Camero
n nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on you while you do.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. “Have a good night.”
“You, too.”
She turned away from him, tucking her cell phone back into her purse.“Once a cop, always a cop,” she muttered, heading down Main Street. Being late, sadly, came with the job description.
A few minutes later, she entered the station and was greeted with smiles and waves. Every set of eyes went straight to her belly, telling her they’d all heard the news. But only Doreen, the receptionist, made a move toward her.
Doreen had worked at the station for as long as Kinsley could remember. “Oh, my dear, Kinsley, I heard about yours and Rhett’s exciting news. A baby!” She threw her arms around her tight. “Your father was just beside himself when he told me. How are you feeling?” she asked, leaning away, bright eyed.
“Better every day,” Kinsley answered. It was partly the truth. She’d lost her breakfast immediately after she ate it this morning but then she ate another meal an hour later and was totally fine. Progress.
“Wonderful news,” Doreen said. “You’ll let me know if you need anything at all?”
“Thanks, I will,” Kinsley said with a smile. “I’m actually here to see Rhett. Is it okay if I go back?”
“Not a problem, dear,” Doreen said. Kinsley cupped her hands, looking properly pleased, then gave a quick wave and headed off.
She felt more weight vanish off her shoulders that she didn’t know was there. Everyone who needed to know she was pregnant knew, and everyone seemed happy. Well, Rhett still seemed tense, but things were moving in the right direction. She walked past her father’s empty office and found Rhett sitting behind his desk, his head down as he studied the papers scattered around him.
“You’re late,” she said.
Rhett jerked his head up and glanced at his monitor. “Shit.” He jumped to his feet, guilt raging in his gaze.
“It’s okay,” she reassured him, pointing at herself. “Kid that grew up surrounded by cops, remember?” Rhett looked torn between leaving and finishing whatever he was working on, so she sat in the client chair. “I take it this is my case.” She waved her hand at the papers on his desk.
Rhett nodded, returning to his seat and rubbing his hands over his face. “I got sucked in. Did you walk here alone?”
She nodded, and at his deep frown, she added, “The street is really busy tonight. Perfectly safe. And Cameron’s sitting at the bar in his cruiser. He kept a good eye on me. What have you found out?”
He angled his head, watching her. She knew he couldn’t tell her everything about her case, even if her father was the chief of police. He finally said, “We’re drawing closer to identifying one of the suspects.”
“That’s good,” she said.
He nodded, his gaze sweeping over the documents like he could find all the answers there. “I’ll feel much better once we know the reason why your bar was trashed. The unknown…” Those dark intense eyes met hers again. “It’s an unfavorable position.”
“You’ll figure it out,” she said with a confident smile. “You guys always do.”
He inclined his head then searched through his papers. “Do me a favor, though,” he said, finally handing her a photograph. “If you ever see a guy with this tattoo on his wrist, don’t approach him. Just get somewhere safe, all right?”
Her heart skipped a beat, her hand falling to her belly. His oath to the badge made it impossible for Rhett to disclose direct information about the case, but that sure sounded like a warning. “Is he someone I should be afraid of?”
Rhett’s mouth tightened before he said, “He trashed your bar. Which means he is a threat to you. Promise me you’ll stay away.”
She held his intense stare, which was also oddly filled with a new warmth she saw in him. “Okay, I’ll stay away.”
“Good.” He tidied up his papers and put them in the file, which he then shoved into his desk drawer before locking it. “Want to grab some grub on the way home?”
She’d been thinking about this all day. “Actually, I thought we could grab some fast food and then you can show me what you do for fun.”
He frowned. “Why?”
She rolled her eyes. “Is it really so awful to show me something I don’t know about you?”
“No, it’s not awful at all,” he said, reaching for his winter coat on the back of his chair. “But you’re not going to like what I do for fun.”