The kid—okay, so he wasn’t really a kid, but he looked like one at first glance—shifted restlessly. “Some of both. Why?”
“Did you work on Max’s boat the day he crashed? Eddie said you were doing some work on it in the afternoon.”
Tom glanced at Kim, then at Sean, then picked up his sandpaper and applied it to the canoe. “That was my assignment, so obviously I did it, right? I mean, I do my job. I already told you that. Why are you asking me again?”
Sean shot a look at Kim, then moved closer to Tom and squatted next to him. “If you know something you aren’t telling us, you need to spill it. What’s up?”
“Nothing. I worked on the engine like he told me. I was around all afternoon like I was supposed to be and I didn’t see anything. I even stayed and did the evening shift because Eddie wasn’t feeling good and asked me to stay. I was here the whole time and I saw nothing, okay?” The kid was sweating now.
Kim spoke from the doorway. “You won’t lose your job, Tom, so don’t worry about that. Just tell the officer what you know.”
“Nothing. I don’t know anything.” He stood up. “I have to go.”
He walked out, brushing past Kim.
The kid was too dumb to realize he’d pretty much told them he knew something. The question was, what did he know? An invitation to the police station for an interview might scare him into sharing.
“Aren’t you going to follow him?”
Sean shook his head. “Let him stew for a few hours. I’ll call him in for an interview tonight when I’m on duty.” He turned to Max’s boat, which was still sitting in the boathouse. “First, I want to check out the boat more thoroughly.”
“What do you expect to find this time?”
He slipped on some latex gloves and climbed into the boat. “Last time, we were looking for mechanical issues. This time, I’m looking for signs of a struggle.” He pulled out another set of gloves and tossed them at Kim. “This is the same boat he had when we were kids. You might notice something out of place. But don’t disturb anything.”
Ten minutes later, Kim was down on her knees in the stern when she called out his name. “Sean? Come look at this.”
He dropped next to her. “What do you have?”
She pointed to some dark brown splatters on the side of the boat, tucked beside the bench seat in the back. “Mud?”
“Or not.” Blood more likely.
“Did my dad have an open wound on his head?”
“Yep. Got stitches. That’s what knocked him out.”
Kim sat up and her face was pale. “Someone tried to kill him.”
“Maybe. I’ll call and have the guys come down and take a swab of it to see if it’s blood.”
“But even if it is my dad’s blood, does it prove anything? I mean, he’s been riding around in this boat for twenty years.”
“In court, it means nothing. But to me, it does.” He pulled her to her feet. “When I go into work tonight, be careful. If your dad was attacked, then Jimmy has at least one partner, which means there’s more than one person we have to watch out for. Someone we haven’t identified. Trust no one.” He met her gaze. “I don’t want even Alan knowing where you’re staying.”
“Why don’t you believe Alan?”
“I don’t trust anyone at this point. If I’m not with you, you need to be at my house.” He saw her frown, and he knew she was rebelling. She’d never been the type to relish not being in control. Isn’t that why she’d left? To take charge of her own life?
He scowled. Hadn’t he resolved not to think about their past anymore?
Before she could argue with him, his phone rang. He pulled it out. The station. “Templeton here.”
“It’s Bill. Got a positive ID on your man.”
He tensed. “Ramsey? Where is he?” Kim’s head whipped toward him, but he resisted the urge to touch her. They’d gotten past that this morning. He settled for a reassuring nod instead.
“Got a body in Portland.”
“A body?” At his question, Kim looked at him sharply.
“Yep. Found it in a Dumpster outside a bar this morning. Stinking up the joint something nasty.”
Sean frowned. “If it smelled…”
“Then he’d been dead awhile. Want to go check it out?”
“You bet. I’ll meet you at the station in ten minutes.”
“Want me to send someone to stay with Kim while you’re gone?”
He looked at Kim, waiting, her teeth chewing her lower lip while hope gleamed in her eyes. “Yeah, and make sure you trust him.”
