Isenberg’s brows lifted in question. ‘How did you know?’
‘You looked sad after checking your phone. The girlfriend. Tiffany. Is she dead?’
Isenberg nodded grimly. ‘I got the text along with a number to call. The lead investigator’s a Detective Reagan. We’ll call him from my office.’
Thirteen
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Sunday 20 December, 4.50 A.M.
Don’t look. Don’t touch. Don’t lean. Meredith chanted to herself as she walked to the lieutenant’s office between Adam and Isenberg. He was close enough that she could smell the soap he’d used in her shower.
Soap she’d smelled up close and personal as she’d finally touched all that beautiful skin, soft, warm, and wet. And you are not going to think about that now. She needed to think about serious things. Sober things.
It means that I’m an alcoholic. Her breath caught in her throat and she had to force herself to inhale. Yes. Serious things like that. She exhaled quietly and turned her attention to Isenberg, whose jaw was set in an angry line.
‘Did you believe Shane?’ she asked. ‘About the murder that Andy Gold committed?’
‘Yes,’ Isenberg said. ‘I’ll check the details, but my gut says Shane’s telling the truth.’
‘And you have to report this to the Indianapolis DA,’ Meredith said sadly.
‘Yes,’ Isenberg bit out. She said nothing for thirty seconds, continuing her ground-eating pace that had Meredith nearly skipping to keep up. ‘And I don’t want to.’
Meredith could feel furious regret pulsing off the older woman in waves. She knew Lynda Isenberg had a good, loyal heart under the armor – physical and emotional – that she wore. The woman’s reluctance to see Shane punished further underscored her opinion and she was glad that Isenberg was Adam’s boss.
Did Isenberg know about Adam’s alcoholism? Did anyone know? If any of their friends did, they’d been incredibly discreet, and that was not a normal trait of their group.
‘Will Shane face any charges?’ she asked Isenberg.
‘I don’t know. I hope not. I’ll do my best to keep that from happening.’ The lieutenant unlocked her office door, blocking the path when Meredith started to follow them inside. ‘Kimble and I are going to Skype with Chicago. You’ll need to wait out here.’
Meredith blinked. ‘Oh, right,’ she murmured, her cheeks heating. ‘I forgot that I’m the target.’ And the reason that Andy Gold is dead. ‘I’m so used to being the consultant.’
‘Thanks,’ Isenberg said, her expression softening.
‘Sit there.’ Adam pointed at the desk closest to the window that allowed Isenberg to see the bullpen, the blinds currently drawn. ‘Where we can see you.’
There was no softness in his expression. No indication that an hour before he’d kissed her so tenderly she’d wanted to weep.
He’s a very good actor. He had to have been, to keep his struggle for sobriety a secret among their circle of nosy friends. She’d do well to remember that.
‘Meredith?’
Meredith looked up to see Jeff Triplett striding across the room. He was wearing the same suit he’d had on when he’d stopped by her house the evening before. ‘Hey, Trip,’ she said wearily. ‘You didn’t get to go home either?’
‘Unfortunately, no. Got a call from the lab. What are you doing here?’
Meredith looked around. There were a few detectives at their desks and she wasn’t sure what she was allowed to say in front of them. ‘You should probably ask Adam and the lieutenant.’ She pointed to the office window. ‘They’re making a call.’
He hesitated a moment, hooking a finger under her chin, lifting her gaze to his. She had to tilt her head way back because the man was huge. ‘You get any sleep at all today?’
‘A little,’ she lied.
He let her go with a snort. ‘You are an amazing liar.’
‘It’s my X-Man skill,’ she said lightly. ‘I’ll sleep later. They’re taking me to a safe house. My grandfather too.’
‘I know. Zimmerman emailed your guard roster to everyone on the case.’
Meredith was caught between being touched and freaked. ‘I have a guard roster?’ She should have known she’d be under guard at a safe house, but still. A roster? ‘Really?’
‘Until we figure out how all the pieces connect, you’re the key right now.’ He flashed a smile that made women swoon. Especially Kendra, she thought dryly. ‘Kate is on tonight and Troy is on tomorrow. They made it known that they really wanted the duty.’
Meredith smiled back at him, relieved. ‘That’s good to know. I’ll be able to sleep with them on watch.’ Kate had become one of her very best friends in the short time they’d known each other, and Kate’s partner, Agent Luther Troy, was a very kind man. Older than the rest of them, he tended to skirt the edge of their circle. ‘Troy always seems lonely. I’ll have to use this opportunity to work on him, so he starts accepting our invitations.’
Trip’s smile became sweet, making her heart melt a little. Oh, Kenny, you are going to have your hands full with this one.
‘You do that,’ he said. ‘He’s all like Uncle Luther this and that, and acting like a cross between Yoda and Charles Xavier, but he’s too alone.’ He looked over at the window, where Adam still stood, watching them. ‘I need to get in there. I’ll see you in a bit.’
‘I’m not leaving this chair. His highness in there has commanded it so.’ She thought he’d laugh, but he nodded with all seriousness.
‘Good. We need to be able to watch over you.’
He went into the office and Meredith sighed. She didn’t want to be watched over like the children she treated, but these circumstances were not normal by any stretch of the imagination and she did not consider herself to be a foolish woman. So sit she would.
She pulled out her phone and fiddled with it, wishing she could knit like Kate. Wishing she’d brought something to read or even to color. Her hands were fidgety.
Her whole body was fidgety. I’m tired. But way too wired to sleep. It was a bad combination, she knew. Especially when you forget your meds. Idiot.
She’d been so rattled as she’d packed. She’d tried to look calm for Adam’s sake, but . . . God. Four people had died in that fire. A family. A baby in a crib. Dead because someone wants to kill me. She’d thought she’d been efficient, focusing on packing, but she’d obviously failed. She never forgot her meds and now was not the time to miss a dose.
Maybe Adam will take me back to my house so I can get . . . No, she thought. She wouldn’t ask him to do that. He was exhausted and would need to sleep, at least a little. Going straight to the safe house made the most sense.
Meredith desperately wanted to be sensible, even when everything else was upside down and crazy, so she sent a text to Kate. Did you leave my house yet?
The reply came less than a second later. Yes. Arrived @ SH. Why?
They’d already arrived at the safe house. Meredith sighed. I forgot something. She was considering asking Kate to go back when her phone buzzed with a reply.
I cleaned out ur medicine cabinet. Dumped it all in a bag. Was in a rush so I didn’t bother to check all the labels. Some of the stuff might be expired. Okay?
Meredith breathed out a sigh of relief. Thx. Hoping to be there soon. Papa ok?
Fine. Playing games w/Diesel who doesn’t want to leave. Think u have a new cousin cuz Clarke has adopted him.
That settled something within her and she let out the first easy breath in hours. Diesel needed her grandfather. Maybe as much as I do, she thought.
Her phone buzzed again. Also . . . got your . . . stuff from ur safe.
Meredith’s eyes widened. Her guns. Shit. Now she was wondering what exactly she had packed. Hopefully her toothbrush, at least. How did you know code?
Clarke. He says you must change code ASAP.