Silent Reckoning by Debra Webb

Author:Debra Webb [Webb, Debra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Ah-ha! Gotcha.

I settled behind the wheel of my Jetta and wiggled my fingers at Officer Jamison. He reluctantly waved back. His modest gray sedan sat across the street about halfway up the block from Laura Sares’s home.

So, he was still watching me. I thought so.

When this was over, Barlow and I were going to have a really, really long talk—assuming we were still speaking to each other. This working relationship was way out of bounds. He had to see that. He was too sharp not to. I’d gone as far as I dared to point that out earlier today. Why in the world did he insist on being so all-fired overprotective?

One possible answer to that question paralyzed me.

Steven Barlow was the Chief of Homicide. He’d spent years and years as a homicide detective before that. No one I knew was more dedicated to his work or more savvy on the job. Why would he go to such extremes to watch over me as if I were made of glass or unreliable? Of course he cared about the health and welfare of all his detectives, but as I had pointed out to him the last time we talked, being a homicide detective was risky business. All who chose the profession understood that from the outset.

His behavior wasn’t rational. Unless...

Was it possible that Barlow’s feelings went far deeper than I suspected?

My heart fluttered wildly at the idea.

Wait. He’d been protective of me on the Hammond case when he’d scarcely known me. But, I had been a civilian. It was his duty to protect civilians.

I moistened my lips and slowly, carefully turned the idea over in my head as the sun glinted in through the windows of my car. The cool, soggy morning had turned into a beautiful day, I purposely noted in an attempt to ground my runaway thoughts in reality.

It had only been three years since I’d had my heart broken completely in two. I’d spent the time since bracing myself for the possibility that a long-term relationship might not be in the cards for me anymore. Who wanted a wife who couldn’t hear? I know that sounds harsh but I have to face facts here, no matter how I wanted to pretend I could do anything. There were certain drawbacks associated with my condition.

I closed my eyes and worked toward pushing the crazy notion of Barlow being in love with me out of my head. Admittedly, it wasn’t the first time I’d considered it recently, especially with the way he’d touched me in his office. But I had to focus.

I had to concentrate on the case. Barlow and I could sort this out later... as promised. Another zing of anticipation made my foolish heart skip a beat.

God, I was hopeless.

A few minutes later with my head back on straight, I started my car and snapped my seat belt into place. I had two more names and addresses on my list. If what I’d just learned from Laura Sares was true, and I believed it was, I would be seeing Mr.

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