The Closer He Gets

“I didn’t mean to suggest it does, ma’am. Truth is, I couldn’t recall his name. That’s all.”

Tess relaxed. “I’m sorry. I’m feeling a little defensive.” A lot, actually. “And tense,” she added. Understatement, anyone?

“Let’s start with you telling me what happened tonight,” he suggested.

Zach stayed silent, letting her describe the terrifying sequence of noises and threats in her own way.

“Deputy Carter wasn’t here when any of this happened?” Officer Parish asked.

“No. I called him because he knows about the other threats. He’s...taken it upon himself to protect me.”

It bothered Tess that she couldn’t tell what Officer Parish was thinking about their relationship. But did it really matter? What the new team of investigators and then the DA thought would matter, but Tess was feeling combative.

She had told Detective Delancy the truth and nothing but the truth. The first time she had ever set eyes on Zach was when she’d seen him leap out of the patrol car and sprint across the lawn toward Hayes in an attempt to prevent him beating Antonio to a bloody pulp. Nobody would be able to prove any different.

Her statement tomorrow when she met with Detective Clayton and his partner from Stimson wouldn’t change. She hadn’t forgotten a single second of the most horrifying scene she’d ever witnessed. She relived it every night.

She stayed inside when the two men went around the side of the house with flashlights to inspect outside her window. Waiting, Tess had the disorienting realization that she had no idea what time it was. Midnight? Four?

She didn’t bother to reach for her phone to check. Even if dawn was hours away, she wouldn’t be going back to bed.

Would she ever feel safe in her own bedroom again? Maybe...maybe she should go stay with Dad for a while. Being afraid to stay in her house would be a good excuse. She could take care of him and he could enjoy feeling protective.

Except...what if someone actually did break in and her father was hurt? Plus, she’d have to tell him what had been happening. The doctors had recommended he avoid stress.

Her current lifestyle definitely couldn’t be described as low-stress, she thought hysterically.

She heard the two men talking as they came in the front door. Officer Parish didn’t sit again.

“Someone will be back in daylight to get some pictures,” he said. “We’ll check your window for fingerprints, too.”

Zach walked the officer to the door, locked it behind him and then returned to the living room.

“It’s three-thirty. Why don’t you go back to bed, Tess?”

“All I’d do is lie there staring at the window.”

“I’ll be here. No one is getting in this house, and if your phone rings again, I’m answering it.”

“What?” She gaped at him. “You can’t be seen leaving here in the morning.”

“I can and I will.” That implacable expression was familiar. “We can talk tomorrow about security measures. In the meantime, you have to be exhausted.”

“Adrenaline isn’t exactly a sleep aid,” Tess said wryly.

“Can I get you something?”

“You mean a sleeping pill? I don’t have anything like that.” And wouldn’t take it if she did. Under the circumstances, the idea of being dead to the world held no appeal.

“I was thinking herbal tea. Cocoa. Wine?”

Tess shook her head. “I’m fine.”

After frowning at her for a minute Zach rolled his shoulders, stretched both arms toward the ceiling, groaned and sank onto the sofa. “Okay. I’m still not leaving you alone.”

She couldn’t bring herself to argue. “Thank you,” she said after a minute. “Um, if you want coffee or something—”

He shook his head. “What time’s your appointment tomorrow?”

“You mean today, don’t you? Eleven. Is yours today, too?

“Two o’clock. I’m kind of hoping the DA will have chosen to involve herself at this stage, too. I know the case has been assigned to Christine Campbell. I checked her out. She’s a senior criminal deputy attorney, which means they’re pulling out the big guns.”