“You think I’d send someone I didn’t trust?”
Sean grimaced. Of course Bill wouldn’t. “Sorry.”
“Where are you?”
“Camp office. I won’t leave until he gets here.” He hung up. “Got an ID on Ramsey. He’s dead.”
Kim felt her legs buckle and it was only Sean’s quick move to grab her arm that kept her upright. “Dead? Really dead?”
“I’m going to go check it out.” He guided her to the edge of the boat. “Sit here.”
She sank down, her hands trembling, her legs quaking. “So it’s over? It’s all over?” Just like that, she had her life back? Oh, God, it was too much. She held out her hand. “Look at how much I’m shaking.”
Sean squatted in front of her. He lifted his hands to place them on her legs, then shifted and put them on the boat on either side of her instead. “It sounds like he may have been dead for a few days.”
“So?”
“So then someone else put the knife in your bed.”
Kim closed her eyes against the pressure suddenly crushing against her temples. “It can’t be.” There couldn’t be someone else out there, someone as bad as Jimmy, could there? Yeah, Sean had just finished telling her that Jimmy might have a partner, but the timing of his death would confirm it. Damn. “I can’t go through this again.”
“I’m going to go find out.”
He shifted and she wondered if he was going to touch her. He didn’t. She wanted him to.
“It makes sense. Jimmy had a partner, and that’s who was after your dad while Jimmy was still in prison.”
“No.” She clutched the edge of the boat and opened her eyes. “No. Either my dad had an accident, or it had something to do with the camp. There isn’t someone else out there after me. It’s over, Sean. It’s over.”
“I’m sorry, Kim, but we both know that’s not true.”
“It has to be.” Her voice was a raspy whisper. “I can’t keep dealing with this.”
“You have to.”
His eyes were glittering and cold. He was all cop and he was treating her like a civilian who was making his job difficult. She immediately sat straighter and tossed aside her feelings of fear. He wasn’t going to offer any comfort, and she’d never admit she needed it. Because she didn’t. She lifted her chin. “I’m fine.”
“Good. I’m going to arrange for another officer to guard you while I’m gone.” He moved his hand as though he was going to ruffle her hair, but he dropped his arm before touching her.
They were like strangers again, not touching, not getting personal.
“I’ll stay with Alan at the office until you get back.”
“Fine. But I’m going to have another cop here, too.” He stood up. “Billy trusts the man he’s sending over, so I think you’ll be okay with him.”
“You think?”
“Someone is helping Jimmy and until we know who it is, the only person I trust with you is me. So stay in the office and keep as many people around you as possible until I get back.”
“Okay.” She pressed her lips together and tried not to gawk at the people milling around as they left the boathouse and went back up to the office. Was one of them Jimmy’s accomplice? Was the sweet couple with the baby a front for a pair of killers?
Stop it! Jimmy was possibly dead and he was still ripping away at her sanity, at her feeling of safety, invading it until she cracked.
Sean glanced at her and gave her a half smile.
And the other part of her was pissed. She was ready to take her life back. This was her home and she wasn’t going to let Jimmy take it away from her.
NIGHT HAD FALLEN and the office felt too small for Alan, Kim and the cop who’d been sent to guard her. She and Alan had been going over the camp financials while the cop loitered in the shadows, playing up his bodyguard assignment.
Alan had been on her case all afternoon and evening about Sean, wanting to know all the details of their past together and why he had taken the case when he was personally involved. She was just about ready to throw Alan out of the room, and she threatened to do so three times. All that did was shut him up for about five minutes before he went off on Sean again.
They were both on edge, and the cramped office wasn’t helping. Alan even scoffed at the notion that Jimmy’s body was in Portland. He claimed it was a cover-up by dirty cops out to help a fellow officer.
Frankly, Kim was getting sick of him, regardless of how helpful he was being with the files.
