Page 39 of Solid as Steele
“You think you took leave to look into this? At least that’s what I would do.”
“Sounds like a good possibility.” He looked at her. “Can I use your phone to call my LT back?”
“Sure.” She unlocked the phone and handed it to him.
He hit redial for the last call and resumed pacing. He got voicemail.
“It’s Owen. Need to talk to you about Cassie. I found her body. You can reach me at this number.” He ended the call and hoped his supervisor got back to him, but he had a lot on his plate and might not return the call on a timely basis. “We should head into town. Talk to the sheriff.”
“Yes, of course. Let me leave a note for Ryan on the door.” She wrote the note and then grabbed her jacket and purse. She poked the note onto a nail on the front door and marched to her vehicle. He quickly followed, but she got there before he could open her door for her.
In the car, she placed her phone in the holder before inserting the key into the ignition. “For when your LT calls back.”
He slid in. “I guess this means I’m not a criminal.” He tried to smile at her but couldn’t manage it.
She cranked the engine. “I really didn’t think you were, but I have to admit that I had my doubts at times.”
“I’m surprised with your law enforcement experience that you didn’t think I was. Especially after we spotted Cassie together.”
“I got the sense that you’re a good guy, and I’m usually a pretty good judge of character.”
“I might not have been acting like myself, though.” Owen clicked on his seatbelt.
“True enough.” She glanced at him before getting the car on the narrow road. “But it’s over now. We know you’re one of the knights in shining armor.”
“Unless I’m a crooked cop.”
“Oh, please. Do not go there.” Her attention changed to her driving, and she fell silent.
So did he. Looking out the window as the flat, barren land passed by. Thinking about Cassie and their life. His dad was an attorney, commuting to downtown Portland, and his mom stayed at home. But his dad was very involved in their lives. Coming to every football game Owen played. They were great parents and didn’t deserve to lose a child.
“You’re deep in thought,” she said.
“I’m thinking about telling my mom and dad about Cassie. I’ll have to get home somehow to do it. No way I’ll give that information over the phone.” He considered his next move. “No ID means I can’t rent a car and a rideshare or taxi would be expensive. Maybe there’s a bus.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ll drive you. And bring you back here if you want to come.”
“This is where she was murdered, and I’ll have to continue investigating here. If you don’t mind, I’ll pick up the case files while I’m home.”
“Don’t mind at all.”
She turned onto the road leading into town, and her phone rang. The caller ID identified Clark County Sheriff’s Office. She swiped and answered on the car’s Infotainment system. “Mackenzie Steele.”
“It’s Lieutenant Sage again. Detective Greer gave me this number to call.”
“He’s right here.”
“Hey, LT,” Owen said.
“Man, that’s rough about Cassie. I’m sorry for your loss. You have everyone on the team’s sympathy.”
That put a lump in Owen’s throat, and he had to swallow hard to keep from letting his emotions get out of control.
“I knew you weren’t going to leave this alone,” Sage continued, his baritone voice sounding loud over the car’s speaker. “You stood right in my office and lied to my face.”
Owen had figured this was coming, and he had no real response to the accusation. “Yeah, and?”
“And I’d have done the same thing. Maybe minus quitting.”
