Once she was sat behind the wheel, Caitlin rolled down her window. “Good day, Mrs. Sullivan,” she said before peeling away.
And if she got a little pleasure from causing the outsider to stumble back onto the path, well, she was only human.
18
Tess waited until the rear bumper of Sheriff De Angelis’s cruiser faded from sight. Only then, when she was sure she was alone, did she wipe her sweaty hands on the side of her jeans. That was too close for comfort.
Exhaust lingered in the thick autumn air. She coughed, hoping that she didn’t carry the acrid stench with her as she hurriedly crossed the street. Pausing only to run her trembling fingers through the soft waves of her hair, she forced herself to head straight for the front door.
Though she knew she shouldn’t and every impulse screamed at her to run back to Ophelia and hide, she braced herself and knocked.
When no one answered, she told herself that she would knock once more and if the door stayed shut, she would leave. She knocked, and was just stepping down when she heard the soft creak of the door pulling in. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Lucas De Angelis leaning against the doorjamb, a small smile flirting on his lips.
“Tessa, what a pleasant surprise.”
At least someone was glad to see her.
Concern flashed across his flawless features in the next instant. Stepping out of the doorway, he leaned over Tessa, bracing her with his hand on her shoulder. “You look shaky. Something wrong?”
She probably should’ve calmed down some more before she went to the door. How could she expect a doctor not to notice her nerves?
“I’m alright. It’s just… I had a run-in with the sheriff a few seconds ago.”
Lucas let her words sink in. Because Hamlet was Hamlet, it was inevitable that their breakfast at the coffeehouse would get back to Caity eventually. He’d been prepared for her reaction. It never occurred to him that he should probably warn Tessa what she was getting into by speaking to him in plain sight.
He closed his eyes, shook his head. That woman would be the death of him. Resigned, he asked, “She say something out of line?”
Tessa’s shrug was an answer in itself. “What was she doing here?”
“She’s working tirelessly on your husband’s case,” Lucas said, and it was the truth. Well, a truth. “She had some more follow-up on it for me.”
“She’s looking at me. She thinks I'm responsible. I know it.”
His hand was still on her shoulder. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. “You have nothing to worry about.”
She opened her mouth to tell him that he was wrong, then closed her jaw with a snap. No worries? Yeah, right. Jack was dead and his murderer was still at large.
Whatever their intentions, someone took the time to create a threatening note and leave it under her door.
The sheriff thought she was guilty.
The doctor’s ex wouldn't let him go.
And the formerly sweet deputy had left bruises on her skin.
Pulling on her sleeve, hiding the marks from Lucas, Tess wondered if she should warn him about Mason’s strange visit. She ultimately decided against it. She could handle him. She could handle the sheriff, too. So long as she held onto the fact that she didn’t strangle her husband, no one could accuse her of anything.
They would never to be able to prove otherwise for the simple fact that she didn’t do it.
“Look, let’s not talk about Caity. Let’s talk about you. What are you doing here?”
Left unsaid was how he had dropped her off outside of Ophelia less than six hours ago. What could she have to say to him that couldn’t have been said earlier? Especially now that Caity had caught on to the fact that was some sort of… relationship budding between the two of them, the doctor and the outsider.
First brunch, now Tessa was visiting him at his office. It was like waving a red flag before a bull. It was dangerous to antagonize the sheriff. Even Lucas had to admit that.
Tessa already believed Caitlin had it out for her. If she wasn’t careful, that might turn out to be truer than she expected.
“It’s been three days,” she said imploringly. “After last night… I just want to know what’s going on. When will I be able to leave? Is she any closer to finding out what happened to Jack? No one will tell me anything.”