The only one who didn’t seem to be feeling the stress was her new bodyguard. His name was Garth McKeen, and he was pretty pumped about his assignment. He hadn’t stopped moving since he’d arrived. Checking the window, the door, taking a stroll around the main lodge, watching who came and who went and which cars had sat too long in the parking lot. She’d report back to Sean about Garth’s enthusiasm. She was pretty sure he was on her side.
Alan leaned back in the chair and stretched. “I’m fried, Kim. I can’t read these financial documents anymore tonight.”
Kim perched on the edge of the desk. He had dark circles under his eyes and he looked exhausted. “I can’t believe we didn’t find anything. We’ve been working on this for hours.” She so wanted to uncover information that revealed that the dire state of the camp had nothing to do with Jimmy. Or that handed them the name of his accomplice. Either one would have been all right with her.
“No, but there’s a lot more to go through.” He glanced at Officer McKeen, who was peering out at the parking lot, shining his flashlight to augment the floodlights on the side of the building. “Why don’t we get something to eat?”
She didn’t want to eat with Alan. All she wanted was to get back to Sean’s cabin with a pizza and forget all this crap. But how could she turn Alan down when he was out here to help her? She had no choice.
She was just about to accept when a light knock sounded at the door. Officer McKeen spun around, his hand on his holster. “I’ll get that.”
He sidestepped toward the door, leaning against it. “Who’s there?”
“Didi Smith.”
Officer McKeen looked at Kim. “You know her?”
“Yes. Tell her we’ll be right out.” Yahoo! She’d forgotten about Didi coming to dinner with them. It was the perfect excuse to ditch Alan and get some alone time. “Didi was supposed to come out with us tonight.”
A glimmer of energy came into Alan’s eyes. “I forgot about her.”
“I’m too beat to go out. Why don’t you two go?”
He shook his head. “I’ll skip dinner with her. You need me.”
“No. You need to go.” She was sick of everyone coddling her. She simply needed a break. “I have Officer McKeen here and Sean will be back soon.” But hopefully not too soon. She really needed some time to think about what had happened between them this morning.
“I don’t want to leave you. It makes no sense, me going out with Didi while you’re alone.”
She caught his arm. “Listen, Alan. You’d be doing me a huge favor if you went with her. She was so bummed earlier, and if we ditch her, she’ll be sad again. If you won’t take her, then I’ll have to go and I’m too tired. Please? For me?” She grinned. “Besides, you think she’s cute.”
He scowled, but he couldn’t keep the hint of anticipation out of his eyes. “Fine, I’ll go. But I’m not going to be out long.”
She pulled a spare key from her pocket and handed it to Alan. “You can stay at my house tonight.”
Alan took the key, still frowning. “I’ll call before I come in so I don’t scare you.”
She hesitated. “I don’t think I’ll be staying there tonight.”
“Where are you going to stay?”
With Sean? What would they say? Yes, they needed to talk, but not yet. First, she needed to figure out what she was feeling, what was going on. Besides, if Alan was at her house with her, would Jimmy, or whoever, really come after her? “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll stay at my place.” Besides, she could always get Officer McKeen to stay there. Why did it have to be Sean protecting her anyway? It didn’t. She looked at Officer McKeen. “You’ll stay at my house tonight?”
“I’ll be wherever you are until Sean gets back.”
Between Alan, Officer McKeen and her alarm, her place would be fine. Thank heavens. Somehow, now that she thought about it, hunkering down with Sean tonight didn’t appeal to her. She was still reeling from his admission that he’d never loved her. He’d never loved her. He hadn’t actually said it, but the look on his face had been enough.
But what about her? Had she loved him? How could she have been so miserable thinking about him for the past ten years if she hadn’t? And last night at his house was the first time she’d felt at home since she left town a decade ago. Sure, L.A. was great, but that feeling of rightness deep in her soul had been missing. Was it Sean who made her feel that way? Was it simply being back in town? Or was it her need to seek out the familiar when being stalked by at least one violent psychopath?
