Page 10 of Sinister Secrets
“Not all women do, you know.”
“I know.”
I also know that having kids has never been in my future—nor will it ever be. The mere idea terrifies me. My childhood was too traumatic. I’m too much of a magnet for trouble to risk having the care of something so precious and fragile in my hands.
And Jake’s made it clear that after his own upbringing, he has no desire to bring a child into this world. But watching him with Jeffery earlier, I can’t help but wonder if that decision had more to do with me than him…
The sheriff clears his throat. For possibly the first time ever, his voice is a welcome interruption. “I know I haven’t always been fair to you.”
“No, you most certainly haven’t.”
“I regret that.”
The muscles in my chest tense, making it difficult to breathe. Alarm bells go off in my head. “What’s this about?”
“What’s what about?”
“Asking me to work this case.”
“I know you’ll be motivated to solve it. I was telling you the truth when I said that the Gator Glade Sheriff’s Department doesn’t have the resources for a murder investigation.”
“We don’t know it’s murder yet.”
And like that the scowl of disgust I’m accustomed to returns. “The guy had his brains blown out and his body dumped.”
“True. But I’ve learned not to jump to conclusions. It’s possible that he committed suicide and someone close to him panicked and dumped the body.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“No,” I admit.
Kingston laughs. “That guy of yours sure has his hands full with you, doesn’t he?”
Ignoring the question, I ask one of my own. “Why me and not the state police?”
“Too much hassle.”
“More than me?”
“Believe it or not, yes.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Trust me, it was a close race.”
“How’d you decide the winner?” Or loser, I think.
“Paperwork. Having to document all the expenses to try and recoup them from the defendant if there’s a conviction. It’s absolute nonsense.”
The tension that’s kept my throat tight lessens. Now this is starting to make sense. This whole thing is about his budget.
“So you think that if I assist with the investigation, the FBI will help cover the cost?”
“I suspect if it means you having the peace of mind of knowing who came on your property, you might find a way to make that happen.”
He’s not entirely wrong. There’s just one very big problem—this is my last week of medical leave, after which, I’ll cease to be a federal agent. I’ll no longer hold any clout, which means I need to work fast, before Sheriff Kingston figures out the flaw in his logic.
“It’s worth a try, right? What do you think?” he prods.
