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Rachel sagged against Gabe's chest. As she felt his arms wrap around her, she could barely speak. "Where's Edward?"
"With Cal and Jane." His hand stroked her hair. "He's fine."
"Cal—"
"Shh… Not now."
The police chief spoke from behind them. "We got evidence, y'know."
"No, you don't." Gabe drew away from her and drilled Odell with his gaze. "I put those things in the Escort myself, right before I drove off."
She sucked in her breath. He was lying. She could see it in his face.
"You?" Odell said.
"That's right. Me. Rachel didn't know a thing about it." The steely note in his voice dared Odell to contradict him, and the police chief didn't try. Gabe tightened his grip around her shoulders and steered her toward the door.
Daylight had broken, and, as she breathed in the clear air, she didn't think she'd ever smelled anything so beautiful. She realized Gabe was leading her toward a Mercedes, parked in a space marked Reserved for the Chief of Police. It took her a moment to remember the car was his, since she'd never seen him drive anything but his pickup.
"What's this?"
He opened the door for her. "I wanted you to be comfortable."
She tried to smile, but it wobbled at the corners.
"Slide in," he said gently.
She did as he asked, and before long, they were traveling through Salvation's deserted streets, accompanied by the rich purr of a flawless German engine. As they reached the highway, he rested one hand over her thigh.
"I promised Chip I'd have you back in time for breakfast. You can stay in the car while I go inside and get him."
"You saw him?"
She waited for that stiff, distant look to settle over his face the way it always did whenever her son's name came up, but Gabe seemed more worried than aloof. "I didn't tell him you were in jail."
"What did you say?"
"Just that there was a mix-up, and I had to go get you. But he's a sensitive kid, and he picked up the fact that something was wrong."
"He's going to be imagining the worst."
"I made a bed for him so he could sleep on the floor next to Rosie's crib. That seemed to settle him down."
She stared at him. "You made a bed for him?"
Gabe looked over at her. "Just leave it alone for now, will you, Rach?"
She wanted to question him farther, but the hint of entreaty in his expression silenced her.
They drove another mile or so without speaking. She needed to tell him about Russ Scudder, but she was too tired, and he seemed preoccupied. With no warning, he pulled the car off onto the shoulder, slid down the driver's window, then gazed at her, looking so troubled she was alarmed.
"There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"
"No," he replied. "I'm just trying to figure out how to go about this."
"Go about what?"
He leaned forward, slipped his fingers around her calf, and lifted it. "I know you've been through a lot, Rach, but I need something from you. I need it pretty bad."
