Erin updated Dispatch. As the two cruisers left the parking lot and continued down the street, she returned to the place she and Cody had waited for the past hour.
Cody put his head in his hands. “I messed up big-time. From now on, I’d better stick to construction.”
She laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a playful push. “Hey, trust me, you’re not the first person to make a mistake like this. It happens all the time.”
His cell phone rang, and he looked at her in silent question.
She smiled. “Go ahead. You’re not on the clock.”
He took his phone from his pocket and swiped the screen. “Hey, Bobby.”
For the next several minutes she listened to the one-sided conversation. Based on what she heard, he was making plans to go out, or changing plans, and this Bobby was going to pick him up. It didn’t sound like it was work related, which meant it wasn’t essential. When Cody ended the call, she was frowning.
He ignored said frown. “I had lunch with a friend scheduled for tomorrow. It’s now changed to Friday.”
“You shouldn’t do it then, either.”
“He’s picking me up, and we’re staying in Fort Myers. Bobby and I do this once or twice a month.” He squeezed her shoulder. “If it’s any consolation, he’s a cop. The only threat going out with Bobby poses is that for the past year, he’s been trying to match me up with one of his fellow patrol officers.”
Erin laughed. “Sounds like Joe, one of the guys I know from Lee County. He’s been wanting to introduce me to a friend of his ever since I came on board. I figure if I tell him no enough times, he’ll get the hint.”
“Not if he’s like Bobby. Bobby thinks no means ask me later.”
At least she and Cody were on the same page as far as relationships went. That friendship she’d been thinking about earlier was looking more and more feasible.
Cody returned his attention to the business across the street, and she followed his gaze. Traffic there had been pretty sparse and didn’t look like it was picking up. They’d maybe give it another hour, get some lunch, then come back this afternoon.
“When are you going to let me make good on that thank-you dinner I promised you and Alcee?”
She looked over at him. He’d already assured her it wasn’t a date. There was nothing wrong with dinner out with a friend. “How about tonight, after I finish my shift?”
“You’re on.”
“Have you decided on a restaurant?”
“I’m thinking about Blue Dog Grill.”
She frowned. “That’s too close to Pine Island.”
“It’s on Matlacha.”
“Which the bridge to Pine Island goes through.”
Cody twisted to face her. “We need a place that’s dog friendly.”
“I’m sure there are other dog-friendly restaurants in the Cape Coral area.”
“Yeah, but I know Blue Dog Grill. Pops and I ate there regularly. I can’t take you guys somewhere that I haven’t checked out first.” He gave her a toothy grin.
She wasn’t going to let him sway her with his charm and playfulness. “I’m not going to intentionally put you in danger.”
“You’ll be armed, right?”
“That’s beside the point.”
“Look, I won’t be in danger. The guy who’s after me recognizes my truck, which is still in the shop. And it’ll be getting dark by the time we get there.” The grin was back. “I’m treating you to dinner. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
She sighed. He had some good points. Once he got his truck back, it would be different. In the meantime, maybe she could allow him that little bit of freedom.
“All right.” She frowned. “But at the first sign of danger, I will say ‘I told you so.’ And you’ll be on restriction until this time next year.”
If she had her way, she’d keep him locked inside his house until everyone involved in his grandfather’s death was behind bars. But that wasn’t an option. All she could do was urge him to be careful and not take any unnecessary chances.
She shook her head. Keeping Cody corralled was turning out to be one of her hardest assignments yet.
* * *
Cody backed the rental vehicle from his drive, Erin in the seat next to him.
“I figured you’d have gotten a truck.”
He shrugged. “It’s only a week or two. By that time they’ll have mine fixed or, if it’s not repairable, give me the funds to replace it. Until then, I don’t plan to haul around any lumber.”
In the meantime, he was enjoying his new set of wheels. They’d given him an Acura TLX. It was nice and sporty, the kind of ride that would impress the ladies. If he was looking for ladies to impress.
As he made his way along Pine Island Road, a series of canals lay to the right. That was pretty typical of the area. The narrow, man-made waterways created waterfront living for the maximum number of residents and offered easy access by boat to Charlotte Harbor and ultimately the Gulf. If Fort Myers was known as the City of Palms, Cape Coral should be the City of Canals.
Cody had his own boat, sitting on its trailer next to his garage. He’d last had it out two weeks ago, when he and Pops had gone fishing. The Starcraft wasn’t likely to see water again anytime soon. He’d promised Erin he wouldn’t go anywhere alone. Sitting in a boat out in the open, whether he was with someone or not, didn’t seem like a smart thing to do.
He looked in his rearview mirror at the dog stretched across his back seat. Hopefully, the car rental company wouldn’t have a problem with the occasional canine passenger. Just to be on the safe side, he’d vacuum up any white fur she deposited on the charcoal-gray leather.
Erin sat in the seat next to him. The final rays of sunlight slanted in through the front windshield, lighting her hair with a goldish-red glow. Instead of having it confined in her typical braid, she was wearing it down, flowing around her shoulders like a river of fire. She was gorgeous. Twelve years, and she still had the power to take his breath away.
