No One But You (Silver Springs #2)(107)

“Yeah,” she said and surprised him by kissing him—deeply and with far more passion than he would’ve expected in public.

“He deserves that,” he whispered, trying not to laugh.

“I didn’t do it for him,” she said.

He framed her face with his hands. “Good. Just stay focused on me.”

Sly trailed them around The Blue Suede Shoe from that moment on. If they went to sit down, he followed as far as the bar and stood with his hand resting on the butt of his firearm as if to suggest he had the ability to enforce whatever he wanted. If they danced, he leaned against the wall as close as he could get, wearing a menacing frown.

Whenever Dawson caught his eye, Dawson grinned as if he wasn’t bothered at all. He knew that was probably going too far, but he couldn’t help it. What gave Sly the idea that even a police officer could act the way he was acting?

When it came close to eight—time for the meeting at the station, according to what Chief Thomas had told Dawson—Sly left, as expected, and, shortly after, Dawson guided Sadie out to his truck. “Let’s get home while we’ve got the chance,” he said. He was eager for Chief Thomas to show up so they could explain what Sly had been doing and, hopefully, put an end to it. But just as they pulled into their drive, he received a text message from Thomas.

Something has come up. I’m not going to be able to make it tonight. Will call you tomorrow.

*

Sly couldn’t believe it. He sat in the police chief’s office, stunned, as Thomas railed at him. Only the chief wasn’t yelling loudly. He was speaking in a harsh but low voice so that the other officers milling about the station couldn’t hear. His wish for secrecy, more than anything else, told Sly that he was really in trouble this time. Usually, Thomas didn’t hesitate to scream regardless of who was around. “I told you not to go anywhere near that farmhouse!”

“I haven’t!”

“Stop saying that. Do you think I’m an idiot? You’re lying, and I know it!”

“I’m not lying!”

He opened a folder and slapped some pictures on the desk. “Then what the hell are these?”

Sly pulled them closer so that he could take a look. There were no landmarks in the photos, just an up-close shot of some tire impressions in brown dirt. He didn’t recognize their significance until he noticed the water pump in one corner. “Oh shit,” he mumbled, covering his face before Chief Thomas could say any more.

“Those tire tracks match the brand of tires on our cruisers,” he said. “I checked.”

That meant any cruiser could’ve made those tracks. These pictures weren’t good enough to show the small imperfections that set his tires apart from all the rest. But Sly knew better than to make that argument. He’d lose all credibility if he tried.

“You’re a police officer, for God’s sake,” his chief went on. “What are you doing stalking your ex-wife?”

Sly shot to his feet. “She’s not my ex!”

“Only because you won’t let her go. What’s the matter with you?”

“Nothing’s the matter with me! I’m trying to protect her, that’s all. I’m terrified that he’s going to hurt her. He’s a murderer!”

“We’ve been over this. She has the right to stay with anyone she wants.”

“The cop in me agrees. But the man behind the badge? How do you think I’d feel if she were to wind up like the Reeds? And what about my child? Jayden lives out on that farm, too. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t be hanging around in case of trouble if it were your wife and child.”

Thomas rubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll be honest, Sly. That’s the only reason we’re sitting here. Dawson and Sadie set up a little trap for you tonight. They asked me to come out there, to be waiting for you when you showed up at this particular spot.” He tapped the pictures. “But I couldn’t do it. You know why? Because if I caught you out there, I’d have to suspend you for disobeying my direct orders. Instead, being the nice guy that I am, I’ve decided to give you one more chance to remain on the force. Do you hear me? I understand that you care about Sadie and Jayden, so much that losing them is making you a little crazy. But you can’t break the law and expect to keep your job. Stay away from the Reed farm. This is your final warning.”

Sly bowed his head as if he was taking every word to heart. “I will. I swear. Thank you.”

“I mean it,” Thomas reiterated as Sly headed for the door. “This is your last chance.”

Hunching his shoulders as if he’d been sufficiently berated and felt terrible for the trouble he’d caused, Sly nodded again. But as soon as he was free of the station, he straightened. He’d never been more livid in his life, never more determined. Sadie and Dawson would not make a fool of him. He wouldn’t take his cruiser back to where he’d parked it before. But he would go to the farm, and he’d do what he should’ve done already: prove—at least to everyone else—that he’d been right about Dawson Reed all along.

The fact that Jayden was with Petra tonight gave him the perfect opportunity.





28


Sadie couldn’t believe that Chief Thomas had canceled on them, especially at the last minute. Obviously, he didn’t believe Sly was a real threat. No one did. They saw his uniform and his badge and judged only by that; with Dawson, they saw the media reports and did the same. But how could Chief Thomas not see the reality? He’d witnessed Sly’s behavior around her. She’d gotten the impression he was on her side during their visit to Sly’s house.