A Cop's Promise

by Sharon Hartley

  His mother nodded and looked across the street to the Kilpatricks’ house. Chip followed her gaze. Mr. Kilpatrick was in his front yard, adding gas to a lawn mower. Surely his mother wasn’t worried about what people would think?

  “No one cares about people living together before marriage anymore.”

  “I’m more worried about your feelings. I know you’ve always had a thing for Lana. You were heartbroken when her family moved away.”

  “Ancient history, Mom.” Chip gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got three hundred pages to read before class Monday morning.”

  “You’re certain the rental company delivered the bed?”

  “Yes, ma’am, and the chest of drawers. Please stop worrying.”

  Kilpatrick revved his lawn mower to a noisy roar, effectively shutting off further conversation. Chip breathed a sigh of relief.

  His mom nodded and stepped back.

  “I’ll call you later,” Chip yelled as he opened the car door and slid onto the seat, which had been warmed from the October sun. As he pulled away, he looked in the rearview and caught his mother swiping away a tear. He shook his head. He was close to thirty and his mother still didn’t want to cut the apron strings.

  But he was so out of here. No matter what happened with Lana as a roommate, he wouldn’t be moving in with his parents again. He’d learned that lesson, at least. If money became a problem, he’d start selling his boards. He didn’t have time to surf anymore.

  When he braked in front of his new home, his gaze zeroed in on the for-sale sign still in the front yard. Wrong. This house was no longer for sale. He’d signed the lease himself, handed over the deposit, and Winnie Zeder had given him the keys after completing the walk-through on Wednesday.

  He’d been surprised the owner had agreed to the short-term lease, but suspected Lana’s career as a law-enforcement officer had helped their case.

  He exited the car, moved into the yard and jerked the sign out of the grass. Lana had been pleased that he’d signed the lease himself, which was a more logical way to handle their situation since she already had a lease and a place to return to. He didn’t. Once her surveillance of Gary ended—however it ended—she could move back to her apartment, and he could seek another roommate on campus.

  After he’d moved all of his boxes into his bedroom and finished hanging his clothing in the closet, Chip reassembled the desk he’d brought from his parents’ home. It was afternoon by the time he finished and had his computer set up. No online access yet. That had to wait until Monday, when the cable company arrived. They’d decided not to install a landline.

  Chip stood and stretched, feeling a satisfying crack in his back. He had to get to work, but first needed sustenance. Fortunately he’d visited the grocery store during one of the trips to deliver his belongings. A man did have to eat.

  On his way to the kitchen, he peeked into Lana’s room, which contained nothing but a rented bed and a chest of drawers, delivered at the same time as his since, for now, she’d decided to leave her apartment intact. She was on duty until three o’clock, but she’d begin moving in tonight. He expected to see her around six o’clock, after a trip home to pick up a few boxes of her own.

  Then they were headed to Bubba’s house for their double date, which had turned into dinner while the Dolphins played a rare Saturday-night home game. Thankfully Bubba owned a flat-screen television. Chip hoped Lana would bring some kind of TV with her.

  Unsure how he felt about the upcoming evening with Lana, Chip considered how she had changed since high school—she possessed a lot more sharp edges now. Time changed everyone, but the years seemed to have been harder on her. Obviously Dan’s murder had rocked her world.

  Chip’s gut tightened at the thought of how she’d investigated him. How the hell could she have ever, for one nanosecond, thought he could murder anyone—much less her brother? Apparently she didn’t know him any better than she’d known Dan. Chip pushed away the resentment. What good did it do?

  So why had he agreed to Lana’s crazy plan to move in together? Sure, he needed to get the hell out of his parents’ house, but he hadn’t even looked for another roommate and had barely started the search for a small apartment.

  Was it because he felt guilty over the cover-up the team had perpetrated after Dan’s murder? The idea had seemed plausible eight years ago, the right thing to do. Yeah, he did feel responsible for that screwup and now wanted to help bring Dan’s murderer to justice.

  Or was his mother right? Did he still have a “thing” for Lana despite how she’d treated him? For sure he’d been protecting her forever, even if she didn’t know it. Or trying to, anyway. First from her father, and then from her brother.

  What would it be like living with her? And how much time would they actually spend together with their busy schedules? Considering the circumstances, maybe it would be better if they didn’t see each other too much.

  Would she sleep here tonight, after their date, or go back to her apartment? He closed his eyes against a sudden image of thrashing around in that bed with Lana, and quickly turned away. They were going to be roommates, friends again maybe, and nothing more.

  And he couldn’t let go of the idea that she could consider him capable of murdering Dan, for God’s sake. She’d known him her whole life. How could she possibly believe he could be that person? And why had she never seen Dan for who he really was?

  Before Coach’s retirement party, it’d been eight long years since he’d even had a conversation with Lana. She’d drifted into his thoughts every now and then during that time. He’d never completely forgotten about her, but what did they really know about each other at this point?

  What he knew about her was that she was relentless, fixated on solving an almost-decade-old murder. Whether she believed it or not, that fixation could put her in serious danger, and his worry about that danger was the real reason he’d decided to move in.

