She’d barely said a word. After the medics got Chuck’s heart going again and loaded him into the ambulance Ryan had tried to comfort her, but she’d shaken off his arm and circled her own arms around her waist. Drawing in. Closing down ranks. Whatever he called it, she was withdrawing from him. Much like when she’d left him behind to go to Atlanta. It cut him to the core to watch her turn inward and shut him out.
She was blaming herself for Chuck barely clinging to life. Ryan got that. Felt the same way, even. After all, Ryan had made the decision to let Eddie work with Chuck. Ryan would like to talk about Chuck’s attack with Mia, but she’d fallen back into her old habits of how to deal with being hurt. No matter how much he’d come to care for her, he doubted they could be together until she figured out how to handle emotions like these. The answer was to turn to God. To turn to fellow Christians for support.
Right, like you did that when Cara died. Have done it since then.
Talk about criticizing someone for the same thing he was guilty of doing.
They both had to let go of their past pain.
Russ stormed toward them snapping off disposable gloves as he walked. His face was fixed in a deep scowl, and his sights were set on Mia.
She backed up as if trying to run away before he reached her. Ryan wanted to intervene, but he had to let Russ do his job. Still, Ryan could move closer to help if needed.
Russ stopped in front of Mia. “You’re sure the camera was here when you left?”
“Positive,” Mia said. “They were working on it before the fight broke out.”
He stuffed the gloves into a cargo pocket. “Well, it’s missing now. Most logical explanation is that the kid hit Kowalski with the camera then took off with it.”
“No.” Mia shook her head hard. “Eddie wouldn’t try to kill someone. He’s a mixed-up kid who got angry, but not a killer.”
“For what it’s worth, I agree with Mia,” Ryan said. “Since Eddie’s parents died, he values life too much to kill someone.”
Russ narrowed his eyes. “You could be right, but people can snap and do things we don’t think they will do. And he took off, casting suspicion his way.”
Ryan held up a hand. “Not so fast, bro. Eddie most likely ran because he thought we’d send him back to juvie after going off on Chuck.”
Russ rested his hands on his waist. “The kid has to be my number-one suspect, but I’ll look at other possibilities.”
Mia stepped closer and clutched Russ’s jacket sleeve. “What other possibilities?”
“For one, it might have been Pope coming back to get the camera because his picture is on it.”
“But Sierra took the card,” Mia said.
“He might not know that,” Russ said.
“How would he know who had the camera?” Ryan asked.
“Maybe he’s kept a better watch on things around here than we thought.”
Mia shuddered. “Say itwasPope. He took the camera. Why attack Chuck?”
“Could be he’s not sure if Kowalski saw his picture and can ID him,” Russ said. “Or maybe he didn’t think to wear a mask tonight and Kowalski saw him, so he wanted him dead.”
“That makes sense, but Chuck survived.” Mia’s tone had gone higher, bordering on hysterical. “Why didn’t Pope check to see if Chuck died?”
Russ looked around the area. “Someone or something could’ve scared him off, I suppose.”
Mia firmed her stance. “Regardless, you should go after Pope and leave Eddie alone.”
Russ pulled in a deep breath. “I’d like to do that, but I can’t. Until I have anything to point to Pope as our guy for this, Eddie Kramer is wanted for Kowalski’s attack and murder if the guy doesn’t make it.”
“Seems reasonable,” Ryan said, but he hated to admit it as he was on Mia’s side of the fence here.
“You both can go,” Russ said. “I’ll call if I need anything else.”
“Go? Where can I go to get away from this mess?” Mia burst into tears.
