Jett Brandau was hovering outside Nate’s office when they arrived. Taking in the sight of Risa coming in behind him, he said, “Boy, you guys timed your arrival perfectly.” He stopped then, looked more carefully from one to the other.
Nate busied himself unlocking the door. “Is there a reason you’re haunting my office?”
Still watching them both, Jett said slowly, “Yeah, I got news. I told you I’d keep you both updated.” He followed them into the office, shot Nate a what-the-hell look.
Nate kept his expression carefully impassive. The man could draw his own conclusions about Risa’s and his simultaneous arrivals. But there was no way he could fail to pick up on the charged current between them. It’d been present all through the breakfast she’d cooked, then barely eaten. Had continued when she’d joined him in the station house lot. Walked with him inside.
Nate had the sinking feeling that he’d been given an opportunity and had failed miserably at it. The hell of it was, he wasn’t quite sure what his failure had been.
That he hadn’t, what, accepted her dreams as fact? As some sort of psychic road map outlining the future of this case? Just the idea summoned incredulity again. He was a man mired in logic. In reason. And dammit, Risa should be, too. She dealt with the same sort of facts and detail that he did himself. Their job required it.
He’d handled things badly back at the house. He could admit that now. Setting his computer case on his desk, he sat down. But for the life of him, he couldn’t see what he could have done differently.
The watch on Eggers had made sense. He’d accepted that readily enough. And she hadn’t mentioned anything else, so why the hell did he feel like he’d just bombed a test?
“You two are balls of joy in the morning.” Jett dropped into a free chair. “Should I have Darrell bring in coffee?”
“He doesn’t work weekends,” Nate responded automatically. Risa still hadn’t said a word. “I heard Morales tell him he wasn’t to let anyone talk him into trading hours either. They all take advantage of him.”
Jett looked crestfallen. “If I’d known that I’d have stopped somewhere for coffee before coming in this morning.” Then shaking off his disappointment, he got to the point. “I spoke to Lloyd Bennett again this morning. The battalion chief at the fire station that responded to Risa’s fire?” At Nate’s impatient nod, he went on. “Apparently the arson investigator isn’t coming up until today, but he started the interviews by phone yesterday afternoon and reviewed the photos last night. He told Bennett this morning that right now he’d qualify the fire as suspicious.”
“When I asked yesterday, Hannah was unsure whether she’d closed the windows that night,” Risa said quietly. “She did seem fairly certain that she hadn’t opened all you reported that were found open. And she flatly denied taking the batteries out of the smoke detectors.”
Nate hadn’t heard that conversation. It must have taken place when he’d been on the phone. But although Risa had seemed to accept what that meant, there still was doubt in his mind.
Or hell. More like hope. He was already distracted by Kristin and Tucker’s disappearance. How the hell was he supposed to concentrate on the case knowing the Cop Killer had Risa in his sights? His nape prickled. That he’d already made one attempt on her life?
Jett was talking again. “You and your mom have a place to stay? Because I know this gal who runs this sweet little bed-and-breakfast just over the line in Montgomery County.” He grinned. “If I send her some business, she just might start talking to me again.”
“Risa’s staying with me.” The brusque pronouncement had both of the others looking at Nate. Jett with surprise, Risa with something a bit more dangerous. He directed his explanation to her. “We’re not going to let this guy get another shot at you.”
“Meaning that a woman on her own is fair game, but one with a big strong man around will scare him off?”
He didn’t trust the sweetness of her tone. Knew her well enough to be certain sarcasm lurked beneath it.
Help arrived from an unexpected quarter. “He’s right,” Jett told her. “Hell, there’s safety in numbers.” To Nate, he said, “But it wouldn’t hurt to double-check your security system. Your smoke detectors.” His expression was sober. “If Risa’s a target, so are you. Hell, maybe anyone affiliated with the investigation is.”