I hated when women cried. My mom was a crier. She told me it was how some women, some people, released the extra energy inside. That it was like screaming or laughing, but when an emotion was so intense that they couldn’t hold it in.
My mom cried when she was happy, but more often, she cried when she was scared. When she worried about paying the bills or losing her job. When my brother or I got into trouble for doing something stupid when she was at work. When the latest man left and took something that mattered to her.
Holding Trinity while she cried reminded me of that kind of crying. Scared. Her world was shattered. She might have grown up in a city where crime was a regular occurrence, but in MacKellar Cove, crime was almost laughable. Crime was kids stealing street signs and public intoxication. It wasn’t theft or assault. Not usually.
I wanted to hold Trinity and tell her there was nothing to worry about, but I couldn’t make her that promise. Her lip was bleeding and her cheek was bruised. She looked shaken. And that was what did me in. I lit into her because I’d never seen her look anything other than determined. She was strong. A part of me figured I’d walk into the office with Hudson and have to hold her back from going after whoever did this. Instead, I was the one ready to find the person and pummel him.
No one was going to hurt her and get away with it. Not while I was around.
A knock on the door brought Trinity’s head up. I caught a whiff of her hair, then froze when her eyes locked on mine. She was close. Close enough that it wouldn’t take much for me to lean in and claim her lips. Claim all of her.
Then the knock came again, louder, with her name added to it in a female’s voice.
Trinity scurried away from me and scrambled to stand. Unfortunately for me, she stuck her perfect ass in my face when she stood. Holding her was bad enough, being teased by her curves was torture.
“Come in,” Trinity said loudly.
The door opened just enough for Officer Hughes to stick her head in. She smiled and kept her gaze focused on Trinity instead of letting it linger to where I sat on the floor, even though she knew I was there.
“Hi, Trinity. I’m Officer Jessica Hughes. Can I come in?”
Trinity nodded.
Jess opened the door and stepped inside. She closed it behind her and asked the question I couldn’t choke out when I first saw her. “Are you okay?”
Trinity’s lip trembled but she caught it between her teeth and nodded.
“Why don’t we talk about what happened. Would you like Officer Rucker to leave?”
Trinity drew in a shaky breath and glanced at me. There was gratitude there, but she still didn’t like me. Not that I could blame her. I wasn’t her biggest fan either. She breezed into my town and turned me upside down, and then acted like I was dirt on the bottom of her shoe. Nope, I didn’t need that.
I stood and smiled. “I’ll let you two talk.” I stopped next to Jessica and quietly said, “I’m not leaving so call me if you need me.”
Jessica nodded but never took her gaze off Trinity. I didn’t want to, but I had no choice. I let myself out of the office as Jessica invited Trinity to sit.
Hudson was back behind the bar when I made it out there. I took a seat at the end, close to the hallway, so I could watch for Trinity.
“She okay?” Hudson asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess so.”
“You okay?”
I glared at Hudson, but it was clear he saw right through me. We’d been friends for far too long. He knew my tells, but he rarely called me out for shit I didn’t want to admit. I shook my head.
“You’ll get whoever did this.” Hudson set a bottle in front of me and walked away, leaving me to think about Trinity.
My gaze lingered on the hallway, waiting for Trinity to walk in. I vibrated with tension, needing to go back in there and see what was going on. I wanted to be out looking for whoever did this. But I didn’t have a description and I didn’t have a right.
“Where is she?” Karissa and Finley asked from right next to me.
I hadn’t even noticed them walk up, but both were right there. “She’s talking to the police.”
“Aren’t you the police?” Finley asked.
I nodded. “She didn’t want to talk to me. I called for a female officer.”
“A female officer? Was she…?” Karissa let the unasked question linger in the air.
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. She didn’t tell me anything, though.”
“Oh, God,” Finley breathed. “She has to be so scared. Who would do this? This is MacKellar Cove. It’s safe.”
“Usually, yes,” I said, not telling her I had the same questions.
“Can we go talk to her?” Karissa asked.
“Let’s give her a few more minutes with Officer Hughes. I want her to have a chance to go through everything first,” I told them.
They nodded and took the seats next to me, both of them hovering on the edge.
“How did you know what happened?” I asked them after a minute of all three of us staring at the hallway.
“Hudson called. He figured she wouldn’t want to walk home alone.”
I nodded absently, not willing to admit I’d been looking forward to walking Trinity home and making sure she was okay myself. It wasn’t my place. And she wouldn’t have wanted me to do it anyway.
I sipped my beer and watched for her. Hudson asked if Finley and Karissa wanted anything but both shook their heads. We didn’t speak, just waited, until Trinity walked out with Officer Hughes.
Finley and Karissa were out of their seats and surrounding her in a heartbeat. Trinity nodded and smiled and accepted their hugs. I stared, knowing I wouldn’t be welcome.
Officer Hughes took the seat next to me. “She’s okay. Shaken up, but okay.”
“Any idea who did this?”
She shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. She’s going to sit down tomorrow with someone, but she said she didn’t get a good look at his face.”
“Thank you for coming down here. I know you don’t usually make this trip,” I told her.
She nodded. “We all have to work together. Listen, the guy took her purse. Including her license and her keys. She’s shaken because he knows where she lives and can get in.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I said without hesitation. I’d changed the locks for my mom more times than I could count and knew how to do it in my sleep.
“I figured,” Jessica said with a smirk.
I sipped my beer and ignored her. We’d known each other a few years and only worked together a handful of times, but she was someone I considered a friend. All the towns in our area shared resources as much as possible, including covering for each other and helping each other out when needed. Jessica worked in Morristown, about thirty minutes north. I’d been up there and she came down here on occasion. She tried to set me up with her sister-in-law once, but it was comical how bad we were for each other.
“You should come up for dinner sometime. Greg would love to see you,” she said.
I nodded. “I’m sure that’s why you’re inviting me.”
She grinned. “It’s as good an excuse to find out what’s going on with you and our victim as any.”
“Then you don’t need to worry because the short answer is nothing. The long answer is not a damn thing.”
“Uh huh. If that’s what you say. Listen, I’ll type up this report and send it down to you. Let me know if you need anything else.” She stood and straightened her shirt.
“Thanks, Jess. I appreciate it.”
She smiled. “Any time. See you soon, Ruck.”
I nodded as she walked away. When I turned back to Trinity, she was huddled at a table with Finley and Karissa, an untouched pitcher of beer in the middle. I debated walking over to talk to her, but it was for the best that I just stayed away.
“Another?” Hudson asked, nodding to my nearly empty beer.
I shook my head. “Nah. I’ve got work to do.”
He narrowed his gaze, but I shook my head and left a twenty on the bar then walked out.
It was one of those nights when everything felt off. The air was still around me, but inside I was unsettled and off-kilter. I turned toward Waterfront Villas and pulled out my phone. I made it my business to know the local business owners, and Richie was no exception.
“Officer Rucker? What can I do for you?”
“Sorry to call so late, Richie. I was just at O’Kelley’s and one of your residents was there. Her purse was stolen. It had her license and keys in it. I was wondering if I could stop by and change her locks so she feels safe going home when she’s ready.”
“Yes, sir. Of course. I can take care of it, too.”
“Nah,” I said, knowing I wouldn’t rest until I knew she was safe. “I’m almost there. But if you can meet me up there with a spare set of keys and a new lock, that would help. Apartment 3C.”
“I’m on my way,” Richie said solemnly.
I took the stairs up to Trinity’s apartment, needing the exercise to burn off some of the tension still racing through me. It gutted me to see her so upset, and then to have her turn and need someone else and not want me around. It was for the best, though.
Richie was outside Trinity’s apartment when I walked out of the stairway. He flashed me a tense smile. “Is Trinity okay?”
I nodded. “She’s with Karissa and Finley. I imagine she’ll stay with them tonight, but I wanted to take care of this for her.”
“Of course. Thanks for letting me know, Officer.”
I nodded and got to work. Richie stayed next to me the entire time, handing me tools and helping me secure and test the new lock. When we were done, he snapped his black toolbox closed and held out the keys to Trinity’s apartment.
“Will you see her again tonight?”
I shook my head. “It’s best if she doesn’t know I was here. Why don’t you call her and say you heard what happened and changed her locks. Ask if it’s okay to leave the keys at Karissa and Finley’s or something like that.”
Richie nodded. “Okay.”
“Thanks, Richie. I appreciate the help.”
“Any time, Officer. Thank you for letting me know. If I see anything suspicious, I’ll call you.”
I nodded and rubbed my jaw. “Thanks.”
I took my time walking back down the stairs then back to my truck. I thought about stopping in O’Kelley’s to have that second beer, but I wasn’t sure I could see Trinity again and not make her come home with me.
I drove home thinking about my mom. It had been a few weeks since I made an effort to see her. She was always working, but I kept coming up with excuses why I couldn’t go to her place for dinner. She didn’t understand why I wanted her to move out of the apartment I grew up in. She said she raised my brother and I there and loved it. I said it was a hellhole that reminded me of how little we had growing up. Even that was being kind.
I sighed as I pulled into my driveway. My own home wasn’t fancy or special, but it was a vast improvement from where I grew up. It was clean and simple, and it was almost all mine. Six more years and I’d have it paid off and I would finally be able to breathe at night knowing no one would come and take it from me.
The outside lights lit up the butter yellow clapboard siding. The inside wasn’t nearly as bright with gray walls in almost every room. My mom kept trying to get me to paint, but neutral was best for value. It meant more people could see themselves there. Not that I was selling, but if something happened and I had to, it would be less work for me.
I tossed my keys on the entry table and went straight to my safe to lock up my gun. Once it was secure, I went back to the kitchen and grabbed the plate of leftovers I put in there the night before. Food, sports, and a quiet night alone. I guess it worked.
