You Betrayed Me (The Cahills #3) - Lisa Jackson Page 0,67

effectively ending the conversation, and even Rivers had to admit they were getting nowhere.

“If you think of anything else, call us,” Mendoza said, picking up her phone. Checking her messages as she scrolled, she stopped and read quickly, then glanced up. “Lab’s finished with your vehicles. They’re at the garage. You can pick them up whenever you want.” She slid the phone into her pocket. “If you need a lift, we’re heading into town.”

Cahill gave a quick shake of his head. “I’ll get a ride on my own.” He was obviously anxious to get rid of them. “What about my phone?”

“It’s been cleared,” Mendoza said. “You can pick it up when you get the truck and SUV. I’ll see that it’s waiting for you.”

“Good.”

“Again, if you remember anything else?” Mendoza slid a card onto his desk.

“Got it.” Cahill ignored the card and headed for the door, the dog at his heels. Mendoza took the hint and followed, as did Rivers, though as he passed Cahill’s desk, he swept a pair of sunglasses off the surface and pocketed them before catching up to Mendoza on the steps. He already had the work gloves, but Cahill was the center of the case, and another one of his personal items couldn’t hurt. That was the reason, Rivers told himself. It couldn’t possibly be because he experienced a rush at lifting the shades.

He reached the others at the foot of the stairs. Cahill walked them out of the building, where snow was beginning to fall again, big, lazy flakes drifting down from a dove-gray sky. As he left them to return to the warmer building, a smaller car pulled into a spot in the gravel lot, a blonde at the wheel.

“Sophia Russo,” Mendoza said as the woman got out of the car and started walking toward the building.

“What do we know about her?” Rivers asked.

“Not enough.” Mendoza watched the blonde hurry through the large door, then head straight to the staircase leading to the offices where James Cahill had headed. “Not nearly enough.”

CHAPTER 21

“For the love of God, James, at least let me drive you,” Sophia said, insistent as she followed James from his office and down the stairs to the shop floor.

“I can handle it.” He didn’t want her involved in his problems, and truthfully, Sophia was getting pushy.

Bobby, who had delivered some Sheetrock and was heading to his truck, fell into step with them as they headed outside.

“You haven’t been out of the hospital that long. I can take care of you,” she insisted.

“No.” James thought for a second about their lovemaking. Tempting, but no.

Bobby pointed a finger at James. “You do what she says for a few days or you’ll find yourself back in the hospital, and we all know how much you liked that.”

“Don’t think so.” James stopped outside the barn door.

“Jesus, man. You look like shit.” Bobby woefully shook his head. “What good do you think you’re doing here with us?”

“I’m fine.”

“It’s just for a few days,” Sophia said, sending Bobby a “butt-out” glare. “Until you’re stronger.”

“I’m going home.”

“Your place is a friggin’ nightmare,” Bobby reminded.

“I’ll go back to the hotel for tonight, then. If and when you can arrange for a crew to help me get my place back in order, I’ll go home.”

“And if you fall down the stairs and break your neck?”

“I won’t do that.” Hiking his collar up around his neck, James started walking toward Bobby’s battered Silverado. “If you want to help, drive me to the police garage. Looks like my Explorer’s finally been released from custody.”

“You’re gonna drive?” Bobby questioned.

“Yes, I’m going to drive.” James was growing more irritated by the second. He’d never liked being bossed around, and now just about everyone he ran into thought they had a better idea about how he should run his life than he did.

Bobby asked, “What about the company truck?”

“Oh, fu—” He stopped himself before he cursed a blue streak, because Knowlton was right. The cops had both the Explorer and the GMC truck. “We’ll make two trips.”

“Or she can help out,” Bobby said, nodding toward Sophia. “I’ll be the lead dog in my truck; you can drive the company rig behind me, and she’ll bring up the rear in the SUV.”

“I don’t need this, Bobby,” James said coolly.

Bobby stopped to light a cigarette, bending his head and cupping the end of his filter tip as the snow fell in fits and starts all around him. “If anything goes wrong, we’re on the scene to