No One But You (Silver Springs #2)(57)

“I won’t stand for you, of all people, to ruin my life,” he growled to Dawson and stomped out and slammed the door.

“Forgive Officer Harris,” Chief Thomas said. “He’s an...impassioned person, but he means well.”

“Does he?” Dawson challenged.

Chief Thomas looked him up and down. “He’s never been tried for murder.”

“Well, if you do your job, he’ll soon be tried for arson,” Dawson said. “Or, since two people were in that house when he set the blaze, I’m thinking the charge could be attempted murder, which isn’t too far off.”

Thomas dropped the feigned politeness he’d exhibited so far. “You’d better watch yourself, son,” he said. “I don’t take accusations against my officers lightly.”

“He’s not the one making the accusation,” Sadie said. “I am.”

Thomas studied her more carefully. “You need to be careful, too, Sadie. You’re talking about your husband.”

Her chest lifted as she drew a deep breath. “I’m talking about my ex-husband, the person who’s been stalking me for months.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Chief Thomas said, “If he’s been stalking you for months, why is this the first time I’ve heard about it?”

“I was afraid of what he might do if I reported him. The divorce isn’t final. We’re still fighting over money and custody issues. I knew lodging a complaint against him would only make matters worse. So I tried to convince myself that if I could keep the peace long enough, we’d eventually wade through the divorce and he’d move on, find someone else. I never dreamed the opposite would occur. That he’d only get more fixated on me. That the behavior would escalate. That he’d go so far as to burn me out of my house!”

“These are serious allegations,” Thomas said. “Are you sure you want to make them?”

“I have a little boy to protect, and I may have lost everything I own tonight. I don’t need any more trouble, so I don’t do this lightly. I’m afraid of Sly, Chief Thomas. I need you to know that. I’m not saying I know he’s guilty of setting my house on fire. But I am saying my gut tells me he did it, so please don’t let him be the one to investigate.”

Chief Thomas rubbed his chin for several seconds before responding. “This puts me in a very difficult situation.”

“Because you’re his boss?”

“That and I can’t believe he’d ever go so far as to commit arson. Sure, he acted up a bit tonight. But it’s killing him to lose you. And he’s worried. He feels as if his wife and son are out here alone with a man who hacked his own parents to death. How do you expect him to react?”

Sadie seemed so weary when she answered. “As I keep saying, I’m his ex-wife. That means I can stay where I want. And if he really cared about his son, he’d—” she caught herself and finished with what Dawson figured was a broader statement than she’d originally intended ”—treat us both differently.”

The police chief studied her. “It’s been a hell of a night.”

“That’s why I’m hoping you’ll honor this one request,” she said.

“Dawson has an ax to grind when it comes to the department,” Thomas said. “You realize that.”

“I do. But from what I’ve seen, he’s got good reason.”

The police chief stiffened. “That won’t help, teaming up with a suspected murderer against all the rest of us law-abiding citizens. Now you’re giving Sly some credibility.”

“I have a right to my opinion. Dawson was found innocent. That means, in the eyes of the law, he has the same rights as the rest of us. I think it’s time we consider him innocent until proven guilty.”

“Fine. I’ll put someone else on it,” Thomas snapped and stalked out.

Dawson shoved his hands into his pockets as Sadie closed the door. “Do you think whoever he asks to investigate the fire will be impartial enough to do a decent job?”

“I doubt it. Sly is friends with everyone on the force. He’ll be doing everything he can to poison the minds of those working the case. And let’s face it—even if that weren’t true, the police would rather villainize you than him.”

She seemed so wiped out Dawson couldn’t help feeling sorry for her. He understood that kind of weariness; he’d experienced it. “You shouldn’t have sided with me.”

When she said nothing, simply moved to the window and looked out, presumably at the taillights of the squad car Chief Thomas and Sly were in, Dawson added, “So why’d you do it?”

“I believe you’re innocent,” she said without turning. “That means I had to say it. What kind of person would I be if I didn’t?”

“That’s not a popular position here in Silver Springs.”

Closing her eyes, she pressed her forehead to the glass. “Oh well.” She straightened again. “Sometimes, the truth is just the truth.”

He wished he could touch her. He’d had plenty of sexual thoughts where she was concerned, but this was more about comfort. “If Sly set that fire, he could be capable of almost anything. So if it makes any difference, I think you did the right thing telling Thomas about him.”