I was in a shitty mood when I got to work the next morning. My new partner was arriving that day, and I was not looking forward to it.
That and I barely slept all night worrying about Trinity and if she was okay.
I forced myself to put Trinity out of my mind and tried to concentrate on work. I grabbed a cup of coffee from the breakroom and went to my desk to see what happened overnight.
As usual, it was a quiet night. All except Trinity’s incident. Jess’s report was in my inbox and I read through it, getting more and more annoyed with each word. The guy grabbed her purse and yanked, but he didn’t touch her. That was the only thing that kept me from losing it when someone said my name.
“What?” I barked. Almost kept me from losing it.
“Hey. I’m your new partner. I’m Rowan Masterson.”
I looked up at the guy and glared. He definitely didn’t have cop written all over him. The edge of a tattoo peeked out of his uniform collar. His hair and full beard were both short and neat. He looked uncomfortable in uniform, but he was wearing it. His hand was extended, waiting for me to shake it.
He didn’t let it fall until I reached over and shook his hand. He nodded once and took the guest chair next to my desk. “What are we working on today?”
“How long have you been a cop?”
“Five years,” he answered without hesitation.
“Why did you move here?”
He shrugged. “Needed a change of scenery.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I was sick of wondering how many people were going to die every night and I wanted to go somewhere with a little less action.”
“Cops are supposed to like action.”
He shook his head. “No, we’re supposed to protect and serve. We’re supposed to help people. Too many don’t do that. I had enough.”
I narrowed my gaze at him and wondered what the hell he was talking about. At the moment, it didn’t matter. I could look into the guy later.
“So, is there anything I should be working on?”
I shook my head and stood. “No. We need to go.”
“Where are we going?”
“To look at the site of a robbery last night. Check the area. See if anything was left behind. Protect and serve, right?”
Masterson nodded once and stood. I was not impressed with him even though I knew his résumé wasn’t bad. He had an air of distrust and cockiness that said he was going to be a pain in the ass to work with.
We parked near Catherine Park and headed down the Riverwalk toward O’Kelley’s where Trinity was the night before. Officer Hughes’s report said she checked out the spot where Trinity was robbed, but in the darkness, she couldn’t see anything that made her think there was a reason to restrict traffic in the area. I wanted to double-check in the daylight.
Masterson followed me down the walkway, hands on his hips the whole time. He looked like he was about to shoot someone at any minute. People gave us a wide berth, not that I could blame them.
When I made it to the area where Trinity was, just beyond O’Kelley’s but not quite to Waterfront Villas, I stopped and looked around. The path was dirty but nothing stood out to me. There was a spot that could have been where Trinity fell, but it also could have been someone who dragged their feet. No blood was on the ground, and no items were left behind. It was a complete bust.
I turned and walked back toward Catherine Park, ignoring Masterson as he followed behind me. I turned at the corner and went in the front of Cracked hoping to find Blake.
She was pouring coffee for a customer and smiled when I walked in. She nodded to a table, understanding that if I was there, it wasn’t just for breakfast.
When Blake was done with her customer, she brought two mugs over and set one in front of each of us. “Morning, gentlemen. Breakfast or information?”
“Breakfast,” Masterson said at the same time I said, “Information.”
Blake raised her brows and turned her focus on Masterson. “Hi, I’m Blake. You must be new to town.”
He blanched ever so slightly before nodding. “Just moved here over the weekend. I’m Rowan.”
“Nice to meet you. What can I get you for breakfast?”
He grabbed a menu and Blake ignored me while he looked. I cleared my throat but she continued to ignore me. He finally looked up and said, “Western omelet, bacon, and sourdough toast.”
“Coming right up.” She finally turned to me. “And for you?”
“How’s Trinity?”
“She’s shaken up. She stayed with Fin and Rissa last night. She said she’s afraid to go home.”
“Have you seen her?”
Blake shook her head. “Not yet. It was late when Fin texted us to tell us what happened. Ian wanted to walk me here this morning. It’s really messed with people’s heads.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. This is the same place it was yesterday,” I told her calmly.
“Yeah, except our friend had her purse stolen,” Blake said with a shudder. “It’s a little scary. I actually drove here today instead of walked.”
“MacKellar Cove is still safe, Blake. I’ll find whoever did this.”
Blake smiled and nodded. “I know. And thanks. Breakfast?”
I rolled my eyes and nodded. “Well, I am here.”
Blake grinned and left to put in our order.
“You can’t promise things like that,” my new partner said as soon as Blake was gone.
“Like what?”
“That you’ll find the guy who did this. If her friend was robbed, she should be scared. And you saying you’ll find whoever did this is not going to make it better. You’ll make it worse when you can’t solve it.”
“Listen, this is your first day. I’ve been here for more than fifteen years. I know how this town works. We will find whoever did this. We don’t have a lot of crime, and we always solve our cases.”
Masterson glared at me and sipped his coffee. The feeling was mutual, and I wasn’t upset when he didn’t speak to me the rest of breakfast.
Fucking partners.
