“Silly girl! That’s exactly what I didn’t want you to do.”
“Toby’s a clean doggie,” Tina protested. Toby licked Tina’s cheek as if to thank her for the vote of confidence.
Camden chuckled and picked Tina up around the middle. He carried her parallel to the ground. “Airplane inbound for the sink,” he said as Tina laughed and stuck her arms out. Jake’s heart squeezed, watching his partner looking for all the world like a happy dad. Jake knew the truth.
“Thanks, Camden,” Elena said. Jake noticed her cheeks pink up as she said his name.Definite attraction there. She glanced at Jake, and cleared her throat. “Help yourself. I’m going to make up a plate for Rachael and stick it in the oven to stay warm.”
Camden carried Tina to the table. The girl showed no signs of a cold—that had been a ruse to get Elena out of the plant early and into the sheriff’s clutches. All four dug in to breakfast. Jake took a bite of pancake and tried to keep his eyes from rolling back in his head. Camden failed.
“These are hands down, the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted,” Camden said, satisfaction in his voice.
“That’s high praise,” Jake added. “Camden’s a fussy eater.”
“Am not,” he said around another mouthful of pancake.
“Lentils, brother.”
“Are nowhere in sight.”
Elena smiled. “Thanks. I’m just glad the house has a stocked pantry. I cook when I’m nervous. And when I’m happy. And sad. And pretty much all the time. No, Tina,” she took the bottle of maple syrup out of her daughter’s hand. “I can’t test your sugar this morning, so we have to be careful, okay?”
Jake expected a tantrum, but the little girl only nodded.
“I’ve got some insulin and a test kit on the way.” Camden took another bite of pancake.
“Thank you again,” Elena said. “For everything.” They shared a smile.
“Breakfast more than makes up for it.” Camden patted his stomach.
Yeah, he definitely likes Elena, Jake thought. He hoped they wouldn’t get too attached. After this, he and Camden would go back to L.A., with Rachael, God-willing. He had no idea what Elena had planned, if anything, or if she and Tina would end up in witness protection.
“Has Natalie called?” Jake asked his partner.
Camden fixed him with a look that said,What do you think? before biting into a sausage link. Of course he’d talked to her already, probably several times. Jake was not looking forward to his own conversation with their boss.
“Do we know which hospital Stevenson checked into, if any?”
Elena answered Jake. “No hospital. He probably went to the clinic at the plant. Deal’s got a doctor who doesn’t ask questions or keep the best records, if you know what I mean. I doubt Stevenson cares to explain how he got…” she stopped and looked at her daughter, “…his boo-boo.”
“You think that’s how they’re gonna play this?” Jake asked.
Elena nodded. “Too many questions otherwise. Our town thrives on secrets.”
Ain’t that the truth? Jake thought.
Jake’s laptop beeped. Natalie Giovani waited.
“Good luck,” Camden said as Jake scooped up the computer from the coffee table and took it to one of the other bedrooms.
The second he took it off mute, Nat started in.
“What the fuck, Jake? Camden says you shot the sheriff—”
“But I didn’t shoot the dep—”
“So help me God, Jake, if you quote song lyrics at me, I will throttle you.”
Jake shrugged. “I left him breathing. And he’s crooked.”
