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The two of them nodded.
“Where are the others?” Dawn asked. “Has something happened to them?” Her lower lip trembled.
“They’re all safe,” he said. “After our meeting with Mr. Cooper yesterday, his family thought it best to make a preemptive move. They took him out of state last night. His folks have been notified of Shauna Calloway’s broadcast this morning. So have the local authorities there. They’ll be keeping a close watch on him.”
“He’s in our therapy group, Ms. Portman,” Dawn said. “You know, the young man who lost his wife of only a few months?”
Elle nodded, although she hadn’t known his name till now. He’d never spoken and had sat through each session in a near catatonic state. She was glad to learn that he was out of the fray.
“Have either of you met Molly Martin?” Perkins asked.
Dawn shook her head. Elle said, “I didn’t meet her, but she sent me a sympathy card, which was awfully kind of her.”
“She’s a senior lady,” Perkins said. “She became very upset yesterday by what we had to tell her. Last night at home, she suffered a cardiac episode and was taken to an area hospital.”
“Is she going to be all right?” Elle asked.
“She’s stable. She’ll be placed under guard. Calder Hudson, whom you’ve both met, is with Detective Compton upstairs. We’ll be down shortly.” He left with no more fanfare than he had appeared with.
Dawn nudged Elle’s arm and whispered, “I’ll bet Mr. Hudson is chewing nails over this, don’t you?”
“I… I wouldn’t know.”
“How long—”
“Dawn, please. I don’t know any more than you do.”
Actually, she did. She knew that Calder had a birthmark on his right shoulder. She’d kissed it while he was still full and heavy inside her, while his breath was humid and hot against her skin, while—
Hearing the approach of a heavy tread on the hardwood floor, she looked toward the archway. Calder strode into the room, sighted her immediately, and practically nailed her to the couch with his gaze.
Chapter 22
Her heart skipped as she thought back on the feel of his breath and lips and hands and inert weight anchoring her to the bed before his abrupt desertion. But she kept her expression implacable and regarded him with cool indifference before turning her head away in dismissal.
He walked past the deputy without even acknowledging him, although Weeks had stood up and moved his chair out of his path. Compton and Perkins followed him in.
“Have a seat, Mr. Hudson.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Elle saw him walk over to the chair Compton had indicated and practically throw himself into it.
“I told you,” Dawn whispered. “You can tell he’s mad.”
Deputy Weeks dragged forward two of the game table chairs for Compton and Perkins, then propped himself against the wall just inside the arch. Sims was lurking in the hallway.
Compton began. “We know you’re all disoriented, afraid on some level, and probably a little put out with us for taking you away from your homes so abruptly. But after it was revealed this morning that you are key witnesses—”
“By his girlfriend,” Dawn Whitley said, shooting a look toward Calder.
Compton said, “Mr. Hudson has assured us that he did not share any information with Ms. Calloway.”
He seemed unmoved by both Dawn’s remark and Compton’s defense of him. He sat with his arms folded over his midriff, his legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles, his attention focused on the upturned toe of his ostrich boot.
Compton continued. “Ms. Calloway has a source inside the precinct. An internal investigation is under way to smoke him or her out. It’s hoped that the individual will be identified soon and dealt with accordingly.”
She paused before going on. “Our first objective will be to learn if additional information was leaked to Ms. Calloway or to anyone else. In the meantime, we’re in damage control mode. You’ve been brought to this safe house for your protection. We’re hopeful your stay here will be short-term.”
“Define short-term.” The words rumbled from Calder’s chest. “‘Hopeful’ doesn’t inspire my confidence. Are you actually saying that this arrangement is indefinite? Because that’s not going to work for me.
