Chapter 40
“Thanks for your help, Ms. Nichols.” Adeline assisted her into the back of the county cruiser.
“You be careful now,” the lady urged. She searched Adeline’s face. “He’s watching you real close. Almost as close as he’s watching his boy.”
Adeline resisted the urge to look over her shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, ma’am. I’m watching for him.” Ms. Nichols grabbed her hand before Adeline could close the door. “Stay away from your kin, Detective. You can’t trust none of ’em.”
Adeline promised she would as she extracted her hand from the old lady’s surprisingly strong grip. She closed the door and banged the top of the car with the flat of her hand to give the deputy the go-ahead to get moving.
Nichols had picked up on the fact that the man they were looking for was her biological brother. And that he had a son. No way to ignore she had some sort of gift.
The whole thing gave Adeline the willies.
At least she’d kept her mind occupied and off her mother. Images of her lying in that hospital bed ached through Adeline. It was so hard to believe her mother was gone. Forever.
“That old woman is one strange lady,” Sullenger commented as she watched the cruiser roll down the dirt road, leaving a faint cloud of dust in its wake.
Adeline blinked the images away. “Very strange.”
Her attention settled on Sullenger. She really was attractive, despite the long nose.
Seemed like a good deputy. Had Sullenger and Wyatt dated?
Or just flirted at the office? Her gaze narrowed on Sullenger.
Jealousy never looks good on anyone. That was what her mother would say.
A renewed ache deep in her chest took her breath.
“So.” Sullenger started back in the direction they’d come. “Will you be staying long once this investigation is wrapped up?” She shook her head. “And, after the funeral? I’m really sorry about your mother, Detective.”
Yep, the girl was getting the lay of the land. Sizing up the challenge the competition represented. The sympathy was just something she tacked on for appearances’ sake. “Thanks.”
“You’ve got a lot on your mind,” Sullenger suggested, answering her own question. “The funeral. Taking care of your mother’s place. You’ll probably be around for a while.”
“I don’t think my chief would be too happy,” Adeline admitted, “if I hung around too long.” But the woman was right. Adeline had a lot to take care of . . . none of which she wanted to think about right now. God, she hadn’t even considered that reality.
Sullenger made an agreeable sound. “Sheriff Henderson probably won’t be too happy about you going.”
“He’s a big boy, he’ll get over it.”
“He never stopped loving you.” Sullenger stopped and faced Adeline. “You do know that, don’t you?”
If she’d slapped Adeline in the face she wouldn’t have been more surprised. “Do you always nose around in folks’ personal business?” Adeline folded her arms over her chest and met the woman’s brazen stare. No point beating around the bush.
The deputy hiked her shoulders, then let them fall. “Only when it affects me.”
Adeline’s gaze narrowed a second time. “If you and Henderson have something going on, you don’t need to worry about me.
” Adeline started forward again. “When this is done and things are taken care of, I’m out of here.
” The question of whether she would stay or go had never been a real issue.
Had she inadvertently given the impression she might stay?
“We don’t exactly have anything going on,” Sullenger confessed as she trailed behind Adeline, “yet.”
With everything else that was happening, the pure jealousy that roiled inside Adeline pissed her off.
She had no right feeling jealous. She had way bigger problems than Wyatt Henderson.
They’d had sex, yes. But they were both adults and it hadn’t meant anything real.
Had it? Of course not. “You got no competition with me, Deputy.”
“Ha.”
Adeline shot the smart-mouthed deputy a look.
“Every woman who’s given him a second look has to compete with you.”
“Well now.” Adeline kicked aside the ridiculous feeling of victory that attempted to roar through her. “Maybe the right one just hasn’t come along.”
“Is he why you’re still single?”
Now she’d stepped on Adeline’s toes. She laughed it off. “I’m married to my shield, Sullenger. It’s what I do and that’s all I need.”
“Funny,” the deputy commented, “that’s what he says.”