He shook off the effect. This wasn’t a date, and he wasn’t going to treat it like one. He’d moved far past any thoughts of trying to resurrect teenage dreams.
“I hope you both brought your appetites. The Blue Dog is known for its fresh seafood. It was Pops’s favorite place to eat.”
“I’m starved. I fed Alcee when I got home, but that doesn’t matter. If she’s offered a second meal, she never turns it down.”
When Erin and Alcee had arrived, he’d insisted on driving. It was bad enough she’d had to drive herself to his place. He’d never invited a woman to dinner, then not picked her up, date or not.
The road rose, and he navigated the last stretch of bridge before reaching their destination. Ahead of him, the sun sat perched on the horizon, streaks of orange and lavender staining the sky.
Matlacha hadn’t changed in decades. Colorful little shops and restaurants lined both sides of the two-lane road. The community had been founded as a fishing village and had maintained that relaxed ambience. It was something Cody loved, a welcome reprieve from the city.
He turned on his signal and waited for a single car to pass before turning left into the Blue Dog’s parking area. August was in the middle of the off-season. A few months from now the area would be bustling with activity as the population swelled with tourists and snowbirds enjoying the mild South Florida winter.
As soon as they opened the Acura’s doors, tantalizing aromas filled the car. Erin drew in a deep breath, eyes closed. “If I wasn’t hungry before, I am now.”
She stepped out and clipped a leash to Alcee’s collar. Then the three of them approached the yellow building trimmed in blue and green. Block letters near the door spelled out Blue Dog, a paw print between the two words. The sign hanging from the gable bore the establishment’s logo—the dog called Blue inside an oval, the wh
ite rubber boots on his front feet a nod to the fishing history of Pine Island and Matlacha.
As they neared the entrance, Cody stopped her. “Wait here with Alcee.”
He stepped inside, and the hostess greeted him by name. “I’m so sorry about your grandfather. We were shocked to learn what happened. I hope they catch the guy.”
“Me, too.” Hers weren’t the first condolences he’d received. A few days after the storm the media had released Pops’s name, and the news had spread quickly among those who knew him. Given the circumstances, Cody still hadn’t been listed by name in any of the reports.
He looked past the hostess into the dining area and the patio beyond. At this late hour several tables were empty. They wouldn’t have to wait to be seated.
“I’m with a friend and her dog.”
“Bring them around. Teri will meet you on the patio.”
Cody walked out the door, then led Erin around the right side of the building, where a sidewalk wove between a metal storage container and the air-conditioning unit. He grinned down at her. “The doggy entrance.”
When they stepped onto the patio, their server was already standing at one of the small round tables, two menus in her hand. They both sat. Erin gave Alcee a hand motion, and she positioned herself between their two chairs, head resting on her front paws.
Erin glanced around and nodded her approval. “This is nice.”
Cody agreed. Potted plants lined the patio, and triangular pieces of canvas stretched above, strings of white lights accenting the spaces between. Dock line strung from post to post sectioned off the eating area from the canal. Across the water, palm trees rose above the mangroves, their fronds silhouetted against a smoky gray sky. It was a tranquil setting, even romantic, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. The last thing he needed to be thinking about was romance.
After Teri had taken their orders, Erin looked down at the dog lying between them. “This is a treat for Alcee. Though she looks at me with those pleading eyes, I rarely give her table scraps.”
Having heard her name, Alcee stood and stared at Erin, head cocked to the side and one ear lifted. Erin leaned over until she was almost nose to nose with her. “Yes, we’re talking about you. Cody’s determined to spoil you.”
Alcee tilted her head in the other direction and released a long “Arrrrrr.”
“That’s right. You’re getting dinner number two.”
“Arrrrrooo.”
Cody grinned. “She’s talking to you.”
“We have these conversations on a regular basis. I have no idea what she’s saying, but she seems to know.”
Cody leaned back in his chair. Now that the sun had set, the air had cooled slightly, making the temperature comfortable in spite of the humidity. Two other tables were occupied, the patrons speaking in hushed tones. Other than the occasional words that drifted their way, the night air was silent.
Erin released a long, contented sigh. “This is so peaceful.” She rested her chin in her hands. “It’s like the crickets are even hesitant to disturb the silence.”
“We don’t have the crickets like we used to. From what I’ve been told, some kind of exotic lizard was introduced that pretty well wiped them out.”
Erin frowned. “That’s sad.”
He thought so, too. The cricket songs formed a backdrop for so many of the memories they’d made. Cuddling together on a bench overlooking the canal at the RV park surrounded by palms and mangroves, watching the sun drop below the horizon. Walking hand in hand on the Harborwalk that wound through Laishley Park or just sitting on the swings while his grandfather did early-evening fishing from the pier.
That was where he’d kissed her for the first time, there at Laishley Park, right in front of the palm tree sculpture honoring those who’d experienced Hurricane Charley. Two palm trees, one standing upright, the other bent at a ninety-degree angle by the wind, metal fronds extending straight in line with the trunk. The sculpture held meaning for Erin. She and her grandparents had been there to experience the devastation.
