Harlequin Intrigue July 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Carol Ericson

Author:Carol Ericson [Ericson, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Steve Conway has been booked three times for domestic violence but no charges have ever stuck.” Sheriff Chamblin tossed his hat onto a chair next to where Foster was standing. His tone said it all. Disgust at Millie’s stepfather. “It seems that Miss Dean was telling the truth about that.”

Foster had a hard time not snarling in response.

“I already believed her before she even said a word.”

Chamblin sidled up to Foster and gave him a long look. Their reflections were slight in the two-way mirror. He could barely make out the imploring look from his father’s old friend in the glass. What he could see clearly was Millie in the next room, tearing the paper off a water bottle and openly trying not to fidget.

Foster didn’t like it.

He liked how he’d handled her even less.

“You know, I never thought I’d have to remind you of all people to be objective on a case, but here we are,” Chamblin said. “You’re working a case. That means asking questions even if it’s uncomfortable.”

Foster tore his gaze from Millie.

“I’m not uncomfortable with the questions, just how they’ve been asked and their answers ignored in the past,” he countered. “I have no problem with being objective either, but I think that’s what’s been the problem for the Dean kids since they came to Kelby Creek. Too much objectivity can turn into apathy if you’re not careful, and if the law enforcement sworn to help and protect is too apathetic to you, then there’s very little chance anything is going to get done the right way.”

“Detective Gordon,” Chamblin guessed.

“Detective Gordon,” Foster confirmed. “Millie said she told him word for word what she told me in there, and he didn’t even take the time to put it in his report. Let alone even entertain the thought that she was right about the note. If it had been me? If Millie had come in and told me that same story when Fallon first disappeared? I wouldn’t have stopped digging until I hit something.”

“So you think Fallon really didn’t write it? The note I mean.”

Foster crossed his arms over his chest. He was going into a hard stance that his ex-wife used to call Full Detective Mode. Defensive but ready to strike. Walls up, focus engaged.

“I can’t say for sure if he did or didn’t, but my guess? If he did, he purposely didn’t use cursive as a way to tip Millie off that something was wrong. It sounds like she mostly raised him so he had to have known she would look for him. Either way, I think Fallon is caught up in something. I just don’t know what yet. But I think it’s time I finally talked to Gordon myself.”

“You think he knows something.”

“He’s either incompetent or there’s a reason he did such a bad job when he got the case. No matter which one it is, I want to hear it from him. Clearly he knows more than he put in his report.”

Sheriff Chamblin let out a sigh so long that it could have rooted into the tiled floor beneath them.

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