Latent Danger (On the Line #2)(24)

As Zach and Ronan looked on, Shauna pulled him through the information again, bit by bit, looking for inconsistencies. They found none. Even Ryan’s answer to her question about knowing Adrienne was alive added up. He said she’d been passed out, but that she’d rubbed her nose and rolled over on the couch when they were there, like she was sleeping because she drank too much. According to Ryan, she’d been fully clothed, but her shoes had been off.

The interview with Aiden Fleming produced similar results, only his mom facilitated his talking to Shauna with routine threats to pull him from the hockey team if he didn’t cooperate. The stories matched, including the conversation with Mike Davies and Kyle Lawler. Zach would bet those two would support the story as well.

Either the boys were exceptionally good at lying, or they were telling the truth.





Chapter Fifteen





“It could be that the boys are telling the truth,” Ronan said. “Maybe they did drop Sawyer off at ten, but his parents are lying. The parents likely don’t know what that kid is doing once he goes up to his room. They built him his own freaking house out in the backyard. I doubt they keep close tabs.”

“None of you swear.” Shauna said this with a frown, as though she’d only just put the information together and Zach had to laugh. Theirs wasn’t a typical police department in that sense.

“The captain fines us if we do,” answered Cal Rylan, who’d just joined them to brainstorm what they had so far on the case.

Shauna’s eyes swung to Zach. “How do you still afford food and clothes?”

Zach grinned. “Funny woman.” It was true. She was funny. He’d always liked that about her. It was also true that he swore a lot and had paid his captain a hell of a lot of money over the years.

Zach motioned to Cal. “Shauna O’Rourke, meet Cal Rylan. He and his partner, Jarrod Harmon, are the guys that worked the sniper case.”

Shauna shook hands with Cal, and Zach fought the urge to growl at the contact. It didn’t matter that Cal was crazy in love with the agent he’d worked the case with. He and FBI Agent Eve Sands would be married the following year. He still didn’t want Cal touching Shauna.

Shauna looked at Zach. “Did you tell me it’s Cal’s sister who’s dating that journalist?”

Cal answered. “Ray Lansing. I still haven’t come to grips with that one, but he’s making Joyce happy.”

“If anyone deserves it . . .” Ronan said and the others nodded. All except Shauna, who looked at Zach.

“Joyce was the victim of a very violent crime years ago. She didn’t leave the house much until Ray Lansing entered the picture.”

Shauna nodded, but Cal seemed eager to move the topic along.

“What next? You can pressure Sawyer’s parents? See if they admit to lying?” Cal offered.

“My gut says they won’t,” Ronan said and Shauna and Zach both agreed.

Ronan looked at his watch. “You guys grab dinner and I’ll check in with Stephanie. See if she’s come up with anything else for us.”

Zach almost laughed at the look of panic that crossed Shauna’s face when Ronan mentioned going to dinner with Zach.

“I don’t need to eat,” she said.

What she meant was she didn’t need to eat with Zach. Ronan and Cal gave them both an odd look.

Zach took Shauna by the arm and laughed. “You do need to eat, so it might as well be with me,” he murmured as they crossed the room. “Smile and pretend you’re thrilled.”

“Nonsense,” she hissed, glancing around like she hoped no one noticed him leading her out of the room by the arm. No such luck. “You and Ronan can go eat. I can check in with Stephanie.”

“Nope.” Zach was grinning now. He couldn’t really have helped it if he tried. She was really going to dig in her heels and refuse to go with him. “We’ll just grab takeout and bring it back. You don’t have to look so damned panicked. Did you really think Ronan would send us out to a four-course meal in the middle of a murder investigation?” He pressed the elevator button as she wrenched her arm free of his hold and glared at him.

He smiled back.

If there were any words to her grumbling, he couldn’t make them out. She kept it up, though, all the way down the street to the diner, where they ordered takeout for the team.

Zach knew from experience he didn’t have much time while they waited for their food. The diner owners and wait staff all put any order from the NHPD ahead of the line, whether it was an order for them to eat there or to-go.

“Let’s grab coffee while we wait,” he said, gesturing to a booth. He gave a nod to the hostess who’d gone to sit at the counter and she gave a tip of the head to indicate they could sit where he’d led Shauna.

Shauna dug in her heels. “We should just take our food and go.”

He gave her a look that dared her to sit. Shauna was never one to refuse a dare, even if it wasn’t a spoken one.

She sat.

It didn’t take a minute for two cups of hot coffee and a dish of creamers to arrive.

“Tell me about your world,” he said. Neither of them poured any cream or sugar into their cups. He took a sip, but Shauna wrapped her hands around the mug, seeming to draw on its warmth.