Erin gripped the top of the straw and slowly stirred her tea, spinning the lemon around in lazy circles. Her gaze was fixed on the glass, but the distant look in her eyes said her thoughts were elsewhere.
She spoke without looking up. “I’ve thought about you over the years, wondered how you were, what you were doing.”
“Same here. I even looked for you on social media.”
Her eyes met his. “I’m not there.”
“So I discovered. You’re one of the few millennials in the US that doesn’t have a profile somewhere online.”
“Safer that way.” Her gaze dropped to her lap.
He paused, sensing a story behind those three words, but she didn’t elaborate. She would share when she was ready. Maybe. Whatever experiences she’d had over the past twelve years, they’d changed her. She seemed more reserved, less open, hidden behind protective walls that hadn’t been there when he’d known her before.
She gave him a half smile. “Did you ever take out a post office box?”
The seemingly odd question wasn’t peculiar at all. When their summer had come to an end, he couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing her again. So he’d tried to convince her to set a date for them to meet up again after she finished school, just to see if that spark was still there.
Even that had been too much of a commitment. Instead, she’d come up with a different plan. If somewhere down the road, either of them wanted to connect, they’d rent a post office box, put a letter inside and hide the key in a designated place at Laishley Park.
“Never did. But I’ll admit, when I got to Florida eight years ago, I climbed up on the base of that sculpture and put my fingers between every one of those sideways fronds.”
Even though he hadn’t expected to find a key, he’d been disappointed when it hadn’t been there. He couldn’t bring himself to write a letter, though. It had seemed pointless. Instead, he’d met someone else, another free spirit like Erin, someone who’d even looked a lot like her.
He should have known better. For the past year his ex-wife had been backpacking across Europe with her boyfriend, and Cody had thrown himself into work like there was no tomorrow. At least they’d never had any kids, so history wasn’t repeating itself—there was no little Cody at home wondering why his mommy didn’t love him enough to stay.
“I thought you’d be married by now.”
Erin’s words were jarring in a she-just-read-my-mind kind of way.
“Been there, done that. Didn’t work out. What about you?”
“No husband, past or present.”
“No significant other?”
The corner of her mouth ticked up. “Been there, done that. Didn’t work out.”
He wasn’t surprised. Regardless of the changes he’d sensed, her aversion to commitment was apparently as strong as ever.
Their server approached and placed their meals in front of each of them. Alcee’s, she set to the side. The restaurant folks had already cut the unseasoned chicken breast into half-inch cubes. The dog rose, nose twitching, sniffing the air. Her tail swished back and forth.
Cody shook his head. “How does she know she’s getting some?”
“I told you she’s smart.”
Erin checked the temperature of Alcee’s food, then placed the bowl on the concrete. Throughout the meal, they kept the conversation light, an unspoken mutual understanding.
When Teri cleared away their empty dishes and brought the dessert menu, Erin groaned. “I’m stuffed, but this brownie bottom pie looks awfully good. I could do half.”
“Then we’ll take a brownie bottom pie and two spoons.”
Teri returned a few minutes later and placed the plate between them. Cody hesitated before picking up his utensil. This probably wasn’t what Erin had in mind. He should have asked
for two plates. There was something intimate about sharing a single dessert.
But that didn’t slow Erin down. In a few minutes the plate was empty except for a few smears of vanilla ice cream and chocolate drizzles.
He laid down his spoon with a satisfied sigh. “I hope Alcee enjoyed her thank-you-for-saving-my-life dinner.”
Erin smiled. “We both did.”
“And when you solve the case, we’ll do a thank-you-for-giving-me-my-life-back dinner.”
Her smile broadened. “It’s a deal.”
He paid the bill and led her toward the parking lot, Alcee prancing ahead of them. When he opened the back door, the dog hopped in and stretched out on the seat. Erin settled into the front, and Cody crossed behind the car. He’d just reached the center of the back bumper when an engine revved behind him and squealing tires snapped his attention toward the other end of the lot.
Twin headlights bore down on him, engine at full throttle. He leaped forward and dived between his vehicle and the next, his right elbow striking the pavement. The pain that shot through his arm and ribs momentarily stole his breath.
When he got back to his feet, Erin had exited and stood facing the street, pistol drawn. The car squealed onto Pine Island Road, its rear end fishtailing. Taillights shrank and disappeared as it sped down the road, headed toward the mainland.
She lowered the weapon and ran toward him, panic in every line of her face. “Are you all right?”
“I think so.” He flexed and extended his arm. “I’m sure my elbow’s bruised, but it’s not broken. And I’ve got some ribs that are tired of taking a beating. Did you see the car?” As quickly as it had happened, he didn’t expect a tag number, but a description might help.
“Older Camry, gold. Since I just saw the passenger’s side, I can’t vouch for the damage that would have been sustained on the bridge, but I think it’s safe to assume it was the same car.”
She called the police, and they waited in the Acura for them to arrive. The tasty meal he’d enjoyed sat like lead in his stomach.
“I’m sorry. You were right.” He wasn’t too proud to admit when he’d messed up. He hadn’t just put himself in danger. He’d endangered the lives of both Erin and her dog.
Trailing a Killer Page 6