Chapter 16
Nico leaned against his car, paper cup of coffee in hand, watching the sun rise over the ocean. Waves gently lapped the rocky shoreline. Gulls squealed and cawed, floating high then dipping low when they spotted something worth eating. In the distance, a few boat engines roared as they set out early for a day of fishing. The breeze rustling his hair was a fresh one, but if the past few days were anything to go by, he knew the chill would soon pass, and Mercy Cove would be treated to another warm, sunny day.
Pity he couldn’t enjoy it.
The process of charging Kyle Garrett for the murder of Isabelle Moss had been put in motion immediately following his arrest. However, on account of there being no murder weapon, nor any other hard evidence to tie him undeniably to the crime, it was now at a standstill. They’d searched everywhere; his apartment, his parent’s seaside mansion, every dumpster and trash can within a five-mile radius of each location—nothing. His DNA was a match to the condom—no surprises there—but they needed more than that to prove he killed her.
Adding insult to injury, Councillor Garrett and his wife had not taken kindly to the intrusion of their home and had been at the station every day—sometimes multiple times—haranguing the officers to let their son go, threatening a lawsuit if they didn’t. Rumor had it, they were flying in a high-priced lawyer to represent him today, who would no doubt make clear that they’d already kept him longer than they were within their legal rights to do.
Time was running out. Nico knew he’d need to release him soon. Hell, West might have already done it himself, the way he’d been whining about it. And then they’d be left with nothing but a trail gone cold as every other possible lead they’d chased—from hardware store customers who’d recently bought duct tape, to the guy who delivered her Chinese takeout religiously on a Thursday night—had led nowhere.
Nico pictured Isabelle’s mutilated body and hung his head.
Another young woman. Another life snuffed out.
There was no way he could have saved this one, he knew that. But he’d make damn sure she was given justice. Whatever it took, he would find the son of a bitch who killed her.
He was resolute. Unbudging despite already feeling horribly fatigued by the task. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Coming here was meant to be an escape. A place to rest, to heal. Most importantly, with Sara’s parents being here, it was supposed to be a time for redemption. And—he could only hope—forgiveness. Now, in the midst of such sickly familiar circumstances, Nico wondered if god was playing some kind of cruel joke on him.
Was he being punished? Did he die and not realize it? Maybe this was what it felt like to go to hell, to relive your worst nightmare over and over and over again.
No, he thought with a wave of resentment. This isn’t hell.
One didn’t need to travel to the fiery pit below to find monsters and suffering. Those things were right here. And while Garrett may not be a killer, he was a monster.
Nico clenched his teeth, remembering the angry marks on Lexie’s neck, and how good it had felt to put his lips on them. His kiss hadn’t erased the bruises, of course, or the memories of when they were put there. All he could hope was that time—and a divorce—would eventually dull the pain enough for her to trust a man again. To trust him.
It was an odd feeling, given the stress and sorrow of their current situation, but Nico didn’t need a mirror to know there was a goofy smile spreading across his face at the thought of her. He sighed, thinking about the look on her face when she’d recognized him that first night he arrived. The feel of her fingers gently tracing the line of his scar. He’d liked it. Liked her. More than he expected to, and a lot more than he probably should. He liked the way she smiled to herself when she talked about her home. The way she fidgeted nervously, never holding his gaze for longer than a few seconds. He especially liked the way her body had felt when she pressed it against his, warm and soft and feminine. And her mouth . . . Even if by some terrible twist of fate he never got the chance to kiss her again, it would be a long time before he forgot her taste.
Never in his life had he felt such an urgent pull toward another person. Disregarding the fact that she’d been avoiding him like the plague—something he found unsettling—but the unusual lightness brewing within him was as welcome as it was foreign, and he knew it had everything to do with her.
Finally making a move to get in his car and start his day, Nico checked his phone for the nth time, saw she hadn’t replied to his message, and drove to work. As soon as he walked through the door and felt the buzz of urgent activity, he felt like an asshole for dawdling. Frank was on the phone to forensics demanding that they test every piece of evidence gathered at the crime scene a second time. Zoe was busy chasing up a warrant to arrest Logan Hayes, not because anyone seriously suspected him of being the killer, but because they’d have a far better chance of questioning him properly without the army of yokels at his back. Seth appeared to be taking a third look at the security footage from cameras near to the crime scene to be certain nothing was missed. Cora—bless her—was furiously working to keep up with all the other mundane tasks the rest of them had abandoned. And Nico, well he was supposed to be overseeing all of it, not daydreaming about a beautiful woman with soft skin and blue eyes.
Alright, jackass. Time to get your head in the game.
The niggling feeling in his gut that something was wrong continued to twist tighter throughout the day. Call it instinct, but Nico couldn’t help but feel like the further they dug themselves into the Kyle-Garrett-suspect-number-one hole, the further they moved away from the truth. They were following protocol, following the evidence, but still, it didn’t feel right.
