Chapter Nineteen
“He can’t be far,” Camden said even though Kage, or Asher, could have disappeared into the woods.
“It makes the most logical sense that he would go this way.” She pointed toward the section of the woods blocked from view by the Bronco from where they’d been standing. “Or this way.” She motioned down the stretch of road behind them. “We could split up to cover more ground.”
Camden was already shaking his head before she finished her sentence.
“I’m not losing you again.” This wasn’t the time to examine all the aspects in which he meant the statement.
Right now, they had to focus on finding the man who’d escaped their custody.
As far as Camden knew, he’d never met Asher.
Kage had no reason to trust Camden or put his life in Camden’s hands.
“I read his rights,” Rochelle said. “How do we classify this?”
“If we call it in, Kage will be in trouble for evading arrest,” Camden said.
“Meanwhile, he could be innocent.” She studied the woods. The look on her face said she didn’t want to go back in there under any circumstances. Plus, Asher might come home or be home, in which case they were at a disadvantage since he would know the area.
“He sure did disappear on a dime,” Rochelle said.
“Only someone who knew these parts would be able to pull off a feat like that,” he concluded. Then, bit out a few choice words. Wouldn’t Kage have had a wallet with him? Some ID? “Not having a way to identify himself sure was convenient.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” she admitted.
“We could go back to the trailer and knock on the door again.”
“To what end?” she asked. “He won’t answer and we might have just scared him away from the property anyway.”
“Asher would have some type of vehicle stashed out here, wouldn’t he?”
Rochelle issued a sharp sigh. “Makes sense to me that he would.”
“Which means he’ll be long gone soon,” he said.
“Yes,” she agreed as she bit back a yawn. “There’s no reason for him to stick around. Plus, he might be headed to the location where he keeps them.”
More good points.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said. “We could both use some sleep. We’ll get back at it tomorrow once we have fresh eyes.”
Camden half expected Rochelle to put up an argument against rest. However, she simply nodded and then walked toward the passenger door.
Midstride, she stopped. “Asher would have stashed a weapon nearby. He would have already shot at me.”
“Let’s get inside the vehicle just in case,” he said, moving to her side to put his body in between her and the tree line.
He opened her door while scanning the area. It was the middle of the night at this point. And whoever had been in custody was long gone.
“I’m sorry,” Rochelle said the minute he took the driver’s seat and started the engine.
“For what?”
“It’s my fault he got away,” she said with anguish in her voice. She glanced down at hands that were folded in her lap.
“We’ll get to him before…”
She sat there, quiet.
“And even if we don’t, you’re doing everything humanly possible to find Justina before anything else happens to her,” he said. “Asher Foley is responsible for Justina. If she dies, it’ll be at his hands, not yours.”
“Why does it feel the opposite way?”
“You’re an amazing person and a skilled detective,” he said as he navigated them onto the highway. “I’d work with you any day of the week.”
Still quiet.
“None of us make the right calls all the time,” he continued. “At best, we hope to make the right call eighty percent of the time. A great detective probably hits around the sixty-to-seventy-percent mark.”
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but I’m the one who asked for the conversation a little while ago,” she said.
Another trait of a great law-enforcement officer was taking every case personally.
Except it was also the downfall, and the reason many ended up burned out and walking away from the badge at some point.
“Do you think I was irresponsible for agreeing to step away?”
“No,” she said without hesitation. “Of course not.”
“Then, you don’t get to blame yourself either,” he said.
She sat there for a few minutes contemplating those words. “It’s hard not to take it personally. Every misstep. Every wrong decision.”
“I know,” he said.
“How do you do it?” she asked.
“What?”
She studied the patch of road in front of them. “Detach?”
“I’m probably a little too good at compartmentalizing my emotions,” he admitted, realizing for the first time that he’d become a master.
“I guess it can be a hard balance to get right,” she said. “We have to pull back because emotions, too often, blur logic.”
“Especially when it comes to family.” Camden had mastered detachment in too many areas of his life, including allowing himself to get close to anyone else.
Being with Rochelle was different. She made him want to open up and spill his secrets.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said about meeting with my mother. ”
“And?” She didn’t seem caught off guard by the pivot.
They had a little more time to kill on the road and there wasn’t anything else they could do with the investigation, so he figured he could bounce his decision off Rochelle. “I’m going to tell my brother and sister to include me.”
