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She shook her head, annoyed at herself. “No, it’s nothing... You didn’t... It’s just... I literally thought to myself a few days ago that I couldn’t remember the last time my eyes sparkled like they were just then.” She blinked back the tears, waving her hand dismissively. “It’s silly.”
His eyes never left hers, his gaze like a warm, safe blanket. “Their sparkle was the first thing I noticed when I saw you.”
His words hung between them, stealing the air from the room.
Her lips parted and she wanted to say something in return, but she had no idea what to say.
She was saved by his ringing phone. When he answered and squeezed his eyes closed a few moments later, she knew this call hadn’t been good news.
“Thanks,” Mitch said, ending the call. He stood. “I have to get back to the station. I’m keeping a patrol on your house for another day or so. The officers haven’t seen anything concerning, but I want you to be safe,” he said. He tapped his finger on the photograph. “I don’t know who this guy is, but if you see him around here, call me, or alert the officers at the front,” he said with a look into her eyes. “He might be dangerous.”
She inhaled a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll call you.”
He nodded and gave her a small smile.
“What are you doing for dinner?” she asked, and his eyebrows lifted.
“I’m not sure. I might still be working at the station,” he said, but didn’t turn to leave.
“If you have time, let me cook dinner for you. I owe you that, at least,” she said with an apologetic smile. “And, I’m a good cook.”
“You owe me nothing,” he said firmly, then smiled. “But dinner would be nice. I’ll touch base in a few hours and see what my night looks like. If I can make it, I’d love to have dinner.”
She beamed a smile, nodding. She shrugged casually, even though she felt anything but. “Let me know if it works. Otherwise we’ll do it another time,” she said, giving him an out.
She walked past him, leading him to the front door before opening it for him. He stood for a moment, lingering. His eyes dropped to her lips ever so briefly.
“I’ll call you in a few hours,” he said before walking out the door.
CHAPTER16
MITCH
His eyes darted between the rearview mirror and the road as he pulled away from Zoe’s house.
He thought about what she’d said in the office, that her eyes didn’t sparkle anymore. Part of him regretted what he’d said—he was the local sheriff and he should’ve been more professional. But he also wanted to speak the truth, especially to her.
He thought over the case and all of its dead ends. He had requested a list of hospital employees named Peter, but the hospital had yet to hand over the details. Mitch hoped he wasn’t going to have to get a warrant for that information and waste more time.
Graham Laube was still proclaiming his innocence despite the evidence, and Mitch believed him.
So he had nothing except the Shaun Williams and Brandon Ross leads—which might not be leads at all, but it was quite the coincidence that those two were connected and they were both in a photograph with Lana.
He hadn’t completely ruled out Zoe despite his best intentions, and it was becoming harder and harder to think objectively about her.
He’d noticed, in the past few days, Zoe Seacombe had become his motivation. He’d always been motivated, but he was more so now. Protecting her, making her smile, making her happy... it seemed he’d picked up a few new goals recently and he wasn’t sure when he’d made those decisions. He could think of a few reasons why thinking this way wasn’t a good idea, but none of them seemed good enough not to see if things could go any further.
His thoughts went to her late husband. Mitch wondered if her late husband would always be her one true love, or if could she love someone else as much as she’d loved him.
He mulled on that as he tapped on the screen in his car, calling Jackson.
“Mitch,” Jackson answered.
“Hey. Forensics called. The blood on the table in the shed matches Camilla’s. They’re working on the samples from the other stains. I think we’re going to find out at least a few of the victims in the woods were murdered in Graham’s shed.”
Jackson muttered something under his breath that Mitch didn’t make out, but he didn’t think it was appropriate for children’s ears. “I don’t think Graham Laube is our guy. I just don’t see it.”
“I don’t either. I have another suspect. I’m going to take a photo of a photo and I want you to see if you can match it to anyone in our database. It’s the guy, third in from the right,” Mitch said.
