It still bit into me that Jane wouldn’t be here if I had a baby. Syd gave me another worried look. I wasn’t sorry I’d told her, and she was coming from a loving place. It was a heavy topic, and Kipp and I didn’t know each other. Hell, I didn’t even live here. Everything seemed uncertain right now, especially from Syd’s perspective.
We switched to lighter topics, focusing more on her co-workers’ antics and playdough mishaps rather than accidental pregnancies. She’d listened to the last podcast, so we discussed theories and where I’d go next.
“What do you think?” she nibbled the corner of her thumb. “You still think it’s all suspicious, right? Or do you still think it was the husband?”
“Everything seems to point toward the husband, but the fact that Chief Galloway didn’t handle the scene properly makes me think he was involved somehow. Poppy and Nova won’t let that go. Could be the son. Then again, it could be someone entirely different from her online work that we haven’t even considered. The most important part is that now that we’ve got CID looking into it, things will move forward through proper channels.” I gave her a sly look. “For the most part.”
“I know you guys. You’ll dig a little harder until you’re satisfied. Are you looking at other cases? I’ve seen some of the comments on your channel.”
There were a few links to cases that were potential options. People were always driving cases that theywanted me to look at, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at another one right now. Not just because I finished with Allison’s case, but also because there was this gorgeous hunk that was starting to tie me here into Wildwood Meadows in so many ways that I hadn’t expected.
“No, I’m not looking at anything else just yet ... I’m just …” I shrugged, but Syd nodded. “OSP probably has this, but they haven’t committed just yet. Casper is coming up today. He’s supposed to be here any minute, actually. I’m hoping to hear something.”
“You want them to take it on? Maybe they’ll work with you on it, and you’ll still be able to pod, just have to put stuff out a few days late. I know your audience prefers a more renegade approach sometimes …”
That was true. A lot of my audience thrived on the idea that we were coloring outside the lines, but it wasn’t my goal to please that one section of my listeners. My only focus when we were investigating something was always to solve a case as efficiently as possible. Hopefully, we could get justice for the victim through what we did.
“Hattie, I haven’t mentioned it for a while because you’ve been so focused, but maybe it’s time to take a break from the pod.” My gut churned. “Just think about it, okay? I’ve got to run, but I just want you to really think about it this time. I love you.”
“I love you too, Syd. Always. And, Ihavebeen thinking about it. I’ll catch you later, bestie. Have a good one.”
“Be safe.” She gave me a little wave.
I gave her a quick smile just as she clicked off the call. She’d brought it up before. A lot. The idea had been percolating for a while, and this was the first time it felt right.
CHAPTER 34
Hattie
I walked to Cabin Twelve, letting the sunshine lift my mood and marveling at my good luck of being somewhere where trees towered over me and the world didn’t feel overwhelming like in some places I’d lived. Here, I felt… at peace.
Kipp knelt beside the frame of the seating area he was building for the hot tub out on the back deck, which he’d described on our car ride yesterday. Some of the cabins would have amenities, like this one. He’d started with a basic plan for his rental cabins, but he had stages to his property that included all sorts of things. He’d impressed me with not only how meticulous he was, but also how intelligent he was in the stages he was taking things.
When he’d left this morning, he’d told me to come over today. Now I was glad I took him up on it. His hair had fallen over his forehead, and sweat clung to the back of his neck. He wiped his brow with the inside of his armand glanced at me with a grin that tightened something low in my stomach.
“Afternoon. How was work?” I eyed him with appreciation. Yesterday, he’d smirked at me the whole way home after our interaction at dinner. The entire incident had left me with damp panties and wanting. Then he’d proceeded to fuck me into oblivion until we’d collapsed against each other in exhaustion.
“Hey there. It was good.”
Fish trotted circles around my legs, nudging my knee with his nose until I noticed that he had a stick in his mouth. I tossed it for him and watched him barrel after it with the absolute enthusiasm only a dog could have before turning back to watch Kipp.
“You keep looking at me like that, Trouble, and I’m going to cut this whole thing crooked,” he said.
Sitting on the edge of the deck rail with my glass of iced tea, I tried to look innocent. “I’m not looking at you like anything. I’m going to supervise with Fish.” The truth was, I didn’t really want to admit to him that Allison’s case was pretty much done for me, and with Casper coming over, this might be the point where things would be wrapped up. If it were any other case, I’d be feeling around for something else, but I’d been resisting. In fact, I wasn’t even looking for another one. I wasn’t ready for everything to be over.
“You and Fish teaming up?” He drove another nail, all his muscles flexing like some gorgeous, sweaty Adonis.
Smiling into my drink, I smirked, “You invited me.”
“Yeah, because I thought you’d sit on the deck and read or something. Not stare at me like you are sizing me up for parts,” he teased. It didn’t seem like he minded being gawked at.
“You do have nice parts.” I made a show of looking at him from head to toe. Everything about him was nice parts and there was no denying it, but I did like him for more than just the pretty packaging.
His laugh rolled through the quiet clearing, warm and deep. “You keep talking like that, and dinner is going to burn tonight.”
“You did say you could cook.” We hadn’t actually had a chance to cook for each other yet, despite claims that we both could. Hell, I was a decent cook when I had a kitchen, and the cabin had a great one, but it wasn’t much fun to cook for yourself.
“Not if someone distracts me.”
