Her mouth dropped open. “I assure you I am,” she said. “Just because I let my drive to get the proof we needed cloud my judgment isn’t a reason to think I’m not.”
“Eat your dinner and we’ll discuss this more later. Then once I have time to think it over more,” he said.
She put her fork down and crossed her arms. “You have to think it over? I think you’ve been thinking about it already. That’s what you were doing out in your jeep.”
“Are we going to argue about dating or are we going to finish our dinner without getting indigestion?”
“Maybe you should go back to Bethesda,” she muttered.
“What was that?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
He smirked and started eating. Yeah, she was feeling better. He saw that spark he’d seen the day he walked intoThe Observerflash in her eyes when she’d muttered. Life with her definitely would be interesting.
CHAPTER 12
Back in Altoona…
Ever since they had the little tiff at the Sky Bear things between her and Grimm had been a little awkward at times, great at others. She was so aware of him whenever he was around, and yet she felt he was trying to keep his distance at the same time. She tried to make sure she was put together anytime he was in the room. They still weren’t staying at the carriage house, because they weren’t sure if the black hoodie would be back again. Detective Phillips had reported that no one had shown up there while they’d been away in Lewistown. His unmarked car officers had kept their vigil day and night while they were away. Despite this fact, Grimm, Sheraton, and Logan Burrows still didn’t feel it was safe for them to return.
As she got ready for her first day back at work, she examined the incision on her side where she’d been stabbed before putting on a fresh bandage. It was healing nicely, but her pants rubbed the area, so she liked to keep something covering it.
A knock came at the bathroom door. “About ready in there? We need to hit the road,” Grimm said. “Sheraton just called. Agent Street is on the way to meet with us. He has some big news.”
“Almost.” She hurried and put her clothes on and fixed her hair, knowing she’d been taking too much time reliving everything in her head. She wondered what the FBI wanted to see them about. Had they found who stabbed her in Lewistown? Or had his task force made an inroad on finding a break in one of the missing women’s cases? She’d find either one of these a win-win situation.
She quickly applied her makeup and opened the door. Grimm had her laptop case slung on his shoulder since she still wasn’t supposed to carry anything too heavy. She carefully picked up her purse, and they went out the door of the suite they were sharing at the extended-stay motel.
Agent Street was already at the newspaper when they arrived. He was in the conference room having coffee with Sheraton and Logan Burrows. There was a ‘Welcome Back Quinn’ sign taped above the conference room door, and everyone applauded when she walked into the newspaper.
“It’s good to be back, guys,” she said. “You don’t know how horrible it was not to be able to work, but to be forced to rest.”
“Do you hear yourself?” one of the reporters said. “Some of us live for vacation days.”
“That’s different,” she said.
Grimm grabbed her hand and led her into the conference room where the men waited on them. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting.”
“Not at all. I was already in Altoona. That’s the reason I got here so quickly,” Agent Street said. “How are you doing, Quinn? Are you recovered from your surgery?”
“I’m getting there.”
“That’s good.”
Grimm pulled out a chair for her to sit on, and she did.
“I have some bad news I’m afraid,” Street began. “You know the guy that has been corresponding with you via the PO Box?”
“Yes.”
“He was found dead this morning outside of the mail drop building. His throat was cut. He was clutching this letter to you in his hand.” Street held up a plastic evidence bag. “I wish I could let you see it, but until it’s processed I can’t. I shouldn’t even be showing it to you, but I wanted to know if you possibly know the man even though he had been reaching out to you anonymously. His name was Everette Wills. Does that name mean anything to you? He’s a runner in the law offices for Russel Beamer.”
“Hells Bells,” Sheraton said.
“No. I don’t know him. But if he works in that law office then that means Russel Beamer possibly had him working for him to watch Cliff,” Quinn said, swiveling on the chair to look at Sher. “Could that be the job he was sick of doing? If so, I wonder who the monster is that is much worse whom he referred to in his letters?”
Sheraton rubbed his hand up and down the back of his neck. “I corresponded with him while you were away. I didn’t want to lose him when you were derailed in Lewistown. I hope that didn’t cause him to be murdered.”
