No One But You (Silver Springs #2)(56)



“How do you know it wasn’t a settling noise?”

“Because it turned out to be more than a little rustling.”

Dawson couldn’t help studying Sly while Sadie spoke. Her ex wasn’t expressing any concern. Was he too angry to feel concern? Or did he already know what happened—as they suspected?

“What was the sound like?”

“Someone banging on the side of the house. My bedroom window looks out on the back, not the side, but when I got up, I spotted a man standing in the yard looking at me.”

“How close was he?”

“About twenty feet from my window.”

“Did you recognize him?”

She clasped her hands in front of her. “I can’t say for sure. He was tall and slender, I know that.”

“What was he wearing?”

“Jeans and a black sweatshirt.”

“Did you see his face?”

“No, it was too deeply shadowed. He had the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up.”

“What was he doing?”

She lifted Dawson’s sweats so they wouldn’t drag as she walked over to the chair across from the couch. “Just standing there, staring at me,” she said as she perched on the edge of it.

“Did he come any closer? Yell anything? Make any gestures?”

“No. Once he saw me looking at him, he just turned, hopped the fence and ran down the alley.”

“What kind of shoes was he wearing?”

“I didn’t notice,” she replied. “I was so freaked out to have a man in my yard in the middle of the night, especially a man in a black hoodie, that I panicked and nearly screamed. I was just trying to get a grip and calm down when I smelled smoke and realized the house was on fire.”

“You’re convinced it was the man you saw who started the fire?”

“Who else could it be? The fire started on that side—the side where I’d also heard the rustling and banging.”

“I see.” He took a moment to jot that down. Then he said, “Do you have any known enemies? Anyone who might have a grudge against you or wish you harm?”

Again, Dawson could see her deliberating on whether or not to voice her suspicions, but habit—and fear—got in the way.

“She has no enemies,” Sly said, speaking for her. “Like I told you on the way over, I’d know if there was someone she didn’t get along with. Whoever set that fire has to be this guy right here.” He pointed at Dawson. “He’s the only thing that’s changed in this town over the past couple of weeks. And we already know what he’s capable of.”

Dawson wasn’t surprised by the accusation; he’d been anticipating it. Now that he was out of jail, he was the town bogeyman. Even Sadie had tried to keep him away from the fire, knowing he’d likely get blamed if someone saw him at the scene. “And what would be my motivation for that?” he asked calmly.

“Maybe you like her. Maybe letting her move out here under the guise of trying to help her is your way of getting her into your bed.”

Sadie started to say something, but Dawson overrode her. “Sadie’s my employee,” he said. “There’s nothing more between us.”

“Let’s face it,” Sly said. “You didn’t like the way I reacted to her working here, so you did it to get the best of me.”

Dawson chuckled at that. “Nice try. I admit I have no affinity for you. But this time I do have an airtight alibi. I was at the bar when the fire broke out and didn’t drive to Sadie’s until she called me. Several people saw me, one of whom was the bartender. I paid my bill after she called. The fire was already going by then.”

“No one’s accusing you,” Chief Thomas said. “Officer Harris is going through an emotional time right now, but he will behave more professionally in the future, right, Officer Harris?”

Sly’s nostrils flared, but his boss glared at him until he recited the desired answer. “Yes.”

“Because we don’t jump to conclusions,” Thomas explained, speaking mostly to Sly as if he were talking to a recalcitrant child. “We’re police officers, which means we investigate and go where the leads take us.”

“What if those leads take you to one of your own?” Dawson asked.

Sadie stiffened at his words. Dawson could sense her tension. But he kept his gaze riveted on Sly. If Sly could throw accusations around, so could he. Maybe it would get Sly to state what he’d been doing when the fire broke out—if he had a solid alibi.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sly jumped to his feet.

“I had nothing to gain by burning Sadie out,” Dawson replied. “You, on the other hand, have been trying desperately to get her to come back to you.”

“How dare you!” Sly charged toward him, but once again Chief Thomas intercepted by jumping up and grabbing the back of his shirt.

“If you value your job, you’ll sit down and shut up!” he snapped. “I only brought you here out of respect for your connection to Sadie. So if you can’t control your temper, I’ll send you to the car, and you can wait there until I come fire your ass. Do you understand?”

Sly’s face flushed red. It galled him to take a dressing-down in their presence. He knew how powerless it made him look, and being perceived as powerful and important, being admired, was what he loved most. Dawson didn’t know him well, but he was willing to bet on that.

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