“This is bullshit,” Wade said.“If you’re going to question my professionalism, you need to state your reasons.”
Nava leveled with him.“Okay, hotshot.Rumor has it that you’ve been playing Nancy Drew with your girlfriend in your free time.”
Wade felt the blood drain from his face.Failing to ask Nava before he put in a request wasn’t a big deal.Meredith’s involvement presented a real problem.She shouldn’t have gone with him to the crime scene or done research at the library.She’d found the name Cameron Pickett on her own, but she shouldn’t have access to that kind of information.She’d even helped him look for a murder weapon.
Christ.
The fact that Meredith had been living in Lost Lake under a false name, and had currently fled the town for parts unknown, made the situation even more precarious.
Wade schooled his features into a placid mask.He reminded himself that Nava had given him other responsibilities, perhaps deliberately, to prevent him from investigating the cold case on the clock.This felt like a setup, or a trap to fall into.His instincts warned him not to say too much.
“I understand your concerns,” he said, his voice calm.“And I will keep you informed, moving forward.I’d be happy to make this investigation a higher priority and work on it during my regular hours.If you could clear my schedule…”
“I’m taking you off the case,” Nava said.“Does that clear your schedule?”
Shock and anger suffused him.Maybe he deserved the verbal reprimand, but this was going too far.Having the case removed from his workload without a formal write-up was unfair.“I don’t agree with this decision.”
“Noted,” Nava said.“I need you to gather your evidence and paperwork and prepare a written report.I expect it on my desk by noon.”
Wade couldn’t refuse a direct order from his superior.He could file a complaint, but that was a risky move in a new department.It wasn’t wise to make waves.What he could do was fight dirty, like his dad.In Last Chance, he’d learned how to circumvent authority.Nava wasn’t the only chess player in the room.
With a respectful nod, Wade stood up and walked out.
He wrote a quick report, his fingers flying over the keyboard, and didn’t include a single reference to Cameron Pickett.Wade wasn’t going to wrap it in a neat bow after he’d done all the legwork.He wasn’t going to change his plans for the day, either.He gathered his files into a manila envelope, along with the class ring.When he returned to Nava’s office, the sheriff wasn’t at his desk.Wade left the package behind and went to lunch.
He wondered if Nava would consider letting him partner with Jackson on the case, instead of taking him off it completely.Jackson would benefit from investigative experience, and Wade could solve the damned thing like he wanted.
Feeling slightly more optimistic, he turned on the radio as he entered a drive-through restaurant.
Soft petal skin, and those hazel eyes,
She drew me in, yeah, she told me lies.
Poison rose, poison rose.
He shut it off, grumbling under his breath.Now that song would be in his head all day.He ordered lunch and drove to Hill County Hospital to chat with Cordelia Pickett about her long-lost grandson.
The receptionist at the front desk gave him a slow once-over and wrote down the room number on a Post-it note.“My name’s Audrey,” she said with a wink.“Let me know if you need anything else.”
“I’ll do that,” Wade said, and escaped into the elevator.
He found the room at the end of a long hallway, but it was empty.A middle-aged woman sat in the chair outside.She took a tissue out of her oversized purse to dab her eyes.
“I’m looking for Cordelia Pickett,” he said to the woman.“Is this her room?”
She blinked up at him.“Cameron?”
“Excuse me?”
After giving him a closer study, she inhaled a shaky breath.“Never mind.I thought you were someone else.”
“Do you know Cordelia?”
“I’m her granddaughter.She just passed.”
Wade offered his condolences and sat down next to her.“I’m Deputy Sheriff Hendricks.”
“Janice Johnson,” she replied.
