“It was
gone when she went back. I wanted to see it, too, but no one could find it.”
She couldn’t swallow her snort. “Of course it was.”
“Caity, please.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s so convenient. Right? Her husband gets killed. Now someone is warning her about getting out. Jeez, I know there are a few of us who aren’t fond of outsiders. This is a little crazy, though.”
“You still think she did it.”
Caitlin huffed, snapping her notepad shut with a flick of her wrist. “No one said cop work was easy. I'd be bored out of my skull if it was. But, just this once, I wish it was. I wish she did it.”
He pointed at her. “How could she have gotten out of the holding cells?”
“I know, I know. That’s the thing I keep getting back to.” She tucked her notepad back into its pouch on her belt. “Maybe I should rethink keeping her in town. I want to have her nearby until I close her husband’s case, but what good would it be if she ends up joining him on your slab? Good business for you, sure. Bad press for Hamlet. What?” She caught Lucas rolling his eyes. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
He shook his head. “I told you enough.”
That was true. Which begged the question: why hadn’t Mason told her about the note when she'd asked for his report at the station? Better yet, why hadn’t Tessa Sullivan made the report herself?
Good questions, both of them. And questions she had every intention of asking as soon as possible.
“Okay. If that’s how it is, I appreciate your help. Thank you.”
She started to head away from the table, stopped as if struck suddenly by a thought, then spun around. Her hands in her pocket, her green eyes innocent and wide.
“One more thing, Luc.”
He raised his eyebrows at her. He’d been expecting this. The only surprise was that it took Caitlin until now to say something. After their visit to the coffeehouse that morning, he was banking on the gossip mill getting to her before he had to buzz her himself.
It felt good, knowing he was right.
“Yeah?”
“I got a buzz from Addy today. Sally told her she saw you at the coffeehouse this morning. You weren’t alone.” She waited for him to deny it, her mouth tightening when he kept his silence. “I haven't seen you since Sunday,” she added. “It's Tuesday now. It wasn't me.”
“No.” Picking up his clipboard, he started to make notes on Phil’s patient chart. He hoped the blatant brush-off would be enough of a hint for Caity to drop it but, yeah, that was wishful thinking. He'd set this thing up. He knew he'd have to deal with it sooner or later.
“Sally said she was an outsider.”
“Sally should be paying more attention to making the coffee. It was a little burnt.”
“Luc. Lucas. Just tell me one thing. Tell me the outsider wasn’t Sullivan’s wife.”
“We’re not married anymore,” Lucas reminded her. He was going for gentle but her incessant questions always got the better of him and his temper. From the way Caitlin’s guileless expression turned stormy, he missed gentle by a mile. “If I want to take someone out for a cup of coffee, I can. I don’t answer to you, Caity. What I do when I’m off duty is my business, not yours.”
He’d expected open jealousy. The nasty hiss caught him off guard.
“You’re wrong, Lucas.” With a vicious stab, Caitlin jabbed her finger in his direction. “It’s my town,” she sneered. “Everything here is my business.”
Caitlin was just about to open the door to her cruiser when the soft rustling of leaves made her whip her head around. She turned in time to see Tessa Sullivan tiptoe out of the copse of trees. The woman’s head was down, watching each careful step as she slid down the small slope that bordered the cobbled road.
She stepped away from her car. Raising her voice, she called out, “Mrs. Sullivan. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Sullivan jumped, skittish as ever. Her head popped up, wide eyes narrowing right on Caitlin. The sheriff searched for guilt there. All she found was honest surprise.
What a shame.