“I miss you.”
“Don’t. I’m going to leave now, and I don’t want you to follow me.” Five more steps and she reached her car.
“Sadie, wait!”
She rolled her eyes and was about to turn and tell Scott in much more threatening words to leave her alone, maybe throw a few curses in there, when something across the street caught her attention. Or less something, assomeone.
She frowned.
Scott grabbed her arm. “I can’t just—”
“Do you see that?” She didn’t take her eyes off the spot across the road.
“See what?”
Without another word, she tugged her arm from Scott’s hold and started across the street. She was about halfway when she realized she was right…the thing she saw poking out from behind a car was a shoe…and attached to the shoe was a body. A very still body, lying on their side on the pavement.
Oh God.
She took off running toward it.
“Sadie! What the hell are you doing?”
She dropped beside the still form, her bag falling to the ground as she pushed the man onto his back. Her breath caught.
She knew this man. Well, notknewhim. She recognized him.
Denny.
She felt his pulse, and her heart stopped…because there was none.
“What’s putthat scowl on your face, brother?”
Eastern lifted his beer to his lips, his knuckles white. “Everyone’s annoying the shit out of me this week. Jamie. Jarrad.”
A commotion from the back of the bar sounded. Fuck, eventhatwas annoying him. The place was loud and rowdy tonight, particularly the group of guys in the back booth.
Kayden scowled. “I hate the guy too. Trust me, he doesn’t want to find himself alone in a dark alley with me.”
Cody frowned before understanding cleared his features. “He was the deputy who interviewed Tilly.”
“Damn straight he was,” Kayden growled. “Cuffed her when she didn’t need to be cuffed. Put the damn things on too tight, bruising her wrists, and he denied her fucking water for hours.”
“Has he done anything since?” Cody asked, shifting his attention back to Eastern.
“Called in sick several times and just been a general dick in the office.” Tonight, he’d been the fucking comedian of the station, making chauvinistic jokes any chance he got. “Also, a few weeks ago, I overheard some deputies talking about the previous sheriff being paid off by Jarrad. They brushed it off and wouldn’t tell me what they were talking about. I asked Jarrad about it tonight.”
“And?” Kayden asked.
“He gave me his arrogant I’m-not-telling-you-shit expression, then told me he had no idea what I was talking about.”
“Which you don’t believe,” Kayden said.
“Not for a second. I’ll keep pushing the deputies. I’ve been meaning to ask Daisy too.”
Cody leaned forward. “You don’t have any idea what he might be doing?”
“Not yet.” But he’d find out, even if it killed him. More shouting sounded from the back of the bar, making him frown. He needed a change of subject. “Has Jace officially bought the house?”
