A Deep and Dark December(10)
By the time he started for his car, she was shaking in outrage… or was she shivering? Damn. He should have turned the heater on for her.
He pulled the car door open and got in. “Sorry. Didn’t think it would take that long.”
“Sur-r-r-re.”
He turned the key and cranked the heater up. “No. Really.”
“You c-c-could have l-l-least given me a b-b-blanket.”
“Ah, no. I couldn’t. Evidence transfer and all.”
She whispered something under her breath and glared out the window.
“What was that?”
“Ass-s-s-hole.”
“How ladylike and dainty you are.”
“F-f-f*ck off.”
“Original and clever, too. You should be feeling the heat now.”
Her furious gaze met his in the rearview mirror. “Like you c-c-care.”
He stretched his arm across the passenger seat so he could look backwards as he reversed the car. “Actually I do. Some evidence can be destroyed or damaged if it’s subjected to frigid temperatures.”
She made a frustrated noise and kicked the divider that separated the rows of seats.
He stifled a laugh. “Watch it. I wouldn’t want to have to arrest you for destroying city property.”
Her flushed cheeks puffed in and out and she shot him the bird with both hands. He shifted his gaze from the rearview mirror to the road, pretending he hadn’t seen her gesture, and resisted the urge to make a crack about how he’d like to take her up on her offer. He drove past the crowd of gawkers as quickly as possible, wanting to shield Erin as much as possible. It was probably a wasted effort. The first arrivals would have filled in the newcomers and so on in a twisted game of small town Telephone.
“Give me your aunt’s number and I’ll call her so she can meet us at the station with a change of clothes for you.”
“She already knows-s-s.”
“You didn’t call her, did you? I should have confiscated your cell phone. I didn’t want you talking to anyone before giving your statement.”
“I don’t have to call her for her to know.”
Graham shifted in his seat and adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. He’d never believed the rumors about Cerie December being some kind of clairvoyant. Talk like that in a small town was usually that—just talk. People said all kinds of shit to further their own agendas or to be plain old mean. He should know. The town’s opinion of him wasn’t anywhere near accurate. He wasn’t now nor would he ever be the golden boy returned.
“Give me her number.” He punched it in his cell phone as she rattled it off.
“Hello, Sheriff.” Erin’s Aunt Cerie answered before the first ring. “How’s your father?”
“Well, thank you. I’m calling because Erin needs you to—”
“Bring her a change of clothes. Yes, I know. I’m at the station. Waiting.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Tell her that I’ve brought her a Thermos of tea as well. She’s so cold I’m shivering.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And Graham?”
“Yes?”
“I have faith in you.” Cerie hung up before Graham could respond. What the hell did that mean?
“Told you,” Erin said, her voice stronger.
Graham thumbed the End button on his phone, unsettled by his conversation with Cerie. Not because of the supposed psychic thing… oh, hell, who was he kidding? The woman was sweet, but that conversation creeped the shit out of him.
It was the way she’d said her parting remark that threw him. She had faith in him. Did that mean others didn’t? Had she picked up on something he hadn’t? He couldn’t ask her without giving away his own doubts. Had he missed something at the scene? Should he have stayed until the investigators arrived?
No. He refused to believe that. It was being back in this damned town. He’d never second-guessed himself in L.A. Well, almost never. He’d never let a crazy supposed psychic like Cerie December get to him, that’s for sure. He’d run cases on his own before. Had closed a good portion of them, a better than average portion of them.
He knew what he was doing, damn it.
“Mabel would have told her what happened,” Erin said, breaking into his thoughts. “That I was involved. Plus Aunt Cerie took my car this morning because hers is on the fritz so she knew I would’ve walked to Greg’s house from the office. And then the rain came faster and harder than the weather announcer had said it would. Hence the dry clothes.”
“Are you telling me your aunt’s not really psychic? If that’s the case, she shouldn’t be taking money from people for her ‘readings.’ That’s fraud.”
“She’s smart and psychic. Not to mention best friends with your dispatcher who uses her head set as a megaphone.”
“Can’t defend that.”
“You can turn the heat down. I’m warmer now and you’re probably burning up.”
He was sweating his balls off. “I’m okay.”
The uncomfortable silence grew into a solid mass between them. If they weren’t exchanging barbs, he hardly knew how to talk to her. He stole looks at her in the rear view mirror, flicking his gaze over the parts of her he could see. He didn’t want to get caught staring.