“Sorry,” he said.
Her arms crossed, she went to answer the door, and he heard her scold Shaun for not keeping himself and Aidan safe.
Shaun replied, “We are alive, aren’t we?”
Cheyenne asked which shoulder was the sore one so she could punch the other. Aidan was smiling when his friend entered the living room.
Cheyenne appeared in the doorway to announce she was going to run to the store and pick up a frozen pizza for supper. Then she asked Shaun if he’d like to stay for dinner.
After he answered that of course he would, she said her goodbyes and left.
“How are you feeling?” Shaun asked.
“Like I’ve been kicked and had the breath knocked out of me,” Aidan replied. Sitting up, he said, “What about you?”
“Like I’ve been tased.” Shaun sat in the recliner. “But I’ll live. Monroe wants us to take tomorrow off to recuperate.”
“Fat chance,” Aidan muttered. “I’m going to find this guy whether I’m on the clock or not.”
Shaun nodded. “I told her you’d say that. She agreed, and that’s why she’s not going to make us take the day off.”
Aidan narrowed his eyes. “What’s the catch?”
“You noticed that, huh?”
Aidan frowned. “Please don’t say she wants to put us behind the desk.”
“Okay,” Shaun replied. “I won’t say that.” He rose, and Aidan watched him step into the kitchen. A second later, he returned and passed over a beer.
“We can’t do too much behind a desk,” Aidan told him.
“It’s that or nothing,” Shaun replied. He popped open his can and took a sip. “We’re lucky it’s something. My pride and I got tased, he knocked you out. We’re kinda damaged goods right now.”
Aidan frowned as this afternoon replayed itself.
“Who are we dealing with?” he asked. “This isn’t just an ordinary guy. He’s got skills.”
“I know. Not many people can bring a guy like me down as easily as he did.”
Aidan looked over at him, thinking over a list of people that could take him down.
“Ex-military? Maybe a Green Beret? Navy Seal?”
“I don’t know,” Shaun replied. “But we’re going to figure it out.”
44
After THEY ate dinner and Shaun left, Cheyenne cleaned the kitchen and Aidan hobbled up the steps with his bag of ice. He stretched out on the bed, his two pillows propping the injured leg above his heart.
Cheyenne entered the bedroom, eyes tired, but she stood in the doorway, frowning at him.
“We need to talk.”
Aidan had hoped she’d forget about wanting to talk. He was afraid of what may come after.
“Okay,” he said slowly.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
Aidan narrowed his eyes. Although it worried him that one day he’d hear those words, it didn’t prevent the lump forming in his throat.
He'd hunted serial killers. He'd been in shootouts resulting in severe tragedy—but one of the worst things he could think of to happen in five years seemed to be coming to light.
Swallowing, Aidan asked, “What are you talking about?”
“You know, I’ve almost forgotten what you look like,” Cheyenne muttered, her voice sad. “I haven’t seen you for ages.”
“I know,” Aidan said, his voice low. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been focused on this investigation.”
“Yeah,” she replied with a scoff, “I’ve noticed. Look at your leg. And the bruising on your neck. You could have died today.”
“But I’m fine,” he told her.
She shook her head firmly. “No. You are not fine. We are not fine.”
“Cheyenne, I’m only trying to do my job,” Aidan snapped. “I’ve gotten hurt before. This isn't anything different. We came out all right then. We’ll be fine now.”
“This has nothing to do with you getting hurt, and you know it,” Cheyenne hissed. “You think I don’t realize you’ve been sneaking out of bed to look at your files in the kitchen? You do that every single night, and I can’t take it any longer.”
“I know it’s been tough. But I promise I’m managing it.”
“That’s what you said last time. But you’re obsessed. This investigation? It’s going to destroy you.”
“Come on, Cheyenne,” Aidan pleaded. “What am I going to have to do to show you I’m fine?”
She hesitated. He couldn’t tell whether or not she was going to answer.
Finally, she said, “Leave your files at work.”
Aidan gaped at her, but soon realized she wasn’t kidding.
“What?”
“You heard me,” she repeated. “I don't want to see it in your hands. When you're not at the office or with Shaun on duty, I don't want you to even glance at the folders.”
“Listen—”
“No, you listen,” she growled, jabbing her finger at him. Her eyes clouded with a mixture of fury and worry. “I cannot watch you waste away. At least if I know a part of what’s hurting you isn't near us, I can control it.”
Aidan considered protesting again but thought against it.
“Fine,” he agreed. “I'll leave it at the office from now on. I don’t care. I want you to be happy.”
She swallowed, and then pushed out a heavy breath before turning to leave the room.
Aidan wasn’t fine with her giving an ultimatum. But he knew he didn’t really have much of a choice. She was coming close to asking him to choose her or his career. Aidan realized he needed to do something to show her he really did love her.
But he had a nagging feeling this wasn’t the end.
He thought about Shaun and his wife, how he chose his career over the woman he loved.
Aidan couldn’t help but wonder, would he do the same thing?
Or would he choose Cheyenne?
Aidan closed his eyes in hopes of sleep allowing his concerns to fall away.
As usual, The Carnations Killer victims occupied his dreams and this time, he heard Cheyenne’s
