Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake, #1)(19)

My stomach churned at the thought of Jensen hearing about my incident. “Please don’t tell her what happened.”

Tessa’s head jerked. “I won’t if you don’t want me to, but don’t you want to go home and have a lie-down?”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “Would you?”

Tessa let out a little laugh. “Probably not.”

I drew in a steadying breath and rose. “Want to show me where the broom is? I need to clean up this mess.”

“Come on, I’ll help.”

We swept up the pieces of glass strewn across the pavement, and my hands only shook a little bit. My heart, though… My heart trembled in my chest for the rest of the day.





11





Walker





My phone buzzed on my desk for what felt like the twentieth time today.

Caitlin: Are you sure you don’t want to come over tonight?

It was like she could sense that I was thinking about ending things. She could feel it and was pulling out all the stops. I’d been the recipient of two-dozen homemade cookies and at least three different picture messages that made my eyes bug out of my head.

I typed out a reply.

Me: I told you, I have plans with my family tonight.

Not so much premeditated plans, more just me mooching a home-cooked meal off my mom. I was making excuses, I knew it. Normally, I would’ve told Caitlin that I’d meet up with her after dinner, but I needed some space. Space and a good night’s sleep if I was going to have the energy for the epic meltdown that was sure to happen when I ended things tomorrow.

Because I was ending things tomorrow. I couldn’t drag this out.

Caitlin: I could come over to your parents’ for dinner.

I cringed. This breakup was going to be bad. Caitlin was a lot of wonderful things: funny, caring, great in bed. But she didn’t always take not getting her way well.

Me: Sorry, just family tonight. But why don’t I come by after work tomorrow.

Caitlin: That would be great! I’ll wear that red number you like.

I dropped my head into my palm.

A knock sounded on my door. “Come in.”

Clark pushed open the door, stepped in, then closed it behind him.

“Hey, Chief. What’s up?”

Clark took a seat in one of the chairs opposite mine across the desk. “We’ve got another missing girl.”

My earlier worries seemed insignificant now. I straightened in my chair. “Another hiker?”

Clark rubbed a hand along his jaw. “No. This is a gal in her twenties from Willow Creek. Her boyfriend reported her missing when she didn’t come home from her shift at the diner in town. Her car was still in the lot. No signs of a struggle. Just vanished.”

“Is it possible she ran off? Another guy?”

“Don’t know. The chief down there didn’t know her well, but they have an even smaller department than we do, and way more citizens to cover. He just called to give us a heads-up and asked us to keep an eye out.”

“You got a picture?”

Clark reached into his pocket and fished out his phone. After tapping a few things on the screen, he handed it to me.

The photo had me sucking in a breath that felt like it was made of glass shards. The woman on the screen looked eerily like Julie. Straight, dark brown hair, deep brown eyes, and rounded cheeks. My heart spasmed. I swallowed against my dry-as-a-desert throat and looked up to meet Clark’s gaze. “I don’t have a lot going on here today. Why don’t I head down there and see what’s what. There might be something else we can do, but at the very least, I can get the full story.”

Clark studied me for a moment, surely weighing his options. “Sure, Walk. That sounds like a good idea.”

I shoved to my feet, my chair rolling back to softly collide with the wall. “You’ll be my first stop when I’m back.”

Clark jerked his chin in affirmation and headed out the door.

Ashlee startled behind the reception desk as I strode through. “Everything okay, Walker?”

I was sure I didn’t have the happiest of looks on my face. But I did my best to soften my expression. “Yeah. I’m heading out. Will you forward all calls to my cell?”

Ashlee’s eyes took on a look of concern, but she nodded. “Of course. Let me know if I can help with anything.”

“Thanks. Will do.” With that, I was gone.





I clenched my fists so hard, it was a wonder I didn’t dislocate a knuckle as I paced the floor in Clark’s office. I’d spent the past three hours doing recon that the Willow Creek Police Department was either stretched too thin or too lazy to do. I leaned towards lazy.

“The boyfriend is a total waste of space. A drunk. Word around town is that she supports him, and he thanks her with his fists.” Rage was coursing through my veins. This guy had a beautiful, kind woman who only wanted his love, and what did he do? Abused her trust and broke her body.

I didn’t know that for sure, but all the pieces led there. “That fucking joke of a PD down there hasn’t done shit. Too stupid or too lazy, sitting around with their thumbs up their asses.”

“Walker, take a breath.”

I scowled at Clark. I didn’t want to take a fucking breath. I wanted to plant my fist in that jackass of a boyfriend’s face. It was a miracle I hadn’t. I clenched and unclenched my fists, trying to slow my breathing.