“Right. Like you didn’t know when we were at the chief’s office.”
Confusion furrowed the handsome features of his face into a questioning frown. “You think I knew about this?”
“You knew. The chief knew. And so did the mayor.” When he would have argued, she held up a hand. “I know how these things work. You don’t throw together a media delivery of this size without some prior planning.”
He raised both hands surrender-style. “I swear on my mother’s beef stew, which is what we’re having for dinner tonight, by the way, that I didn’t know.”
Funny. “No offense to your mother’s beef stew, but I don’t believe you.”
“Ask the chief. Whether you believe it or not, he had no idea he would be announcing this news until about forty or forty-five minutes ago. Right after we left his office.”
“Get real, Conner. I have things to do.” She jerked at the door but didn’t get it open before he, again, blocked her effort.
“The FBI is sending a profiler to help with the case. He insisted the chief get the word out to set the stage for whatever he’s got planned.”
Sarah hesitated, her hand still on the door latch. Knowing the FBI, she could see that happening. She turned back to Conner. “The feds set this in motion and had the chief read their script, is that what you’re saying?”
He nodded. “It’s the God’s truth.”
Maybe she was a fool for believing him, but the scenario, with the FBI component thrown in, was believable.
“What’s the profiler’s name?” While she fully understood that there was basically zero probability it would be him—that rotten, low-life, bloodsucking, sorry-ass bastard—some part of her still feared it would be and braced. Quantico had profilers out the wazoo. The odds were astronomical. It wouldn’t be him. Too big a coincidence to be a coincidence.
“Let me think.” Conner concentrated on the question a moment. “It was an odd name.”
Her breath stalled in her chest. No way. No freaking way.
Recognition dawned on Conner’s face. “Lex August. That was it.”
Her blood drained to her feet. Three years, six months, and ten days since she’d seen or spoken to Lex August, and still the sound of his name made her want to kick somebody. The FBI knew she was here all right, and sending that bastard was an intentional, tactical move. Hell, he probably requested the assignment. Maybe she would kick somebody.
Conner was lucky she was no longer pissed off at him.
“You know him?”
“What makes you think I know him?”
Another of those “guy” shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe the way your face went white as a sheet when I said his name. Or the way your lips—”
“I get the picture.” What the hell? There was absolutely no possibility that this was coincidence and no way she could avoid it, unless ...
“When will he arrive?” Her first thought was to go. Get the hell out of here before that part of her past had time to catch up with her.
Cops can’t catch the devil. The girl from the cemetery flashed through Sarah’s head but was quickly trumped by the memory of the agony in Rachel Appleton’s eyes. If Sarah left ... who would look at this case with complete objectivity? Who would step on toes, even those of the locals, and push to find the truth ... the killer—before it was too late and Alicia Appleton was dead?
Her mother had received the roses today ... time was running out.
“He arrives tomorrow,” Conner said. “Flying into Portland tonight and driving up first thing in the morning.”
Wonder Boy, that was what they called him. He could analyze a crime scene and whatever evidence there was and reduce the killer to twenty-five words or less in record time. And he was always right. Except for that once, but no one knew about that. He’d used Sarah’s theory as his own to cover his mistake.
She should have sued, but pillow talk wasn’t always admissible in court. And she didn’t want the world to know what a fool she’d been.
If Don found out that August was assigned to this case, he would definitely want her out of here.
Damn.
The gossip she’d heard from the cashier at the Rite Aid nudged its way into her troubled thoughts. “I have to go.” First stop the inn, then the church. That should really boost her popularity.
