He stood and picked up his plate and mug. He carried them to the sink and rinsed them off without another word while Sylvie watched him.Oh, God, what was he going to say? Who are these other people and what would they do?She felt sick to her stomach.
It can’t be bad.
She knew it could.
No. I don’t want to know.
Alex turned and faced her. He walked to her stool and stood over her. Then he cupped her face tenderly in his hands. “I understand where you’re coming from, Sylvie. But please know that I’m only trying to protect you.”
“I know.”
“We’re on the same side.”
“I know.”I hope.
“Even if we go about things differently.”
She only nodded.
He bent to kiss her. Just before their lips met, he whispered, “I care so much for you, Sylvie. You’re the most important person in my life. I trust you, and I need you to trust me.”
“I do.”Don’t I?
His kiss told her he wanted her to trust him with all her heart.
“You should probably get going,” she told him.
He studied her eyes. “Yeah, I probably should.”
CHAPTERNINETEEN
All of the warmth and happiness Sylvie had felt when she woke up beside Alex slipped away little by little throughout the course of the day. He wasn’t at the kennels when she drove up before her shift to see Chewie—a first. The other dogs didn’t even bother barking now when she let herself in, they’d become so used to seeing her there. She lingered as long as she could, waiting for him. Sylvie wandered up and down the main hall with Chewie, out into the yard to play, then back down the hall into the empty reception area after securing Chewie in his kennel. Normal business hours were still three hours away. She finally felt self-conscious lurking around with no one there, so she left.
My fault. I shouldn’t have pushed him out the door. I do trust him.
Then why do I have to keep telling myself that?
Where does Watchdog get their money?Carla’s voice asked, and the security company was right back in her thoughts.
That’s why.
If worrying about Alex wasn’t enough, Sylvie was already on edge. She still hadn’t gotten a text or call from Frank and now she was left waiting—something she really hated. The gatehouse at Watchdog was empty but an overhead scanner read the sticker lying on the cruiser’s dashboard and opened for her. She was tempted to take a left after leaving and heading down the long driveway to Alex’s house. But if there were other cameras along the road that belonged to Watchdog, she’d look suspicious. She didn’t want to get Alex in trouble, she told herself. Mostly, she didn’t know what to say to him.Sorry I told you I trust you, but I don’t quite, it seems. Yeah, that would go over just great. I trust you but not your employer, which means I don’t trust Kyle and consequently, Arden. Another winner.
In the end, Sylvie drove straight back to the precinct to try and catch Frank alone.
It looked like everyone else had the great idea of coming in early too. Of course, the department was gearing up for the music festival to open its gates to the public tomorrow and already people were coming from all over the country and descending on Lyons. So even though Frank was there, so were Tom, Carla, Robert, and everyone who ever worked for the police department past and future, it seemed.
She’d barely gotten to her cubicle when she heard Stan call her name from his office door.
“Need to talk to you now, Madden,” he added.
“Be right there.”Great. She hoped this wasn’t about her living situation.
“Close the door, Sylvie,” Stan said flatly as soon as she walked into his office.
She shut the door and took a seat. “What’s wrong? If it’s about where Chewie’s at, I—”
“It is.” He folded his hands on the desk, his eyes hard and cold.
