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CHAPTER55
Danni settled into the passenger seat in Gabe’s truck and closed her eyes for a minute. It felt good to be out of the limelight. She knew the shooting would be examined up and down, left and right for a while, and she would need her strength to deal with the Monday-morning quarterbacking.
“How are you holding up?” Gabe reached over and grasped her hand and squeezed.
Danni squeezed back. “I’m okay. Tired but okay. It’s been a wild day. I can’t believe Hoffman went off on you.”
“Hoffman has some issues. Speaking of Senior, I solved my cold case by the way.”
“Great. Tell me about it.” Danni listened while Gabe told her about the safe-deposit box, the documents, and the taped interview. Hearing the story woke Danni up.
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. Gomez reopened the accident investigation.”
“D.K. Hill buried the investigation? Doesn’t sound like him.”
“He was afraid. HoffmanSr. was scary back then according to all I’ve heard.”
“Madden will never refer the case for prosecution.”
Gabe glanced her way, and Danni held his gaze for a second, until he returned his attention to the road.
“You don’t trust her at all, do you?” he asked.
“No, I don’t. To be honest, it makes me a little nervous having Hoffman so angry with me for doing my job. Doing his job got Jess fired.”
“Don’t worry about Hoffman. He is totally irrational.”
Danni agreed but said nothing. Irrationality seemed to run in the Hoffman family. “The only thing I regret today is we didn’t catch up with Jareb Moore.”
“His name is in the system. He won’t be able to hide.”
“It’s just a loose end nagging at me.”
“I understand. It bugs me too, but I know he’ll be caught eventually. By the way, how is the little dog you rescued doing?”
“Good,” Danni said with a smile, glad to think about something other than the shooting. “He’s getting stronger every day.”
Gabe pulled into her driveway.
“Why don’t you come in and say hello?”
“Love to.”
When they got out of the truck, Gabe took Danni’s hand and she gave no resistance. “Do you think there’s a chance for us to go back in time?” he asked.
“I don’t want to go back in time, Gabe. I only want to go forward. A lot of the past needs to just stay there.”
“Sounds logical.”
She laughed and he joined her. They went inside, and as always, seeing Champ raised Danni’s spirits.
“Look at him,” she said. “The cast barely bothers him.”
Together they walked the bouncy dog out to the backyard.
Danni closed the patio door and took a seat on one of the patio steps. She brought one knee up and clasped her hands around it. Gabe sat next to her, stretching his long legs out in front of him. She sensed something was on his mind.
