because he didn’t scare me. I’d been in enough scrapes over the years to trust my abilities. It was a time like this where I wished I didn’t wear the shield. A good old fashion kick in the ass would do the pompous bastard good.
As he reached his car, he finally spoke. “Emma’s never going to stay in this town for you. And when she’s gone…” He got into his car and turned it on before I could react. He whipped it around to the other side and sped off.
“You should remind your client of the speed limit laws here in town. I’d hate to have to pull him over on a misdemeanor charge. It wouldn’t go well with his current list of charges,” I said to his lawyer.
In response, the man rolled up his window and drove off. However, I did see him putting his phone to his ear. Unfortunately, Montana didn’t have distracting driving laws, so I couldn’t do anything about the lawyer talking on his phone while driving. Too bad. I really wanted to make my day brighter by writing them both citations.
Not long after, the door opened behind me. Emma asked me what was wrong. I put off the conversation until later. Instead, I followed her to the salon.
I thought she’d park and go in for her appointment, but she surprised me by coming to my vehicle instead.
As she talked, I listened, yet wondered when we wouldn’t hide our feelings for each other in front of the town.
When her eyes dropped to my lips, I said, “Your choice.” I was playing by her rules though I was determined to win.
She leaned in and I met her halfway. The softness of her lips wasn’t lost on me as I was fully aware of every touch that passed between us. She pulled back far too quickly for my liking. Yet, she’d crossed the first barrier we’d been dancing around for weeks.
“My girl has kissed me. I wonder how long before someone asks me about it?” I joked.
It was cute how she nervously glanced around. “I don’t think anyone saw.”
“Maybe not, but now I can kiss you when I want.” It was a promise I hoped she understood.
Then she was walking away, leaving me mesmerized by the sway of her hips. I waited until she was behind the closed door before driving to the station with a smile on my face.
Darcy’s text came as I’d entered through the back and heard yelling from the sheriff’s office. I went past the closed door to see Bess first.
“What the hell is going on here?” That had been clearly heard by anyone in the station.
Bess gave me a sympathetic look before saying, “Sheriff’s back and he’s looking for you.”
I sighed and headed back in that direction. I knocked on the door.
“Is that you, Aiden?” he asked through the door.
“Yes, sir.”
“Get in here,” he bellowed. I pushed the door open as he hung up his desk phone. He gestured with his hand for me close the door. Once it was, he laid into me. “Do you want to tell me why Doug Hawkins grave was dug up?”
I didn’t flinch. “To determine cause of death, sir.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “He died due to a heart attack.”
“The evidence suggests something else.”
“What evidence?” he barked.
I laid it out for him from the missing surveillance video to the videos I’d gotten from the jewelry story and auto body shop.
“That’s not enough to open an investigation,” Sheriff said with a scowl.
“Not after the fact, no. But couple that with the autopsy and we will have what we need.”
“And when the result comes back saying he died of natural causes, then what? You’ve given Emma hope where there’s none.”
“Respectfully, sir, you gave her platitudes. There was enough to rule the death as suspicious when he was found. If you’d done even a little investigation, you would know he wasn’t alone when he died. That was enough to open an investigation.”
“Who was he with?”
“That’s what I intend on figuring out. Give me the go ahead to investigate and I’ll find out.”
He studied me. I was certain he wanted to tell me to move on, but he couldn’t, not anymore. “You don’t have enough to get a judge to sign off on anything.”
“Only because the death certificate says natural causes.”
He pursed his lips. “This isn’t LA,” he ground out.
“That doesn’t mean there aren’t bad people. I know you don’t want to think anyone is town is capable of murder.