  Chip entered the kitchen, noting his prized coffee maker on the counter. No way could he study without hot black coffee. He opened a bag of freshly ground beans and made the first pot in his new home. He removed the only item from the cabinet overhead: his favorite mug.

  Obviously they needed to stock the kitchen. Would Lana bring supplies from her apartment?

  While the coffee brewed, releasing that familiar fragrant aroma into the room, he made a turkey sandwich, using his pocketknife to add mayonnaise. Once he had returned to his bedroom, he opened his huge tort textbook and groaned at a new thought.

  Had Lana truly eliminated him as a suspect? Maybe part of her motivation for moving in together was to keep an eye on him, along with Gary. Just great. Would she snoop around his business, suspiciously looking for clues?

  No question these new living arrangements would alter their tenuous friendship. Time would tell how much. Most likely she’d either clear Gary or find evidence to convict him within a few weeks. They might not even be speaking to each other by that time.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  HOLDING A CARDBOARD box full of clothing with both arms, Lana used her foot to knock on the front door of her new home. Since they didn’t have living room furniture yet, Chip had to be in his bedroom, reading, so he might not hear her. She’d texted him that she was on her way. He hadn’t answered, but she knew he always turned off his phone while studying.

  She glanced at his car in the driveway, which confirmed he had to be inside. Hopefully he’d made her a set of keys by now. She kicked again, louder this time, and shifted the box in her arms.

  The situation with her take-home police car sucked big-time. God, she’d hated leaving that brand-new marked cruiser in the parking lot of her apartment, but it couldn’t be helped. She’d loaded her private vehicle with clothing and other boxes of necessities for the drive here. She’d have to retrieve her cruiser every morning on her way to the station hou
se, which would add over an hour to her commute.

  And of course she’d had to change out of her uniform, into jeans and a casual blouse. She always felt fifty pounds lighter after removing her gun belt, but she’d tucked her service weapon inside her purse. She’d have to keep uniforms at her apartment and change every morning.

  When she’d first come up with this brilliant idea, she hadn’t realized how logistically difficult it would be to keep the fact that she was a cop from her subject.

  Chip flung open the front door. He wore shorts and a T-shirt that outlined his muscled shoulders. His sun-streaked blond hair hadn’t been combed in a while. When his sharp blue gaze fell to the box in her arms, he immediately grabbed it from her.

  “Thanks,” Lana said as she followed him inside, her steps echoing strangely in the empty living room. One of the first things they needed to do was get some furniture.

  “Are there more boxes in the car?” Chip asked when he returned from her bedroom.

  “A lot.”

  “Did you bring a TV?” he asked hopefully.

  “I’ll need your help with that. It’s heavy.”

  He grinned, the first time since she’d arrived. “Next trip.”

  Chip handed her a key to the front door, and for the next half hour, they worked together to carry boxes from her car into her bedroom. By the time they were finished, she needed another shower. Lana entered the kitchen, looking for something cold to drink, but realized she’d need to unpack a glass. She opened the refrigerator and found Chip had already purchased a few staples, including bottled water.

  “Can I have one of your waters?” she asked.

  “You don’t have to ask.”

  “We’ll need to work out a system to split expenses,” Lana said after a long drink of cool liquid.

  Chip nodded. “I hope you brought some dishes.”

  “No worries,” she said. “I have what we need to stock our kitchen in one of those boxes.”

  Our kitchen. She swallowed at the renewed realization she was playing house with Chip Peterson. Now that this was actually happening, why did this situation seem so much more... She shook her head, trying to figure out how it felt.

  Intimate.

  Chip gave her a funny look. Was he thinking the same thing, feeling off balance? They were awkward around each other, but that was to be expected.

  “What time are we due at Bubba’s?” he asked.

  Lana pulled her phone from her back pocket. “I’ve got time to take a shower.” She paused. She now had a roommate and needed to be considerate. Sharing a bathroom was likely to be their biggest challenge.

  “Unless you want to go first?” she asked.

  “I’m good,” Chip said. “You go ahead.”

  * * *

  LANA WAS RELIEVED when Chip offered to drive. She’d been behind the wheel of her new vehicle all day, learning its features and feeling nervous about getting a ding. Now she wanted to strategize how to play the evening, how best to maneuver the conversation to Danny’s murder and Bubba’s alibi.

  She’d need Chip’s help with that, but he drove without speaking, his gaze focused on the road ahead, and she couldn’t read his mood. Was he angry with her about something again? For all she knew, this was the way Chip always behaved. Maybe the guy was tired after studying all day. Maybe he was sorry he’d agreed to this op tonight.

  She needed to snap him out of whatever funk he was in, or else the evening would be a disaster.

  “Are the Dolphins favored to win?” she asked. Football seemed a safe subject.

  “I don’t know,” he responded.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m just trying to figure out what the hell we’re doing.”

  “You know what we’re doing.”

  “Spying on old friends?”

  “We’re determining if Bubba’s alibi the night of the murder holds up.”

  “What was his alibi again?” Chip asked.

  “He says he spent the night with Tina, which makes this our perfect opportunity. They’ll be relaxed after a few beers, their guard down, and one of them more likely to make a mistake.”

