“There was a vehicle stolen last night. When we ran the partial against all of the ones in the system, we managed to narrow it down to the one that was used in the attack. Who knew you were going to pick up those puppies today?”
Ellen thought. “I don’t know. It wasn’t a secret. I’ve already checked with Lee and he didn’t mention it to anyone. I told my staff at the assistance center so they could get an area prepared, but other than that, no one that I recall. Sophie could have mentioned it to someone, I suppose.”
He grunted. “And it’s possible the attack had nothing to do with that anyway. All right, rookie, be careful. Hopefully we’ll get all this cleared up in the next day or so and you’ll be back on duty. Tell Earnshaw the dash cam thing is paranoia at its finest. Glad he had it installed. Sorry he felt the need for it.”
“He heard you.”
“Thanks, Chief,” Lee said before falling silent.
She hung up and within minutes, she was pulling into the parking lot of the Desert Valley Canine Assistance Center attached to the K-9 Unit Training Center.
Ellen threw the vehicle in Park and climbed out. Lee followed, rolling the puppies with him. He took them into a fenced area that had been specifically set up for them and let the three pups out of the carriers. They bolted into the warm grass, tumbling over one another, nipping and yapping, clearly glad to be able to run off some energy. “What are their names?” she asked. “They should be on their tags.”
He pointed to the one running laps around the space. “That one is Dash.”
“Appropriate.” She looked at the other two. One sat on his haunches, tongue lolling as his gaze bounced between his friends. She walked over and snagged his tag. “This is King. I see why they named him that. He looks like a king ruling over his subjects.”
“You’re right, he does,” Lee said with a nod. He grabbed the last dog by the collar as she wandered past and checked her tag. “And this is Lady.”
She licked his hand and Ellen laughed. “Dainty and sweet.”
He smiled. “All right. Dash, King and Lady. Poor girl is outnumbered, isn’t she?”
“It’ll make her stronger.”
He nodded and locked the gate and walked toward her.
She waited for him, hands on her hips, mind only partially on naming the pups. She wanted to focus on what he’d revealed before the chief’s call. “So you think you know one of the guys who attacked us?”
“Yes. A guy from the prison who was released around the same time I was.”
She studied him. “What were you mixed up in at the prison, Lee, that would inspire someone to come after you like that?”
His jaw went rigid and Ellen blinked at the flare of rage—and hurt—that flashed in his eyes. “Really? That’s the first thing that comes to you mind? That’s what you think?” His fingers curled into fists. “You’re just like her, aren’t you?” he said, his voice low and strained.
“What?”
He jabbed a finger at her. “You’re just like your mother.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not. It’s not fair that she didn’t like me just because of who my family was. It’s not fair that she interfered in our relationship. A lot of things aren’t fair. And you’re following right in her footsteps. You’re judging me without all the facts. Well, that’s fine. You’re entitled to think and say what you want, but I don’t have to stand here and listen to it.” He started to walk off.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“How are you going to get there? You don’t have a car, remember?”
He held up a cell phone, his eyes narrowed. She shivered at the coldness there. “All too well. However, while there aren’t many, I do have a few friends left in this town. I can get a ride. Or I’ll just walk. It’s not that far.” He spun on his heel and kept going.
Ellen sighed and dropped her chin to her chest. Was he right? Was she being judgmental? The fact that he compared her to her mother made her shudder. “Wait, Lee. Stop. You haven’t even eaten your food.”
“It’s still in the bag, I’ll take it with me.”
He stopped his march at the car, opened the door and pulled out one of the fast-food bags. Then he turned his back on her once more and headed for the edge of her property, which would lead him to the main road. “Who was it, Lee? Who did you recognize?” He didn’t answer, just kept walking. “Lee!”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Ellen.” And then he disappeared around the edge of the house.
She gave a low groan and took off after him. “Stop, will you?”
She rounded the corner and slammed into his hard chest. “Oof.”
He caught her biceps, the white food bag dangling from one hand. She looked up. The chill in his eyes hadn’t thawed one degree. His features resembled granite. She drew in his scent and swallowed, the past rushing in to blindside her. She remembered clearly being held in his arms. Sitting in the hammock, her ear pressed against his chest, listening to his heart thud a steady beat. She remembered his sweet kisses and whispered promises. She remembered it all. And yearned to go back to recapture each and every moment.
He gently set her away from him and reality intruded. She straightened. There was no going back. There was only now and what the future might bring. And that didn’t include Lee. Once the murders were solved and her mother woke from the coma—and she refused to believe she wouldn’t—Ellen was going to request a transfer. There was no way she was staying Desert Valley forever. She was simply marking time until everything was wrapped up.
No matter what her mother thought—or wanted.
She was still leaving once the murders were solved. Ryder Hayes’ wife’s case was still open after five years, and the two deputies whose deaths originally looked like accidents now appeared to be possible murder victims. And so she and the other deputies were in Desert Valley until these cases were solved. But until then...
“Don’t go,” she blurted. Then bit her lip.
His eyes didn’t soften—but he did hesitate. Hope flared. “I need to think about some things,” he said, “and I need to do that at home. We’ll talk later.”
She sighed. When he was in this kind of mood there was no talking him out of it. “Fine. I’ll give you a ride home. Let me get Carly.”
He studied her a moment, then gave a terse nod. She walked up the steps to the front door, unlocked it and whistled for Carly. The sleek golden retriever with the soft brown eyes bounded over to her and expressed her delight in Ellen’s presence. Ellen scratched the dog’s silky ears then led the way to the truck. She opened Carly’s door and the dog hopped in, sniffing the area. The pups had left their scent and Carly definitely noticed. She finally seemed to accept the smell and settled down. Ellen shut the door and climbed into the driver’s seat. Lee was already in the truck with his seat belt fastened. “Will you at least tell me who you recognized? I need to know.”
* * *
She started the truck and backed out of the spot. Lee considered keeping the information to himself, but couldn’t do it. When she hit the main road, he finally answered her.
“A former inmate,” he said. “And while he served at the same I did, I knew him before I went to prison.” He winced. “Even after everything it still galls me to say that sentence.” He tightened his jaw against the anger then breathed deeply before exhaling slowly. He could tell her this. He used to tell her everything. And even though he wasn’t exactly happy with her jump to judgment, if he had information that could