness would explain though why Jeb had decided to retire while his approval ratings had still been sky-high. Of course, Jeb hadn’t hinted at any health problems, only that he was ready to turn in his badge and take some time off to pursue the search for his missing son.
“I’m not going to hurt Leigh,” Cullen told him while he had the man’s attention. “I care for her. I’ve always cared for her, and I believe we would have ended up together had it not been for Bowen and you. And for me,” Cullen added. “I was young and stupid and didn’t stand up to the two of you back then. But I sure as hell will stand up now.”
Jeb continued to stare at him for what felt like an eternity, but the man finally nodded, turned and walked out. Cullen stood there, watching him go, and wondering what the hell was going on.
