Hold Me Close (Ryker Falls #5) - Wendy Vella Page 0,63
being paranoid. Why would he do all this,” she waved a hand around at the destruction, “just to take a note?”
“What if in some way it is connected to Simon Linbar?” Joe asked.
“How?” Maggie demanded.
“I don’t know how.”
“Or this A.J. never left his wife and this L. never left her man, and maybe they live in town and the thought of being identified is terrifying them,” Fin added.
“That’s speculation and nothing is proved without facts,” Chief Blake said. “I’ve shown the wallet to Noel Linbar and he said it was not Simon’s, so my thoughts are that counts him out.”
“People buy new wallets all the time,” Joe said.
“Mine’s five years old,” Chief Blake said. “Now I’m heading to see Joan. You think of anything or you need me, you call, Maggie. And remember what I said, you put it about you’ve given up looking for the writer of the handwriting.” He then left, leaving her with a head full of thoughts, none of them good.
“I’ll call Dylan, and he can fix the door,” Joe said, pulling out his cell phone.
“I think this is all just speculation, and nothing will come of it, Fin. There is no need to think I’m in danger.”
“So what? Let’s just take the risk you’re right?”
“Yes.”
“You being a trained professional in this kind of thing, after all?” He’d got to his feet too and looked pissed off, which was how she felt.
“Don’t be a wiseass.”
“Don’t be an idiot.” He stepped closer to her. Maggs refused to back away.
“Go to hell.”
His smile was small. “I’ve done some time there, and I don’t want a return pass.”
“I’m sorry—”
“It’s all right, Maggie.” He kissed her softly. “Let’s clean up the mess, and then we can go through your stock, just to check nothing is damaged or missing.”
She didn’t have the energy to argue with him. When had he been to hell?
Dylan arrived to fix her door; with him came Jack and Luke Trainer.
She’d gone through her inventory, and nothing was missing except the note, which made her feel cold all over again.
“Bastards!” Jack stalked in. He then proceeded to curse colorfully and loudly. Luke slung his arm around Maggs and hugged her. It all made her feel better. She had people in her corner.
“You need to call your family,” Fin said to her.
“I know that, and I will, later. No point in worrying them now.”
“Of course, because let’s face it, we don’t need the support of the people who love us unconditionally in times of stress and pain, now do we?”
His words made her teeth snap together. “I said I’d do it.”
“And yet your track record would suggest otherwise.” Fin was leaning on the broom he’d been using to sweep up the mess.
“Be quiet,” Maggs muttered. She didn’t want to discuss this now. Not with the others here. He’d made her realize she needed to tell those close to her what had happened, but surely now wasn’t that time?
“Care to enlighten us as to what the hell this conversation is about?” Joe said calmly.
Fin shrugged and went back to sweeping. Damn him, he’d made her start thinking about what she’d done. How the people she loved would be devastated to learn she’d not told them about what happened in England. The guilt now sat heavy on her shoulders.
“Someone speak or I’m getting angry,” Joe demand. “I hate when people know shit I don’t, and it’s double when it’s Fin.”
“Not my story to tell.” Fin shot her a look that niggled at Maggs.
“I need to tell my family first.” She wanted to kick him hard in the shins to shut him up. How dare he speak like this when she’d told him what had happened in confidence.
“And still we wait,” Jack said, folding his arms.
“Could be a long one,” Fin muttered.
“All right! Stop getting at me,” she snapped. “This is my life, not yours!”
“And it’s all going so well for you, after all.” Fin bent to pick up some glass.
“I’m going to sit on someone soon,” Jack muttered. “You guys are making my head hurt with all these innuendoes.”
“I was shot, all right!”
Dylan closed the door with a soft click. It was the only noise for several seconds.
“I beg your pardon?” Luke faced her. “What do you mean, shot?”
They all moved together, a wall of male hotness. Had she been having a better day, she’d appreciate it a great deal more. Now they looked like the firing squad, all lined up before her. Faces grim and determined.