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“That’s okay. I’ll just come back another time.”
I didn’t bother leaving my sketches with the officer to give to the detective. They would be a waste of time.What could they get from a sketch with no face?
When I pushed open the heavy door to leave the precinct, Landon was leaning against one of the cement pillars, waiting for me. Some of the day’s heaviness lifted when he grinned, and I swore I could’ve drowned in his smile.
I stepped toward him, and the hair rose on the back of my neck. It was the same eerie feeling I’d been having lately, and I glanced around to see if I could spot whoever was watching me.
“What’s wrong?”
I jumped at his voice. Heat flooded my face.Could I be any more dramatic?I needed to downplay how weird I was being. “Nothing. I just feel like someone’s been watching me. I’m sure it’s nothing.” I hoped so.
He closed the distance between us, one hand resting on the small of my back, chasing away my nerves. I wanted to lean into him so badly and barely stopped myself from doing it.
“Want to get out of here? Maybe go somewhere alone?”
Yes, please.I had a fleeting thought to ask him to take me to McMillan Lake, but I also didn’t want him too close to the crazy in my life. He probably knew about my mother and the case if he was from nearby, but I wouldn’t point it out for him if he didn’t.
We stood unmoving until I realized he was waiting for me to answer. If it was possible to blush even more, I managed it. Great, not embarrassing at all. I mentally rolled my eyes at myself. “Yeah, I would love to go somewhere else, but my car is here.”
“We can come back for it.”
“Sounds good.” Maybe for a little while, I could just enjoy being my age and pretend like the past wasn’t staring me in my face. It was worth a try.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SHANE
The interview had aged me. Stress and exhaustion fairly overwhelmed me.Then seeing Winter in the police station, talking to that cop? The one who’d been on the scene for Luke’s accident when the police first arrived?Something about it didn’t sit right.
“Is everything okay?”
We still stood on the front steps of the cop shop. I needed to get out of there, and since she said she was up for going with me, I guided her to my SUV.
“Yeah, I’m good.” I opened the passenger door and waited for her to climb in. “Why were you at the police station?”
“I was there for research.” She clicked the seat belt into place. “Why were you there?”
“I had to take care of some speeding tickets.” I shut her door then got in on the driver’s side. I needed to get away from Thane for a while, and after pulling out of the parking lot, I pointed us toward the cove.
A silence stretched between us that the low drone of music from my speakers failed to disguise.
“You’re sure everything’s okay?” She angled more toward me in her seat, pulling her hair over one shoulder. “You look tired. If you need to talk, I’m a good listener.”
I didn’t say anything for the entire ride. Instead, I weighed my options. I wasn’t a bad person, not entirely. And I felt like an asshole for lying—even to her.
As I turned into the state park, several tall cliffs and a cove appeared. The water rippled, sparkling from the last rays of the sun. It was deep enough to dive from several rocky ridges that soared overhead.
After I parked and we got out, I took her hand and led her to the small patch of sand at the entrance to the water. “We used to come here all the time in high school.” Something she would have known if she’d stayed. But she hadn’t, so I was giving her a peek into my past. “My cousin’s girlfriend used to dive here whenever possible. Aspen, too, but not from the highest point.”
Winter tilted her head back and peered at the precipice. “From up there?”
I laughed because Riley was brave. “Not always from that high, but she jumped from there enough to give the rest of us heart attacks.” I sat on the rough sand and pulled Winter between my legs so her back was against my chest.
“I can’t even imagine doing that or being okay with anyone else risking their life like that.”
“She’s an Olympic hopeful, though. The girl has crazy skills.”
“Still… that looks like sudden death.” She shivered.
