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“Our job is to stay impartial. Look at the facts. Protect our client.” He caught my gaze, but I didn’t say anything. “Your client is Sadie, and if you start mistakenly chasing every lead, you’ll miss the most important ones right in front of you.”
I heard the words my brother spoke, but I didn’t believe them. I knew in my heart that this had everything to do with Sadie.
“My gut tells me otherwise,” I said flatly.
“Maybe so, or it could be fear.”
I shook my head. “Our parents taught us how to tell the difference.”
“But it has never involved someone we love.”
I looked up at the overcast sky as the chill in the air picked up.
The two officers stepped outside and glanced at Ian and then at me.
“I don’t think this was random,” Officer Carl announced. He was the oldest on Granite Peak’s police force and had been serving since I was a teenager. Carl was calculating and rarely missed an opportunity to solve a case, even if the crime was a stolen pack of gum.
I lifted my brows and glanced at my brother.
“Why would someone target Melanie?” my brother asked, rocking back on his boots.
“I don’t believe she was the target,” the officer said flatly.
A knot squeezed tighter in my stomach. “Then who was?”
Officer Carl glanced at Tom, the younger officer. “I think it was your girlfriend.”
I shook my head. “We’re not together.”
Carl stared at me. “She said she was at your house last night?”
“It’s complicated.”
Officer Carl chuckled. “Isn’t it always?”
I folded my arms. “Tell me what you know.”
“I’d rather show you. Meet us at the department in an hour. I’ll have everything set up. Maybe you’ll be able to help us identify who we saw.” He glanced at Melanie. “And just bring Sadie. I think Melanie is a little too shaken.”
I nodded, looking over at Sadie, who was now stationed behind the espresso machine.
A small crowd of people congregated behind us. Carl scanned the people, mostly locals.
“Nothing much to see here, folks. We’ve got it handled, and Granite Beans Coffee Shop will be open soon.”
Things like this rarely happened in this remote mountain town, so I could feel everyone’s tension.
I walked into the coffee shop, crunching on the glass as Melanie slowly walked over with a broom and dustpan.
“I got that,” I said, taking them from her. “Why don’t you have a seat and decompress?”
A grateful expression traced her features as Sadie walked over and patted her back. “Why don’t you take the day off? I can handle things. The repairmen for the glass said they’d be here in a few hours. I can cover.”
Melanie shook her head and let out a groan. “No. Then I’d just be at home, stewing over everything.”
Sadie nodded sympathetically. “Our mind can be our own worst enemy at times.”
Melanie let out a sigh and walked back behind the counter, where she filled up a plastic cup with ice and water and took a drink.