  “If they’re lying,” Chip said. “Maybe they’ve been telling the truth.”

  “I hope so.”

  He shot her a look. “Do you?”

  “Yes, of course. Tina was a good friend. If she lied for Bubba, she lied to the police, and that’s a crime.”

  Chip braked in front of Bubba’s address but kept staring straight ahead. “Okay. So, what do you expect me to do?”

  “For one thing, you’re going to have to act like you at least like me,” she said.

  “Trust me,” he said, “I’ll be friendly.”

  “Friendly?” Lana brushed lint off her pants, unable to meet his gaze. “I was hoping you might, you know, kiss me.”

  When he didn’t reply, she shot him a look. He leered at her with one of his daredevil grins.

  “And just how often do you want me to kiss you, Officer Lettino?”

  She felt embarrassed having to ask Chip to kiss her, but knew if they didn’t plan their actions ahead of time, they wouldn’t fool anybody.

  “Well, at least once,” she said.

  “I don’t know. Are you sure that’s enough?”

  “If you make it look real, like you enjoy kissing me.”

  “Oh, I’m going to enjoy kissing you.”

  She felt a smile form. Me, too.

  “But maybe we should practice,” Chip suggested. He leaned toward her. “So we don’t mess up.”

  She met his bright blue gaze and couldn’t look away. “Okay,” she whispered, and suddenly very much wanted to kiss Chip.

  He cupped her face, lightly stroking her cheek with his thumb, and then his lips were on hers, his tongue exploring her mouth, and everything was all too real. Too intense. Too wonderful. She felt the heat, the strength of Chip’s body as he urged her closer to him. A tug of arousal pulled at her lower belly and expanded into her entire body. She raised her arms to his neck and scooted toward him, wanting this connection to go on forever.

  But he pulled back. When she opened her eyes, he smiled at her.

  “Not bad for a first attempt,” he said, brushing hair away from her cheek with a featherlight touch.

  She swallowed. What had just happened?

  “I think we’re ready,” he said.

  Chip opened his door, planted his feet on the ground and extended a hand toward her.

  Lana remained frozen, stunned by her reaction to his kiss.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go in.”

  She grabbed his hand and jumped out of the truck.

  He took her arm and moved them toward the house. Her thoughts tumbling, Lana searched for something to say.

  But what was there to say after a kiss like that? Wow.

  Bubba threw open his front door and spread his arms wide. “Dudes!”

  Lana forced herself to breathe deeply and smiled at their host. She needed to focus.

  Bubba had always reminded her of a big, cuddly panda bear. But bears had claws, right? Bubba had no clue she was investigating a cold case or that he was a suspect.

  Tina came forward and gave her a hug. Over her shoulder, Lana spotted a giant flat-screen television. The sound was muted, but sportscasters chatted at a desk, and a football field filled the background.

  “I’m so glad we decided to do this,” Tina said.

  “Me, too,” Lana said. “Thanks for having us over.”

  “It’ll be fun. Kickoff is in ten minutes. Can you guys wait until halftime to eat?”

  “Sure,” Lana said.

  “We’re having Tina’s famous chili,” Bubba said.

  “Of course, we’ll have snacks,” Tina said. “Little quiches. But what can
I get you to drink?”

  “Do you have any white wine?” Lana asked.

  “You bet. How about you, Chip?” she called out.

  “A beer would be awesome,” he said.

  “Coming up,” Bubba said and moved into the kitchen.

  Chip appeared beside her and wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulders. When she raised her gaze to his, he lowered his head and gave her another long, scorching kiss.

  Heat flooded her treacherous body. His kisses changed everything she ever thought she knew about Chip Peterson. For one thing, The Chipper really knew how to kiss. Or she’d never been kissed by anyone who knew what he was doing.

  “Good job,” Chip murmured, his breath soft on her mouth as he pulled away.

  When Lana opened her eyes, Tina beamed at them. “So, you finally scored with Lana, huh, Chip?”

  “Took him long enough,” Bubba said, reentering the room. He handed her a glass of wine and a beer to Chip, who’d lost his cocky grin.

  Lana watched Chip take a pull on his beer. What were Tina and Bubba going on about? Chip hadn’t wanted to date her in high school. He’d never once asked her out. She’d wanted to go out with him, had always wondered why he had never asked.

  Until the fight with her brother, and then she’d gotten it.

  “Good things come to those who wait,” Tina said.

  Before Lana could pose a question, a buzzer sounded in the kitchen.

  “Oh, my tiny quiches are ready.” Tina scurried away.

  “Who is going to start at running back tonight?” Chip asked Bubba, gesturing with his beer toward the television.

  “The rookie, I think,” Bubba answered, moving with Chip toward the sofa. He raised the remote control and the sound blared.

  Lana narrowed her eyes. Nicely done, Chip. She recognized a deft change of topic when she saw one.

  “Do you need any help, Tina?” Lana asked.

  She and Chip apparently had a lot to talk about when they got home.

  * * *

  “I KNOW HE was your brother, Lana,” Tina said, “And I’m sorry he’s dead, but I thought Dan was a brat.”