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“Has something happened?” she finally asked.
Dante had decided months ago not to sugarcoat anything about their situation. He didn’t want to scare her, but it wasn’t fair to be left in the dark. Ignorance was not bliss.
“My old boss is concerned—that’s why Morrison showed up last night. I just want you to be careful.”
“Okay, Zio.”
“Morrison might be the one picking you up today.”
“Okay, Zio. I like him.”
“He’s the only one I trust.”
“What about Chief Dear?”
Dante sighed. “Fine, yes, I trust him too. But I doubt he’ll be the one picking you up. It’ll be me or Morrison. If anyone else—and I meananyone—approaches you, run back inside to the office and wait for one of us.”
When she didn’t immediately get out of the car, Dante raised his eyebrows and poked her in the ribs.
“Get going.”
“I like Chief Dear too, Zio. He has kind eyes.”
Now her expression had a hint of mischief to it. Was she trying to trick him into admitting he had feelings for André?
He affixed a firm and hopefully unrevealing expression on his face. “He does. Now get going,” he repeated.
With a grin that told him he hadn’t fooled her one bit, Dani got out and headed toward the school building.
Once the high school doors closed behind her, Dante pointed his car toward downtown Cooper Springs and the police station. André had not replied to his texts this morning, but Morrison had.
“May I help you?”
The older woman from his visit in December was perched on a chair behind the desk in the station’s lobby. A placard sitting front and center read:Carol Page.
“I need to talk to André. To Chief Dear.”
This woman had not been here yesterday when Dante had come barreling in to check on André. But it was clear from her demeanor that this was her domain and he had to pass inspection to get any further.
“I remember you from December. And heard a bit from Chief Dear after that?” The woman’s smile was backed with steel. “Chief Dear has a press conference in less than an hour and asked not to be disturbed.”
“Sorry about that, truly. But if you could let him know that Dante Brown is here? Also, has a very large man been hanging around?”
A smile bloomed on Carol’s face. “Ivan? He’s in the breakroom down that hallway.” She gestured behind her and to the right. “I’m afraid the chief’s office wasn’t comfortable for the both of them. Ivan!” she called out. “There’s someone here asking about you.” Turning her attention back to Dante, she said, “I’ll inform the chief you’re here.”
The floor vibrated, announcing the arrival of Morrison. He’d allowed Carol to use his first name? What other superpowers did the woman have? Dante wasn’t sure he wanted to know. And he now suspected he hadn’t fooled her as much as he’d thought when he got André’s number from her.
“Hey, Cast—Brown. What kind of name is Brown anyway? A first grader could do better.” He eyed Carol. “Forget I said anything.”
She mimed zipping her lips. “Consider it forgotten.”
“Come on back,” Morrison invited. “I think we can both fit in the breakroom.”
The breakroom wasn’t so much a room as a niche between the lobby and a door labeledArmory, but there was a coffee maker, two plastic chairs, and a small table that looked like it had been rescued from a burning building.
“Coffee?” Morrison asked.
Dante eyed the machine with a great deal of skepticism. He came from a long line of coffee snobs.
