“No. A Highlander. A Chevy truck. And a MINI Cooper. There was a sedan cresting Mechling when I got there. It might have been an Audi. I’ll have to look at some taillight images to identify it. I couldn’t see a plate.”
“Was it silver? Jay’s car is silver.”
“Couldn’t tell.”
“How did he find me?”
“You don’t know that he did. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We have a Neighborhood Watch for a reason. Sure, Mrs. Tereshko jumps at shadows, but sometimes she gets it right. It’s always worth a look. We’re all taking a hit from this opioid crisis. The addicts are after whatever they think they can sell for quick cash. You see it at the Ridge all the time.”
She nodded. “You’re right. I know you are. I’m the one jumping at shadows.” She dropped her head to his shoulder. “I’m happy to spend the night here, but I have to go home sometime. He’ll be waiting for me.”
“Do you work tomorrow?”
“Mm-hmm. Daylight, and I can’t be late again. I have to be in at seven.”
“Did Paul give you trouble today?”
“I got a lecture. A long one. It wasn’t too bad as these things go, but he knows when I zone out so I have to make sure I nod in all the right places. It’s okay, though. I snookered him by not stopping a single thief today.”
Sullivan raised an ironic eyebrow. “Oh, good for you.”
“I’ll make up for it tomorrow. Do you work?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then you’re going to be busy.”
“Why are you working at the Ridge?” he asked. “In fact, why are you working at all?”
“I can’t believe you asked me that. That’s a Jay question.”
“Ow. That hurt.”
“Not apologizing for it.” But she did raise her head long enough to place a kiss on his shoulder. “There’s the obvious reason that working gives me cover for where my money comes from. Full-time volunteering would eventually give rise to questions. How do I live? Who’s my sugar daddy? Where’s my wealthy family? I didn’t want any part of that. As for the Ridge, it’s simple. I applied and they hired me. I started out in the deli, went to stocking shelves, and after I happened upon a couple of credit and gift card scammers, the manager invited me to apply for a loss prevention position.”
“Paul?”
“No. He came from another Ridge store when Annette Carstairs was promoted to regional manager. She didn’t have a say in who took over for her, more’s the pity.”
“Paul isn’t so bad, is he?”
“No. Not really. Just a little full of himself.”
“Huh. You know who isn’t full of himself?”
“Umm, Chief Bailey?”
“Exactly.”
“I haven’t dismissed the idea.”
“You haven’t acted on it either.”
“I need time, and no, I don’t know how much. I’ll know when I know and then you’ll know. Got that?”
“I think so.”
“It’s an intriguing notion,” she said. “One that never would have occurred to me. I hope the chief wasn’t acting out of a need to fill some quota.”
