“What was the protest about?” Ryan tugged out his pad and pencil.
She arched a brow as if surprised that he was taking this lead seriously, but this could all be important. She obviously thought so, and he wanted to know everything.
“Pollution. I don’t know all the details. I think this protest had to do with pesticides used on commercial farms. I haven’t spent a lot of time on that. Not yet.”
No. She had to go to Shady Creek because she’d found something else. “What triggered you to look into that?”
She scrunched her face. “I’ve been reading all her emails to me. I never delete emails, so I started as far back as I could find, searching for any hint of activity that might seem suspicious or indicate danger. She doesn’t always tell me everything, of course, especially these last few years. I’d been—” she shoved back tears “—My job kept me fully occupied.”
Groaning, she rolled her head back and stared at the ceiling and swiped at the tears, clearly frustrated with her emotional state.
His heart kinked. He’d never seen her like this, but then she’d never endured such a tragic loss.
“She mentioned marching in a protest with the environmental group. So I contacted the guy who ran the group. It was clear he knew Sarah, but he didn’t offer me answers. Just said he couldn’t help me. The conversation had a nuance to it that told me he knew something.”
“So you drove out to see him today?”
She nodded. “I had hoped to meet with him, but he’d refused. I figured if I found him and saw him face-to-face, he might be more willing to give me information.”
“And what is this guy’s name?”
“Dee James.”
“Tell me the conversation exactly.” Ryan waited with pen ready.
Tori shared as much as she recalled. On the one hand, the guy could be telling the truth about not knowing anything, but Ryan agreed with Tori. There was the hint of something more and it was worth questioning him.
Going there alone to do that had been a dangerous move on her part, but he pushed down his fury at the situation. Beating her up now wouldn’t serve any purpose. Still, Ryan couldn’t help the admiration that swelled inside at her ability to find a promising lead while he’d only hit dead ends. He simply didn’t have enough investigators to dig so deeply. It would take time.
“Good work, Tori.”
She hung her head. “Look. I know you don’t have the manpower to do this kind of searching. Nor do you have access to communications from Sarah like I do, so please, let me help. I’m sorry... I’m sorry about—”
The kiss.
“It’s not your fault, and I’m sorry, too. Let’s just forget it ever happened and move on.” He was the one to approach her and kiss her, after all. He wouldn’t let her carry the blame.
Arms crossed, she shrugged, her right cheek rubbing against her shoulder. The familiar action brought back a flood of memories. “Listen, are you coming to dinner then?” she asked.
“I think I will.” It would mean he’d know when she was coming back to the bungalow afterward—that way, he could clear her home again before she settled in for the evening. He would also make sure someone watched her home at all times. “If that’s all right with you.”
He half expected a frown, but she offered a tenuous grin. “Only if you promise not to say a word to my parents about what happened today. All they need to know is to remain cautious for their own safety because Sarah was a target, which they already know.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” They might see something on the news channels, but that was in Shady Creek so who knew if it would make the evening news.
Her parents were likely to ask a million questions about the investigation. Maybe eating with them was a bad idea. “Let’s make sure to let them know we don’t want to talk about the investigation and that it’s just a pleasant meal between friends.”
Except if they connected just as friends, without the investigation as a distraction, that would mean dredging up the past and too many memories.
EIGHT
Roast beef, potatoes and carrots had been served and eaten. Oh, and homemade rolls, too. Tori’s mother had outdone herself, but Tori thought the dinner would never end. She had made it clear that she and Ryan didn’t want to discuss the murder investigation.
Besides, she didn’t want to scare them or make them worry more than they already were.
So they’d talked about Sarah. Rehashed old but good memories of life growing up. When the conversation had finally waned, Tori yawned.
That had been a perfect segue into announcing it was time to leave. She and Ryan said their good-nights to her parents. This felt far too much like the good ole days when they had dated and grown serious, and her heart was heavy with memories. Add to that, she’d had a hard time shaking thoughts of the earlier kiss she’d shared with Ryan by the fireplace.
At least she had her own vehicle—she’d insisted on driving it to Mom and Dad’s rather than riding with Ryan. After they left, Ryan followed her back to Sarah’s house in his vehicle. The deputy who had delivered her car remained parked next to the curb. His presence would presumably serve as a deterrent to another break-in or something even more nefarious.
She hoped.
Tori parked in the driveway and waited for Ryan. After parking at the curb he jogged over to her. “Deputy Jackson will stay here and watch your house this evening. He’ll be trading off with another deputy close to midnight. I’m not sure whom yet, but I wanted you to know.”
At her porch, she nodded. “I truly didn’t mean to cause you problems by staying in town. You probably don’t need to waste manpower on me, though I appreciate it. I realize that your investigation would be easier without having to worry about me being