She didn’t know. And did it make a difference? It wasn’t as if she could walk up to Sean, announce that she loved him and expect all to be well. His primary love was for her dad. For the camp.
She wanted more than leftover love.
Alan shut down the computer. “I hope Jimmy shows up tonight. I’d love for him to try to take us.”
It took her a moment to recall what they’d been talking about, to remember that Alan was sitting across from her. “You really don’t think that’s Jimmy’s body in Portland?”
“No way. He wouldn’t make it that easy. Besides, who else would know about the knife?” Alan stood. “Cops protect one another. It’s the way. He’s not gone, Kim, and if Sean’s any good, he’ll realize that when he goes down there. It’s not over.”
She knew it wasn’t over. The only question was, who was playing the game now?
Chapter Ten
Sean called while she was on her way back to her house, Officer McKeen following her in his cruiser. He wasted no time on preambles. “It was Jimmy. He’s dead.”
She gripped the steering wheel and felt relief wash over her. “You swear? He’s dead?”
“Yep. It’s him.” He was quiet for a minute, the line humming. “He’s been dead for four days.”
Oh, crud. “You’re certain?”
“Uh-huh. He didn’t leave the knife in your bed.”
Crap. “So what now?”
“We look into Jimmy’s life and find out who he was close to. Family, friends, partners.”
“You mean cops?”
“Everyone.”
“That’s a long list, isn’t it?” She turned right onto the dirt road that wound up to her house. “That’ll take forever.”
“But we’re also going to investigate everyone at the camp. With the stuff that happened to your dad, I’m betting that Jimmy’s accomplice is working at the camp. If we cross-reference the lists, we’ll have our man.”
Kim frowned. “It would probably be someone who recently joined the staff. I’ll go back to the office and pull up all the personnel files and document everyone who started working here eighteen months ago or less.”
“Start with May, when the summer staff reported in. That’s when your dad first met with Gibbs.”
She pulled into her driveway and paused in front of the ho
use. “I’m going back to the office to get the files. Where are you?”
“I’m still an hour and a half away. I’ll meet you back at my place?”
She hesitated. “I was thinking of staying at my house tonight. Alan and Officer McKeen will be here, plus there’s the alarm. It’ll be safe enough.” She shifted into reverse and began to turn around.
Sean was quiet for too long.
“Sean?”
“Maybe that’s best. I need to go to the station anyway.”
“Oh.” Now how ridiculous was it that she was bummed that he hadn’t argued with her? That he wasn’t desperate for some alone time with her? Obviously, he hadn’t spent the evening obsessing about their relationship the way she had. “Okay.”
“Keep your cell phone on and let me know where you are at all times. Call me when you leave the office to head back to your place.”
“Fine.” She hung up and tossed the phone onto her seat. Then she rolled down the window and waved to Officer McKeen. “I have to go back to the office.”
He nodded and turned around to follow her out of her driveway and back toward the camp.
HE SCOWLED AS he watched her drive away. This was supposed to be his chance. The cop was out of the way and no one was around except that incompetent rookie. No one to stop him.
But she’d left without getting out of the car. He knew he should have brought the gun. She’d be dead already.
He slammed the knife into the tree trunk, then wiped his prints off it. Let her find it. Let her know how close she’d been tonight.
Because tonight wasn’t his last chance.
He’d get what he wanted, and he wanted her.
His feet made no sound as he slipped through the woods, his black clothes disappearing into the night without a trace.
KIM CALLED ALAN on the way to the office. He answered on the third ring. “What’s up?”
“Jimmy’s dead. Sean confirmed it.”
Alan was silent.
“Alan?”
“He’s dead? Are you positive?”
Kim frowned. “What’s wrong? You sound weird. Why aren’t you excited?”
The Sharpest Edge Page 11