Chapter 10
Every fear I had about the Luke case taking on a circus quality seemed to come true that afternoon.
Bennett Cutler made sure Jamie Simmons surrendered in full view of the cameras in front of the Maumee County Sheriff’s Department.
Hojo was accosted by reporters on his way to his car.
He managed to keep his cool and say no comment as he drove away.
As I took the lasagna I’d made out of the fridge and waited for the oven to heat up, I flipped to one of the cable news channels just in time to see a teaser for Ellie Luke’s case.
“A cold case killer may have just been exposed … by his own daughter …”
I slammed the oven door shut just as Sam walked in the back door.
“Did you see it?” I asked, pointing to the television.
“I heard about it,” he said. Sam pulled at his tie. He looked as angry as I felt.
“Well, there’s no hope for it now. Hayden Simmons is going to be a household name along with her father and aunt by week’s end,” I said.
“Have you talked to her?” he asked.
“No. But I’ve sent Nicole Silver to her. They’re working on getting Hayden someplace to stay. It won’t take long before the media figures out who her friends are and starts knocking on doors.”
“Good,” Sam said. “No. That’s real good. We need her solid, Mara.”
“You don’t have to tell me that. What about Simmons? Is he talking?”
“No. And he won’t. Bennett Cutler has made sure of that.”
Sam was still wrestling with his tie. I went over to him and gently pulled his hands away. He was coiled tight. The pulse in his temple beat at a furious pace.
“You’ve done all you can do today,” I said. “This thing is just going to have to play out.”
“BCI has pulled out the big guns. Lois Palmieri is going to handle it herself. She’s a national legend in crime scene investigation.
She can’t make me a concrete promise, but she thinks she’ll have something for me the early part of next week on the evidence we sent her.
She’s moving a few things to the front of the line. ”
“Good,” I said. “But are you really expecting any surprises?”
“No,” Sam said. He kissed me on the forehead. “Sorry. I came in here loaded for bear. We promised each other we weren’t gonna discuss the case tonight.”
“It’s okay. It’s going to be hard not to.”
“You mind if I grab a shower before dinner?”
I wrinkled my nose, teasing him. “I’d prefer it if you did.”
Sam gave me a playful swat on my backside that sent a thrill through me. “You sure we’re uh … in the clear?”
“Will’s at a sleepover,” I said. “He and one of his teammates from robotics have been joined at the hip all summer. They went to the science museum today. He’ll be back tomorrow around lunchtime.”
“Okay.” Sam ran a hand through my hair. “But pretty soon, don’t you think we need to have a conversation with him?”
“He knows you’re part of my life,” I said. “And you’re part of his life, too. What else do you think he needs to know? Go on. Wash up. That lasagna only needs to be heated up. It’ll be ready in about twenty minutes. You feeling like beer or wine tonight?”
“Beer if you’ve got it,” he said. Sam unbuttoned his shirt. He wore a plain white tee underneath and filled it out nicely.
“You can throw everything in the washing machine if you want,” I said. “I was going to run a load tonight anyway.”
“I can do my own laundry, Mara.”
“Maybe I don’t mind.” I smiled.
Sam pulled off his tee shirt. He was broad-shouldered, muscular, and trim.
I wondered if I’d ever get tired of looking at him.
We’d taken things slow for so many reasons.
I was recently divorced. There was Will.
There was the potential political fallout of him being the sheriff and me working for the prosecutor’s office.
But tonight, it felt good to just have him here all to myself.
To not have to edit myself or worry about who might have an opinion of our relationship.
He tossed his clothes in my washing machine off the kitchen, then kissed me in passing as he made his way up the stairs.
I started a load. Will had brought his things down from his hamper this morning. He’d grown like a weed this summer. Though he didn’t have the build of an athlete, like Sam, they wore the same size tee shirts. My little boy was fast growing into a man.
I heard the shower running in the bathroom directly above me. A wicked thought crossed my mind. I decided to act on it. I turned the heat down on the oven but decided I didn’t care one bit if the lasagna burned.
“I like it here,” Sam said the next morning as he lay beside me. “Maybe too much.”
I threaded my fingers through his, leaning back against his solid chest. I traced the lines of his palms. He had big hands.
The kind that could span my waist. I tried not to compare him with the man I used to share this very bed with.
Jason. My ex. Will’s father. There was a time I never thought I’d be with anyone else.
Now, I was beginning to feel the same about Sam.
He was right. Sometime soon, we’d have to have a conversation with Will.
But first we might have to have one between us.
“I like you here too,” I said. It was only the third time he’d spent the night. “I just wonder if maybe we shouldn’t … you know … take the risk. With all this attention on the Luke case.”
“I really don’t care what people think on that score.”
“It could become a distraction. We both know I’m going to be the one trying this case if it gets that far.
I’ve had reporters camped outside my house for lower profile cases.
This one’s already made national news. Cutler made sure of that.
