Page 7 of Maverick Detective Dad
Two hours ago when she’d first seen the box on her porch, Everly had been clueless as to what it had to do with her. But now she knew. Well, she knew a part of it anyway. Someone wanted Noah and her dead, and it went back to the car crash when they’d been sixteen.
The wreck that’d killed Helen Fleming.
Correction—the wreckshehad caused that had killed Helen Fleming. The only part Noah had in it was that he’d been unfortunate enough to be a passenger who’d been kissing her at the time she’d lost control of the vehicle.
While she paced Grayson’s office and waited for Noah to finish up his latest call, the memories of that night came at her like hurled knives. A hot summer night that’d cooled down because of a long, slow rain. Her, behind the wheel of her mother’s car, a vehicle they’d used because Noah’s truck had a dead battery, and she’d picked him up from his part-time job at the sheriff’s office.
It’d been an incredible evening, eating the burgers they’d gotten from the diner, and they’d capped it off by having sex in the backseat of the car. Unplanned and not especially comfortable but still amazing.
In hindsight, Everly could see that the amazing part of it had left her giddy and light-headed. She hadn’t had a drop to drink, but she certainly hadn’t been focused on her driving either.
Even now, she could hear the squeal of the brakes when she’d tried to stop on the rain-slick road. Could feel the muscles in her arms and hands turn to iron as she tried to keep the car in her own lane. And she could still feel the sickening dread and shock when the car had slammed into Helen’s. The sounds of metal tearing through metal, followed by the stunned silence of realizing what had just happened.
Both their lives had turned on a dime that night, and Everly would never be able to forgive herself for what’d happened. Apparently, the killer wasn’t going to forgive her either. But why wait all these years to make her pay?
At that thought, she took out her phone again to call the day care and tell them she was on her way to pick up Ainsley. It wasn’t the first time Everly had had that particular thought, and like the other times, she dismissed it again. The day care was on lockdown with not one but now two deputies stationed there, and Everly not only knew the lawmen, but she also trusted them. Besides, bringing Ainsley here would likely upset her.
Along with perhaps put her in danger.
It was possible the killer could try to use Ainsley to get to Noah and her, but if that was the case, then it was best for her daughter not to be out in the open. At least not until they had a better handle on this.
“I should hire a bodyguard,” Everly muttered under her breath. She’d been thinking out loud, but Noah obviously heard her because his head whipped up, and his gaze snared hers.
“I can put you both in my protective custody,” Noah said the moment he ended his call. “Then, I can tap some resources from SAPD.”
Everly didn’t intend to turn down any and all security measures, but she needed to think this through. Protective custody would mean close quarters with Noah. Uncomfortable close quarters. But she had to think of her baby first, and if that meant being uncomfortable around her former flame, then so be it.
Noah could no doubt see the concerns in her eyes, and that was probably why he walked closer, but Everly didn’t think it would help for her to spell out the obvious about the close quarters. That’s why she went with trying to put the focus back on the investigation.
“Did you learn anything from that phone call?” she asked. She wasn’t even sure who he’d been talking to, but from what she’d gathered, it was someone at San Antonio PD.
“No. I was just updating my lieutenant about what’s going on. She’ll give any assistance she can and will flag the crime lab to expedite processing the bloody clothes, the note and the boxes.”
That was good. Even though the evidence might not tell them who was responsible, it could point them in the direction they needed to go. Of course, Noah would probably say there was no “they” in this, that he didn’t want her involved in the actual investigation, but Everly intended to be part of it every step of the way. Her daughter’s safety was at stake, and that meant finding the killer was now a top priority for her.
Noah turned back to his computer. “I’m just starting some searches to find out if there have been other murders that match...” He trailed off, and she followed his gaze to see the reception area where one of the deputies was running a security wand over a man in a wheelchair.
“You know him?” Everly asked.
Noah shook his head. “But I think I just saw a picture of him when I was going through the database. If I’m not mistaken, that’s Jared Jackman.”
Everly drew a blank on the name. “Who is he?”
“He’s the person Winona Billings hit with her car.”
The accident that’d left the man permanently disabled. That got Everly’s attention because she seriously doubted it was a coincidence that he was here in Silver Creek. Maybe he too had been contacted by the killer.
She hadn’t read the details about Jared in the database, but she guessed that he was in his late thirties or early forties with just a touch of gray at the temples of his dark brown hair. He was also obviously in shape with wide muscled shoulders and a toned chest, something she had no trouble seeing because he was wearing a snug dark gray T-shirt.
Everly heard Jared ask the deputy if he could speak to Noah Ryland. “I’m Detective Ryland,” he said heading toward Jared. Everly followed him.
“Good. I was hoping I’d catch you here. I called your office in San Antonio, but they said it was your day off. I didn’t have your number so I did an internet search and found out you lived in Silver Creek. Since your uncle is sheriff here, I figured he’d know where I could find you.” He shook hands with Noah once he’d cleared security, and his gaze shifted to Everly.
“This is Everly Monroe,” Noah explained. “She’s a local attorney.”
Everly had no doubts that Noah had chosen his words carefully when adding that last bit. No way would he bring up the bloody box to their visitor. Not yet anyway. But it might come into play if Jared actually had information about any of this.
Jared tipped his head in greeting before he shifted his attention back to Noah. “We need to talk,” the man insisted.
