The reception area was empty. The chairs sat in their neat row against the wall, a stack of outdated magazines fanned across the end table. The overhead lights buzzed softly. He didn’t see Nancy, so he kept walking.
He wasn’t surprised to find May, Brock, and Ophelia in her office going over notes. A map covered her desk, colored pins stabbed into it. Legal pads were stacked high, pens scattered. It looked less like a doctor’s office and more like a war room. “You guys solve anything yet?” he asked.
May’s head snapped up. Relief flooded her face before she hurried toward him. “Oh, Ace. I wanted to come down, but it’s been crazy today.”
He pulled her close before she could say anything else, and for the first time since they’d slapped cuffs on him, something inside him unclenched. She fit against him like she belonged right there, solid and warm and real. Everything in his chest slowed. The noise in his head quieted.
She smelled like mint with a hint of wildness underneath it. Berries, maybe. Or just May.
He kissed the top of her head without thinking about it. His brother was watching. Didn’t matter. He might as well stake his claim now. If he went to prison, he’d have to let her go. Loosening his hold, he kept one hand at her waist. “Who’s on Amka?”
“Christian’s back,” Brock said.
“Oh. Good.” Relief filtered through Ace. He hadn’t liked the idea of Amka alone, even with Tika prowling around Christian’s place. He’d spent the drive over trying to figure out how to convince her to come stay with them. Now that there was another death, he didn’t like anyone being by themselves.
He’d already called Flossy and made sure her doors were locked. Flossy had a shotgun and knew how to use it. That made him feel marginally better.
May pulled back enough to study his face. “It’s late. Did you get dinner?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “The troopers brought me a burger from the Green Plate.”
“They think you’re a killer,” Ophelia said plainly.
Ace appreciated her frankness. “Yeah, but Jeb and Paige are pretty decent at their jobs, and I want to think their instincts are better than that.”
“It doesn’t look good, A.” Brock scanned the notes in front of him. His pen tapped against the desk in a steady rhythm.
Ace stepped farther into the room. “All right.” He stood straighter. “Everybody needs a break from reality, and I want you all to get some sleep. Are you all ready?”
“Yep.” Ophelia, dark hair swinging over her shoulder, headed toward the door. She leaned up and kissed Ace lightly on the chin. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll make sure of it.”
“Wait a minute.” Ace straightened. “What are you guys doing?”
Brock smiled, too calm. “What do you mean? We were watching May, and now you are.”
“I don’t need to be watched,” May said.
“You know what I meant.” Brock nudged her lightly with his hip as he walked by.
Ace grabbed his brother’s arm before he could pass. “What are you doing?”
Brock grinned. “We’ve got a few suspects and we’re just going to follow them around town.”
Warmth flushed through Ace. His family was on it, and that meant everything. “I can help.”
“No, you really can’t.” Brock planted a hand on Ace’s chest and gave him a firm push back. “Go home. You can take a shift tomorrow. We’ll let you know if anything interesting happens tonight.”
“Who are your suspects?” Ace asked.
“We’ve got a huge list,” Ophelia said. “Unfortunately.”
Brock kept moving. “We’re just going to hang out and watch people.”
Ace exhaled. He was too tired to argue, and he knew it. His bones felt hollow, and his brain felt scraped raw from replaying the same hours over and over. “All right. Just be careful.”
“We’re pretty well-trained,” Brock said dryly.
“So am I,” Ace shot back automatically. He’d been trained by the best in the service before he’d ever touched a cockpit. He knew how to track, how to wait, how to read a room.
