The Investigator (19 page)

Riley thought of Kate and how much he liked her. “You don’t know the half of it.”

It was Clayton’s turn to sigh. “I wish I knew what to say to you, Riles. I’m as outraged about it as you and I hate like hell thinking they might get away with it, but to tell you the truth, I’m not sure I would have done anything different. You were put in an unconscionable position: your career over your conscience. It couldn’t have been easy.”

“You have that right, bro. It’s been keeping me sleepless since it happened. I keep going over and over the options in my head and every way I look at it, I always come out feeling I made the wrong decision.”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it, Riles. You’re always able to make contact with IA, even this far down the track. I’m sure you won’t be the first officer they’ve interviewed who has sat on something like this.”

“Thanks, Clay. I appreciate your support. And you’re right. It’s never too late to do the right thing.” Riley thought about Watson and Hannaford. A fierce surge of determination pumped through his veins. The debacle in Sydney wouldn’t be the only thing he’d set right.

“Do what you have to do, Riley. You know I’ll be here for you.”

“Thanks, bro. It means a lot. How are Ellie and the kids?” he asked, referring to Clayton’s family.

“They’re fine. Mitchell turned one a couple of months back and babbles incessantly. Olivia spends most of the time on her iPad. I’m lucky I have Ellie to talk to.”

Riley smiled a little wistfully. He wondered what it would be like to come home to someone you loved at the end of a long working day. An image of Kate filled his mind. The thought of the greeting he’d give her made him feel warm all over. Then he remembered how things actually were between them and forced all the cozy images from his mind.

Promising to keep in touch and thanking his brother once again for his support, Riley ended the call and pulled back onto the road.

Night had settled in around him. The shadows had melded together and were now indistinguishable against the tall stands of pine that stood back from the road.

He turned on his fog lights and used the wipers to swipe at the mist that had coated the windscreen. He still wasn’t used to how quickly dark consumed the valley. It was like a switch had been flicked.

Mindful of kangaroos and the damage they could do, he eased his vehicle through the darkness, scanning the road ahead of him for animals. His mind continued to churn on the day’s discoveries. Kate. Darryl. Hannaford…

The idea that even more senior police officers could be involved in corruption started a slow, cold burn of anger deep in his gut. It was selfish, dishonest men like these and the ones in his squad in Sydney, who forever tarnished the names of the thousands of loyal, honorable officers who served the State with truth and integrity.

It was bullshit and it wasn’t right that a bunch of unscrupulous officers got away with it. Well, not this time. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

CHAPTER 15

The lights of Watervale appeared below him and Riley sighed. It had been a long day and satisfactory answers had been few and far between. He headed for the office but looked forward to clocking off and heading home for a long hot shower, followed by a cold beer in front of the television.

Back at the station, he checked his email for messages. The third one was from Kate. She’d phoned a couple of hours ago.

Please call.

Two words typed by the office girl. No return number, but Kate knew he already had her cell. Fatigue weighted his shoulders. It was after seven. He didn’t know if he had the energy to be clear headed enough to talk with her that evening. He read the words on the screen again.

Please call.

He sighed and pushed the pile of paperwork to one side of his desk and picked up the phone, refusing to acknowledge the way his pulse had picked up its pace. He dialed the first three numbers from memory and then hesitated.

Please call
.

It sounded so like her. Short and to the point, but it also sounded lonely.

Knowing he shouldn’t do anything this evening, but unable to stop himself, he replaced the receiver and pushed back his chair. Striding across the near-deserted squad room, he grabbed his coat from his locker and shrugged it on. Moments later, he headed for the stairwell.

* * *

Kate stared at her still-silent phone and willed it to ring. Where was the detective? And why hadn’t he called? After finding the courage to call the police station, she’d been crushed with disappointment when the girl who’d answered told her Riley wasn’t in.

Out on a job, apparently. Kate had tried his cell, but was told by the disembodied computer voice that it was either switched off or out of a cell phone service area.

She looked away and her gaze fell on her mother’s laptop. She still hadn’t scrounged up the courage to switch it on. The Toshiba sat where she’d left it on the counter, next to the television.

Her belly grumbled and she remembered she still hadn’t eaten. After her run-in with Darryl, the last thing she’d felt like was food. She pulled open the door of the bar fridge and stared at the uninspiring contents: a couple of green apples and half a ham and cheese sandwich left over from lunch. The miniature bottles of liquor sat untouched in the door compartment.

Her stomach growled again and she sighed. She was going to have to go out foraging for something decent to eat. There was nothing else for it.

She collected her woolen cloak from the battered closet near the bathroom and pulled it on. She picked up her handbag and threw her phone inside. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror opposite the bed, she sighed and tossed the bag onto the table and began to riffle through it.

Her fingers finally closed around a tube of soft-pink lip gloss. Leaning toward the mirror, she swiped it over her mouth. Her skin still looked far too pale, but it would have to do. She wasn’t in the mood for any more sprucing.

She found her room key beside the laptop. Her fingers trembled slightly as they hovered over the computer’s shiny surface. Scrunching up her eyes, she promised herself she’d look at it after she’d eaten. She needed the time to fill her stomach with hot food and strong courage.

Tossing the key into her handbag, she removed the chain on the door and released the deadlock.

Pulling the door open, she gasped.