At ten a.m., word came that the Garrett’s lawyer had landed, and time was up. It didn’t matter. There was nothing here they didn’t already know. Nothing to indicate that the pissed off man sitting in their holding cell was the one who plunged a knife into a woman thirty-two times. And as the pompous defense attorney stuck his too-small nose in the air and ordered his client be released, Nico grudgingly obliged with nothing less than absolute courtesy. Garrett would receive his court date for assaulting Lexie soon enough, but, for now, he was out on bail, and Nico’s hands were tied.
“Okay,” he said to the group of officers gathered, staring at the door through which Kyle had just walked with a vengeful scowl on his face. “I know this may feel like a setback, but the truth is no amount of pushing was going to make an innocent man guilty, no matter how big of an asshole he is.” That earned him a few quiet chuckles. “So, we keep our heads, we go back to the drawing board, back to the crime scene, and we find something. Aside from revisiting Logan Hayes as a potential suspect, we have no leads,” he said, noting that West had also stayed to hover and listen what he had to say. “But I’ll tell you what we do have, a community of very frightened people who are counting on us to do our jobs. So, take a breath, refill your coffee mugs, and let’s get back to work.”
It took a few minutes for the stunned silence to pass. After being so hellbent with purpose only to have it snatched away made the whole squad aimlessly chaotic, but they followed Nico’s instructions, each taking a quick break to refocus, then they were back at it, working the case from new angles.
“Nice speech, LT,” Frank told him a few minutes later as Nico was grabbing a printout from the copy machine.
Nico’s shrug was noncommittal. “I hate public speaking.”
“Then why’d you bother?”
“Someone had to.”
“You’re right,” Frank said. “Troops need a strong leader. And ours is”—he glanced casually toward West’s office—“not so much.”
For the sake of professionalism, Nico didn’t enter into it. Frank strolled back to his desk without another word while Nico took his phone from his pocket. No messages. Maybe he should stop trying? He didn’t want to seem desperate or clingy. Worse still, he didn’t want to come off as aggressive and scare her off. On the other hand, no matter how hard he tried not to think about her, he couldn’t get Lexie out of his head. It both excited and scared the shit out of him. It also made him realize how long it had been since he’d slept with a woman, and how much he’d like to remedy that before too long, so abandoning his efforts wasn’t an option either.
Pocketing his phone again, he thought about hitting up Rusty’s for an early lunch to see if she was there, then caught sight of Frank’s inquiring frown and realized he’d been staring at the wall, lost in his thoughts for god-only-knew how long.
“What’s going on with you?” Frank asked.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing, my ass.” He lifted his mug to his lips. “That’s the fifteenth time I’ve seen you check your phone today.”
“I think you’re exaggerating.”
“I think you’re avoiding the question.”
Nico ignored him.
“So, who’s got you on the hook?”
“No one. Don’t you get tired of poking your nose into other people’s business?”
“Not when their business is so much more interesting than mine.”
“Please,” Nico scoffed. “You have three ex-wives.”
“Yeah, and they’re all ancient history. You, however, are fresh meat.” Frank’s eyes narrowed, then his face morphed into a blend of shock and delight. “Wait—it’s her, isn’t it?”
“Who?” Seth asked from his desk and Nico realized they had the attention of the room.
“You couldn’t help yourself,” Frank taunted.
“What’s going on now?” Zoe chimed in.
“Jesus Christ.” Nico threw his head back and stared at the ceiling.
“Seems the lieutenant here has got himself into a love triangle,” Frank announced, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Whoa.” Nico gawked. “What?”
“With who?” Zoe asked, smiling.
“I’ll give you a hint,” Frank replied. “She’s blond. She’s pretty. And she’s married to Kyle Garrett.”
Nico watched the shock wave move through the room. Seth’s eyes widened and Zoe’s jaw dropped. Even Cora’s ears appeared to be flapping in their direction.
“No way,” Zoe whispered. “Lexie?”
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Frank asked.
“Okay, enough,” Nico said, filling his voice with authority. “You’re all acting like a bunch of schoolgirls.”
Undeterred, Frank rubbed his stubbled jaw in mock thought. “Would you consider that confirmation?” he asked Zoe.
“Oh, yeah,” she replied. “Definitely hit a nerve.”
“And she’s ghosting you?” Seth asked, face impassive as always.
Frank huffed. “Been there. Don’t worry, kid. Plenty of easy tail around here, especially this time of year. You’ll be fine.”
“Ugh, you’re such a pig,” Zoe remarked.
“Take a good look outside, Zo.” Frank pointed with his thumb. “There’s a myriad of golden gods showing off their six packs for you too.”
“None of whom I would touch with a ten-foot pole, because I know they’re all just as immature and shallow as you.”
