“I don’t know. Not for sure.” June tapped two fingers against the tabletop. “I’m going to text Gary tomorrow and ask.”
“Gary?”
“Detective with Lakewood PD.” Her expression softened. “He was also a neighbor when I was a kid. Back in the day, I think he was sweet on my sister. Nothing happened there. He was too shy to make a move, and then, well, she was gone.”
“How did you get hooked up with him again?”
“I don’t think his wife would appreciate the term ‘hooked up.’” June’s lips twitched. “Especially since our relationship is purely a business thing. My sister’s case is considered cold. After so many years, the odds of finding who hit her aren’t high enough for the police department to devote more time and resources to the case. Gary has agreed to do what he can on his own time to help me.”
“Out of respect for your sister.”
June nodded. “He also knows my parents. His family lived next door. They still do.”
“We had neighbors like that when we lived in Silver Creek.” Cameron was unprepared for the flood of warm memories that sluiced through him. “They’d have done anything for my family.”
“That’s right.” June sat back. “You mentioned you moved to Denver from there when you were in high school.”
“Right before freshman year.” Cameron shook his head. “Talk about culture shock.”
“It couldn’t have been that bad,” she teased.
“Worse.” Cameron chuckled. “I might not have survived if not for my brothers and Anson.”
“You and he go way back.”
“He was my first friend in Denver.” A distant look filled Cameron’s eye, as if he was looking back.
Remembering what? June wondered. The parties they’d attended? The times they’d driven while impaired?
June opened her mouth, finally ready to circle the conversation back to the parties, when Cameron abruptly pushed back his chair and stood, holding out a hand to her. “The band is starting up. Let’s check it out.”
For a second, June simply stared at his outstretched hand.
Was Cameron avoiding her questions to hide something? Or was he not reacting because he knew nothing about the hit-and-run?
Time would tell. Taking his hand, June forced a smile, really hoping it was the latter.
* * *
The area near the band was crowded and loud, filled with a large number of people who’d clearly already had too much to drink.
June didn’t want to end the party early, but after the fourth time someone stepped on one of her sandaled feet, she was done. Now, she had a big wad of chewing gum clinging to the bottom of her shoe.
Leaning close so Cameron could hear her, she grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.”
The quick flash of agreement in his eyes told her he was no more eager to continue this torture than she. Only when they’d exited the crowd did June finally expel the breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“Hold on a second.” She found a stick and, placing a hand on his arm for balance, tried to scrape the stubborn gum off her shoe.
He watched her with a half-smile on his face.
“You wouldn’t be smiling if this was on your shoe.” Finally, she got it off. Tossing the stick aside, she straightened. “Well, that was fun.”
Cameron chuckled. “Tell me how you really feel.”
She wondered suddenly if she’d been mistaken. Had he wanted to stay longer?
“If you want to stay, we could hang out on the fringe so—”