I just don’t want to run the risk of either of us becoming the story. ”
“You sure that’s all it is?” Sam asked.
I leaned up on my elbow. “Yes. Don’t forget. In another year you have to run for election. You’re still filling out Bill Clancy’s term. The wagons are starting to circle and we’d be na?ve to think you’ll run unopposed. I just don’t want to give anyone fodder.”
“I can handle it,” he said. “Can you?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had my love life used against me. There are plenty of people who still think I should be punished for the crimes Jason committed.”
“Is that the real reason you won’t run for prosecutor?”
“What? No. I’ve told you a thousand times. I like the job I have. I’ve never had the slightest interest in elected office.”
“Fine,” he said, pulling me closer to him. “But I’m not going to sneak around because of closed-minded people’s opinions. I love you. Period. I don’t care who knows it.”
I felt a rush of heat. We’d said it before to each other. It wasn’t that. It was just here … in the early morning, in my bed. It felt even more intimate than before.
I rested my head back against him, liking the way we fit together.
Part of me wished I could stop time. We stayed that way for a while.
Sam made me feel safe, warm, at peace. I don’t think I’d ever felt that way with Jason.
Not in all the years we were married. It wasn’t in me to say it.
But it would have felt like sacrilege, invoking Jason’s name in this space and time.
Finally, I don’t know who moved first. But we did. Sam had space in a drawer. He put on a pair of jeans and a fresh tee shirt. I found a pair of yoga pants and a hoodie. Downstairs, I could smell the coffee brewing.
Sam made us both an English muffin. The coffee was good. Strong. But he frowned as he read something on his tablet.
“Bennett Cutler plans on holding another press conference after Simmons’s arraignment,” he said.
“Are you surprised? He’s going to take every opportunity he can to parade Ellie Luke’s family out there. It’s only a matter of time before they realize what he’s doing.”
“Gus is going to flip out,” Sam said.
“I’m worried about that too,” I said. “Do you think he’s taking this one too personally?”
Sam met my eyes. “Don’t worry …”
“Stop,” I said. “This is me. I’m not wearing my prosecutor hat. And you can stop wearing your sheriff’s hat. I’m talking about Gus. I know your noises, Sam. Your facial expressions. And I’m asking you. As Gus’s friend too … what do you think?”
Sam put his tablet down. His face softened. “I think Gus probably hasn’t slept since Hayden Simmons brought that damn box into our office.”
“This was his one, wasn’t it?” I asked.
“His one?”
“The case he couldn’t solve. The one that got away.”
“Gus has been a detective for a long time. He doesn’t have just one. He’s not a superhero. There are plenty of cold cases in our archives.”
“Sam … please. Don’t do that. You don’t have to protect Gus. Not from me. I told you. I’m asking as a friend. Is he okay?”
Sam frowned. “I think he will be. He’ll do his job. He’ll do it better than anybody. I’m sure I’ve said this before. If someone I loved was murdered, Gus Ritter is who I’d want on the case. Nothing about that has changed.”
“He feels responsible for Dane Fischer,” I said. “I know Gus. He’ll blame himself for ruining that man’s life.”
“Nobody ruined Dane Fischer. He didn’t go to jail. He was never even charged. Whatever issues Fischer has with his family, those are his alone.”
“Sam, come on. It’s not that simple. You heard him. It feels like Ellie’s family still thinks Fischer’s guilty. Despite what Hayden found.”
“They’ll have to get over it.”
“Just promise me you’ll keep an eye on Gus.”
“Are you asking me to look over his shoulder on this case?”
“No,” I said. “I’m asking … I don’t know what I’m asking. I’m just worried about him. And I know you are too.”
“He’ll be okay. He’ll be more than okay.”
“But if …” I didn’t get to finish the sentence. The garage door swung open and Will bounded in.
Sam started to rise. Will froze, surprised to see him.
“You’re home early,” I said. “Nick’s mom said she was taking you guys to the museum. I was …”
“It was closed,” Will said, his eyes darting between me and Sam. “Some kind of water main leak in the ladies’ room. Nick’s mom offered to take us to the zoo instead but I just wanted to come home. Did you have your own sleepover?”
“Did we …” My jaw dropped. He said it so innocently. Then I saw a twinkle in my teenage son’s eye. He enjoyed making me uncomfortable.
“Will,” Sam said. “If …”
“Relax,” Will said. “I’m not a baby. You don’t have to treat me like one. And you don’t have to wait until I’m out of here to come over. I’m good with it. Are there any English muffins left?”
“Er … yeah,” Sam said. He went over to the toaster. “You want me to make you some?”
“Yeah,” Will said. “Can you do it as a sandwich? I think we’ve got eggs and bacon in the fridge.”
“Sure can,” Sam said. He went to the fridge while Will got a frying pan from the cupboard.
“You want one, Mom?” Will asked.
As I sat there with my mouth agape, as Sam and Will cooked me breakfast.