“That’s amazing, Camden.” She reached over and touched his arm. Contact sent fire bolts of electricity rocketing through him even through his clothing.
“You think so?”
“I do,” she said without hesitating. “If it goes badly, you’ll know. You’ll be able to put the past behind you and move on.”
“I’ve been fine,” he said.
“Are you sure about that?”
Rochelle had a way of cutting right to the truth. The ability caught him off guard. She was also one of the most honest people he’d ever met.
“I’m doing alright,” he countered, hearing the defensiveness in his own tone.
“Okay,” she said, putting up her hands, palms out, in the surrender position. “You don’t have to convince me.”
Camden exhaled a slow breath. “How is that we barely know each other and yet you have an ability to see right through me? You call me out on my—”
“I don’t know,” she said. “There’s something about you. Something different. Something familiar.” She shrugged. “I’m doing a terrible job of explaining it.”
“Some things don’t have the right words.” He felt the same way. She was different than anyone he’d ever met before but familiar to him. “But I think you did a better job than you realize.”
“No,” she said. “I believe you just get me.”
Those words hit him in the center of his chest, causing a knot to form. Because he wanted to know her beyond this case.
Would she let him in?
Could she?
Rochelle normally had a difficult time finding the right words. And yet, Camden seemed to understand her perfectly.
“Home sweet home,” he said as he pulled into his garage, parked, and then cut off the engine. A second later, he was at her door, opening it for her. She loved his chivalry.
Loved?
Hold on there. She was getting ahead of herself.
Rochelle didn’t do love. So she hopped out of the Bronco and headed into the town house. “All I need is a shower, a toothbrush, and a bed.”
“Take the main bedroom,” he said. “It’s more comfortable.”
“I’ll do okay in the guest room,” she countered.
“Trust me, you don’t want to sleep on a foldout,” he said. “Whereas I’m good anywhere. I’ll just grab my clothes and toothbrush and be out of your hair.”
The image of the two of them curled up in a king-size bed, naked and entwined, stamped her thoughts. She gave herself a mental headshake and then made a beeline for the staircase, picking up her overnight bag along the way.
Upstairs, Camden moved to the dresser before pulling out clean clothes.
“Why don’t you stay and take a shower in your own bathroom?” she asked. The image of his broad naked chest assaulted her. She cleared her throat to ease the sudden dryness.
“The other one is fine,” he said.
A growing part of her wanted to admit to the attraction simmering between them. Did he feel it too? The way he looked at her sometimes convinced her that he did. Would he allow himself to admit it even if it was true?
The man was the picture of professionalism.
As he walked by her to leave the room, the back of his hand brushed up against her.
Rochelle had never felt such an intimate moment with another person while having so many clothes on.
Need welled up inside her, sending her pulse racing and warmth to settle in between her thighs.
Way to keep it professional, Paddock.
“Excuse me,” she whispered, unable to find her voice.
“My fault,” he responded. His gravelly voice traveled over her and through her. “I’ll be across the hall if you need me.”
Rochelle wasn’t about to touch that statement. The best she could do under the circumstances was muster a weak smile as she made a beeline for the master bath.
Camden’s hesitation didn’t help matters. Need rolled off him in palpable waves. Waves that called her toward him. She took a step backward until they were almost back-to-back. From here, she breathed in his spicy scent. It was earthy and warm.
Temptation drew her another step backward. Now, their backs touched. The man was tall, gorgeous, and pure sex.
Rochelle stood there for a long moment, allowing her senses to take him in.
She curled her free hand into a fist to stop it from reaching for him.
With a guttural groan, he summoned the strength to be the first one to walk away.
Rochelle stood there, alone, listening to the sound of her frantic heartbeat as it rushed in her ears.
For the first time ever, she’d been overcome with need, a need so strong it had taken over her body and soul.
She should probably be very afraid of its power and yet she was drawn to it instead.
She wanted to be as close to Camden as she physically could.
The fact both surprised her and reassured her because she didn’t believe anyone could make her feel that way.
Had she been protecting her heart? Refusing to let anyone in? Reminding herself on an almost constant basis that she didn’t need anyone else?
Rochelle had no intention of standing there allowing those questions to dominate her thoughts. She was tired. She needed a shower. She needed to go to bed. If only to wake up with a fresh start, find Asher Foley, and then put this case behind her.
Could she do the same with Camden?