Chapter Twenty-Three #2
Which meant this likely had nothing to do with anything, except this O.M. could be some kind of loose end, and Jake needed to ensure nothing got in the way. “Do you have any idea who this guy is? What the initials stand for?”
Olivia shook her head. “No. She didn’t mention a date to me. Or a guy. I mean, she was happy, so I’m not surprised there was a guy, but … this is as much as I know.”
Jake nodded. He mulled it over and couldn’t decide what any of it meant. But Jules’s phone was still in evidence. He could look through her contacts, see if anything matched. There hadn’t been text messages or phone calls they hadn’t been able to identify, so it seemed unlikely, but he’d check.
Hell, maybe it was just some kind of code name for Bennet. Jake wouldn’t put it past him. Either way, he’d see this little blip through.
But first… “Ms. Underwood, I need you to do me a really important favor.”
She eyed him suspiciously. Smart woman.
“You’ve given Sam information, and I understand why you did,” he said, hoping to imbue his tone with a kindness and understanding he didn’t feel. “But, Ms. Underwood, her fiancé is going to trial for this. I wouldn’t share any more information with her. Her heart isn’t in the right place.”
Oliva blinked a few times. Then eventually she started to nod. “All right, Detective.” She let out a shaky breath. She looked at the building sadly, then shook her head. “Will you, or could someone let me know about the trial? I want to be there.”
“Absolutely. I have your information. I will let you know. I promise.”
She smiled, but it was more a grimace than anything else. “Thank you.” She inhaled deeply again, then let it out. “Thank you, Detective,” she repeated, then turned and began to walk away.
Into the alley and back toward where she must have parked her car.
Jake watched her go. Triumph warred with that tiny niggling feeling that something didn’t add up.
Olivia Underwood certainly wouldn’t be going to Sam with any more information, but who was O.M.?
And could he disprove Nate’s entire case?
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Jake jumped, hand flying to his weapon. He cursed himself for being so caught up in his thoughts he hadn’t heard someone approach. Especially when that someone was Cal fucking Bennet.
Jake had to think fast. He arranged his expression carefully before turning toward Cal’s voice. He kept his hand on his weapon because why not? It wasn’t a crime.
He looked Cal up and down dispassionately, sure he was completely hiding the unsteady beat of his heart. “I came to talk to you.”
*
Cal studied Jake with some suspicion. He’d clearly caught Jake off guard, but the fact he still had his hand on his weapon was a dick move.
Cal didn’t think Jake was stupid enough to lurk around Honor’s Edge hoping for another go at Sam, but he was still both pissed off and a little weirded out Jake had cornered her at her house.
It wasn’t good police work. It wasn’t smart, and it put another tick in the column of hey, maybe Jake is more behind all this bullshit than I want to believe.
“Talk to me about what?” Cal asked when Jake didn’t speak.
“The weather, Bennet. What do you think?”
Cal sneered at the sarcastic response. “Detectives aren’t known for making themselves available to the defense attorney in a murder case.”
“It’s more a … friendly warning.”
Cal made a considering noise. “Like you stopping by Sam’s house?”
Jake’s expression didn’t change, but his hand tightened on the gun briefly before he dropped it.
“This is starting to get creepy, Hayes. I might have to have a conversation with your superior.”
“Go ahead,” Jake replied, seemingly unbothered. But his expression hardened and he leaned in. “Sam’s unreasonable. This is a friendly warning. She’s going off the deep end. Keep her in check so she doesn’t get herself into trouble.”
“I would love to see you say that to her face.”
“You really want her in jail for attacking a police officer? Because I won’t have any qualms arresting her. Or, should she get really bold, taking her down.”
“Sounds like a threat.” One he’d really like to see.
Sam was tiny, but man, with all the fury she was feeling, Cal wouldn’t be surprised if she took Jake out.
“Take it like you want, Bennet,” Jake said, then turned on a heel and walked away.
Cal watched Jake stride off. His car was parked a ways down the road on the other side of the street. Why? There were spots in the back. Even spots out front. Why had he parked all the way down there if he’d stopped by to offer Cal some half-assed warning about keeping Sam in check?
And why had he been loitering in the front when he knew Sam was closed, and to get to him he’d have to go around the back?
Something didn’t add up. Something was fishy as hell.
Cal pulled out his phone. Clicked Sam’s contact information.
Her phone rang. Repeatedly. When she finally picked up, she answered on a slur. “Yeah?”
“Hey, sleepyhead. Can you look at your security footage from up at the ranch or would you need to come down to the offices?”
She muttered something indistinguishable. “Offices,” she finally muttered. “The Wi-Fi here sucks.”
“Then come on down. Soon as you can. We need to look at something.”