re. Not yet. Maybe never. The misery of betrayal overshadowed too much. Because she didn’t know what to do with the feelings and doubts, she turned, sagged against the wall, and tossed it all into the lockbox. From behind the barrier of Swain’s back, she watched as Malone cuffed Jeb, Buchanan cuffed Dobie, and Donovan cuffed Kenny. An army of official cruisers entered the lot, lights and sirens blazing through the steady stream of rain, to lock down the scene, to take custody of the plants and other evidence, and to take the suspects away. She stood, drenched to the bone, shivering despite the heat, and let the scene play out. Jeb went in a sheriff’s car. Kenny and Dobie went in a Bluelick PD vehicle. Good. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten to ask about that detail—who would take whom—but Kenny and Dobie didn’t belong in county.
When those cruisers pulled out of the lot, she pushed herself off the wall, brushed her wet hair off her face, and prepared to walk past the barricade of Swain’s body to her car. The dress stuck to her like a second skin. She blinked when someone crossed her path. Hassan extended a hand. “You did good, Brixton. Malone just told me this was your first assignment. You nailed it. Want to pop back inside and get rid of the wires?”
Another detail she’d forgotten. She nodded and followed Hassan inside the pub. They threaded their way past deputies and cops and into the ladies’ room. Hasson removed the camera and microphone in minutes, then stood back and stared at her.
“What?” Eden ran a hand over her hair. “What’s wrong?”
Hassan grinned and shook her head. “I just realized why Swain posted himself in front of you out there, instead of grabbing a suspect and slapping cuffs on.”
Eden frowned. “Why?”
“The rain.” Hassan pointed at her, then shrugged out of her fitted black blazer. “White dress. Rain. It’s a little bit see-through.” She handed Eden her jacket. “You can get it back to me later.”
“Thanks.” She shrugged into the jacket, which was tight across the shoulders, but it covered the essentials. She didn’t look like an overly ambitious contestant in a wet T-shirt contest when she walked back to her car.
Swain was nowhere to be found. Once safely ensconced in her driver’s seat, all those emotions she’d locked away swamped her. Flooded her. She lowered her forehead to the steering wheel and cried.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Fatigue sat heavily on Swain’s shoulders. His head ached. Along with other deputies, he’d spent the better part of the afternoon and evening zigzagging all over the place, picking up Rawley’s named “associates”—they’d rolled all over one another—and transporting them to county lockup. But still, he strolled through the Bluelick PD at ten fifteen, flashed his badge at the personnel on the desk, and asked to go back. They waived him through. No point in rushing home to the cottage. Malone had informed him earlier that Eden intended to pick up her things that evening and preferred to do it without the pleasure of his company.
Fine. She’d scored the win for herself, but maybe facing the fool she’d climbed over to do it strained her straight-arrow sensibilities.
Buchanan’s office was dark, as were most of the doorways along the hall. Through a door at the end, he entered the small area containing two holding cells. Kenny occupied the first. Dobie sat in the second.
He dragged a metal folding chair between the two and set it up.
“Hey guys.” He sat. “You’ve been Mirandized?”
“Hey Swain,” Kenny said, morosely. “Yeah, they read us our rights.”
“So, you’re a cop,” Dobie added, without much malice.
“I’m a sheriff,” he corrected. “Are you choosing to talk to me?” He ought to get the legalities out of the way.
“Why are you here?” Kenny asked.
That amounted to yes. “A few reasons. First, to check on you. Make sure nobody’s rocking on the floor in a fetal position, sucking his thumb.”
Kenny laughed. “We’re fine. My dad’s already been by with the lawyer. We’ll go in front of the judge tomorrow, our parents will post bail, and we’ll be sprung.”
“Where’s Eden?” Dobie interjected. “Is she okay? You guys have to know she didn’t do anything wrong.”
He sighed. Nobody could be this dumb. “Holy shit, guys, she’s a cop. You get that, right? She’s totally fine.”
Kenny bounced up. “She’s a cop?”
“Yeah. Bluelick PD. Salute her when you see her.”
Dobie just stared at the floor. “Eden’s a cop. That was not on my Bingo card.”
“Cop or not, she cares about you both. We’ve been working this op for a while, and she’s been feeling guilty about using you two to get to Jeb. ‘Course we didn’t know it was Jeb at the time, but my point is, she felt guilty. When she comes to see you, go easy on her. She was just doing her job. Understood?”
Kenny nodded. Dobie sat on his bunk, digesting the information. When he looked up, a glint of hope lit his eyes. “So, you and Eden weren’t, like, together? It was all an act?”
Swain offered one firm, negative head shake. “Nobody’s that good an actor. We were together. Are together, as far as I’m concerned, but she’s shut me out, and I don’t know why. That’s the other reason I’m here.” He sat back and propped his ankle on his knee. “I’m thinking you do.”
“Aw, man.” Dobie turned away. “Don’t make me your snitch. Talk to her. If she wants you to know, she’ll tell you. If she doesn’t…” He shrugged. “It’s her call.”