Frank touched his heart. “Ouch! Put those claws away, girl.”
As laughter erupted around him, Nico’s hands moved to his hips, and he considered going full apeshit on them all for being so disobedient and rowdy. Then he reminded himself—one brick at a time. Was this not what he’d wanted? To knit himself into the fabric of this place? To belong? This crew—his crew—had already proved themselves capable of following orders and respecting his authority when it mattered. Right now, it didn’t.
“Alright, fine,” he said when the ruckus had died down. “Yes, I’m waiting for a call back from Lexie. But keep it to yourselves. She’s got enough to deal with right now without the whole town gossiping about her.”
A few hoots and cheers rang out at Nico’s expense before Seth said, “Damn, you move fast.”
“It’s not like that,” Nico replied.
“What’s it like then?” Frank asked.
“It’s”—Nico lifted a shoulder and shook his head—“it’s nothing.”
Frank took an audible slurp of coffee. “I find your commitment issues charming.”
“I just mean it’s new. Nothing to tell, so keep a lid on it.”
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” Zoe asked uncertainly.
Nico blinked. He hadn’t considered that.
He supposed, if the arresting officer of a murder suspect was having a romantic relationship with said suspect’s wife, it could be considered inappropriate, even a conflict, but for all intents and purposes, Kyle Garrett was now a free man, no longer under official suspicion. Unofficial suspicion? Loads. Not to mention, Nico couldn’t be sure whatever was going on between he and Lexie was, indeed, romantic, so as far as the law and his conscience were concerned, they were in the clear. For now.
“Don’t you all have work to do?” West’s voice startled the lot of them and threw a cold, wet blanket over the mood.
A few throats cleared, postures were straightened, and the room went silent save for the shuffling of paper and the tapping of keyboards.
Apparently satisfied with the response, West shifted his gaze to Nico. “A word, Lieutenant?”
Nico followed him into his office and waited while he shut the door behind them. He didn’t move to his side of the desk, just stood with his hand resting on the knob, like he meant for the conversation to be brief.
“Was that true, what I just heard out there?”
“Which part?”
“Don’t play coy, Nico. Are you, or are you not, sleeping with Alexis Bowen?”
“That’s none of your damn business.”
West sighed and moved around his desk to sit. “You know, I’m getting real tired of you making me out to be some kind of villain in all this, especially considering your recent indiscretions.”
He was referring to the broken nose Nico had given Garrett during his arrest, for which he was thoroughly raked over the coals and could still smell his singed ass burning yet couldn’t bring himself to regret it. Surprisingly, West had backed up his claim that it was an accident and saved him a black mark on his record. Nico was still figuring out why he lied for him, but knowing he owed the man big, he licked his lips and looked away. “I like her, okay? Why is that a problem?”
“Is it a problem?”
“Your face says it could be.”
A pause. “I’m just looking out for this department. And you’re dancing dangerously close to the line right now, you understand?”
Nico nodded. “I do.”
“I can’t have my officers going around beating people without cause. What you did was unprofessional, illegal, and a blatant disregard for a man’s rights. It will be a miracle if he doesn’t sue. And now you’re rubbing salt in the wound by taking up with his wife?”
Every word was a lash of truth. They’d been over all of this already but still, Nico almost buckled under the shame, a feeling he’d grown far too accustomed to lately. “I understand, Chief. And I give you my word it won’t happen again. But Lexie is a grown woman who can make her own decisions.” He shrugged, adding, “She doesn’t want to be with him anymore.”
West’s face was one of barely-there understanding. “Nonetheless, it complicates things.”
“Only if her husband is guilty. And you watched him walk out of here, same as I did.”
The chief gave a slow, accepting nod, like he knew it was as good an answer as he was going to get. Then, to Nico’s surprise, he asked, “Do you think he did it?”
Nico shifted his gaze to the open window, to the green grass and bright, blue ocean beyond the shoreline. “No,” he said. “I don’t.”
After leaving West’s office, Nico returned to his own and shut the door.
Fuck.
What the hell was he doing?
Less than a fortnight into his new posting and he’d already aggravated his superior, made an enemy, began a star-crossed romance with a married woman, and was steadily losing control of a murder investigation.
Try as he might, he just couldn’t seem to get a handle on things here. Every move turned out to be the wrong one. Every step—the wrong direction. Every decision only leading to more of the same.
It was enough to make him want to vomit.
He didn’t call Lexie again, choosing instead to retain a small shred of his dignity by leaving the ball peacefully in her court. He did, however, send her one last message to give her the heads up. Just two words.
He’s out.
It took less than a minute for her to reply.
Can I see you tonight?
Nico remembered what he’d said to her about not dating for the sake of optics, then decided he didn’t care anymore. He wanted to see her, wanted to take her out, and he didn’t give a damn who saw.