CHAPTER 16

“Oh, my God!” Kate exclaimed. “I didn’t hear you pull up. You scared me.”

Riley lowered his fist and dropped it to his side, almost as surprised as she was. “I was about to knock.”

She had a hand flattened against her chest. A pulse fluttered in the side of her neck. Her face was pale, except for her lips which sparkled in the overhead light with some kind of shiny, pink lipstick.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He stepped back to give her some room and to allow his heart rate a chance to steady itself. His gaze swept over the golden sheen of her hair, pulled back in its customary tightly leashed bun. A few strands had mutinied and curled around her ears.

She smelled of cinnamon and crushed frangipani and warm, soft woman. He’d never been so acutely aware of her.

Boy, was he in trouble.
He hid his feelings with a well-practised smile. “On your way out?”

She nodded.

“Dinner?”

“Yes.” She gave a half-shrug. “I’m all out of supplies.”

His gaze caught on the soft, peach-colored blouse that peeked out from her open coat, complementing another pair of woolen slacks, these ones black. Long boots of the same color encased her feet, their chunky, three-inch heels elevating her to just below his shoulder.

His gaze traveled upward again and landed on her lips. They were parted. She licked them nervously. Blood flowed to his groin. He tried counting by twos to change the direction of his thoughts and cleared his throat.

“I haven’t eaten, either. Would you like to share a table at The Bullet? We could give it another go, if you like?”

She frowned and shook her head. Her mouth opened. He could tell she was going to turn him down. He sent her another smile, one even his mother found hard to resist.

“Please? It’ll be my treat.”

She bit her lip, indecision plain on her face. Slightly desperate, he played his final card.

“You wanted to talk to me, right? And you need to eat. If you come with me, you can do both.” He offered another smile.

The tiniest grin tugged at her lips and the tension in her shoulders eased. “Okay, I guess. I do really need to talk to you.”

Relief rushed through him and he grinned. “Good. Great. We can go in my car.”

Another tiny frown appeared between her eyebrows, but she shrugged and pulled the door closed behind her. Riley walked toward his vehicle parked a short distance away and hurried to open her door. She squeezed past him, her coat sliding against his arm.

His breath caught.

Christ, what was going on?
He wasn’t some callow youth hoping to get to first base. What would she think of him, this woman with the movie-star looks who lived in London and had the posh accent to prove it? This woman with her ethereal beauty and air of worldly sophistication that was so at odds with the sad vulnerability he caught every now and then in her expressive eyes?

Watson’s taunt rang in his ears, but he refused to dwell on it. Watson was an asshole and now had zero credibility. Riley wouldn’t pay credence to anything that came out of the bastard’s mouth. Besides, Riley was proud of his heritage and the fact that he was bi-racial. His parents had raised him to know the importance of love and of family. He’d learned through their example to discount the small minority of people who wanted to belittle him for who he was and what he stood for and he’d grown up determined not to give them any power over him.

His father was the first aboriginal to be appointed a judge in the New South Wales District Court…and he was Riley’s inspiration. His father gave him the courage to stand tall and take charge of his own destiny. Who he became and what he made of his life had nothing to do with narrow-minded attitudes or the color of his skin.

Closing the passenger door, he moved to the driver’s side and climbed in. Kate glanced across at him, a nervous half-smile hovering on her lips. Excitement and anticipation surged through him. He gave her his full-wattage grin before switching on the ignition and heading into the quiet night.

* * *

The Monday night crowd that mingled in the heated comfort of The Bullet was smaller than it had been on Kate’s first visit. Another country tune played on the jukebox, its volume pitched low. She followed Riley as he wended his way through the mostly vacant tables until he found one tucked into a darkened corner at the back.

Sliding into the booth opposite him, she lowered her handbag to the floor and tried to stem the butterflies in her belly. He smiled across at her and her stomach flip-flopped, just like it had when he’d done it outside the motel.

He was so sexy he took her breath away. But it wasn’t just that. She’d met scores of sexy men in Europe. None of them had made her heart palpitate this way. None of them had made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

The attraction had as much to do with his old-fashioned manners and the depth of emotion and character she sometimes caught in his dark brown eyes; eyes that revealed a keen intelligence, kindness, concern, understanding, and something else. Something that made her feel that if he could see her deepest, darkest secrets, he’d still look at her and want her.

An almost unbearable urge to tell him the truth about everything surged through her: to tell him about her past; to tell him about Watson; to tell him about her mother. She opened her mouth to speak.

“Well, aren’t
you two looking cozy? What can I get for you? Wait a minute, a chardonnay and a beer, right?”

Kate closed her mouth so abruptly her teeth clicked together. She turned toward the barmaid and sent up a silent prayer of thanks for Sonia’s timely interruption.
God, what had she been thinking?

“Sounds good,” Riley replied, flashing the girl a friendly smile. He turned to Kate. “Is that all right with you?”

She swallowed and managed, “Yes, a chardonnay would be fine. Thank you.”

Sonia’s gaze remained on Riley, her voice clipped, but polite. “Would you like to see the menu? Kitchen closes at eight.”

“Yes, thanks.”

Sonia walked away. Riley’s heated gaze pinned Kate to her seat. “I’m starving,” he murmured, his voice heavy with innuendo. “How about you?”

Long seconds passed. Breathing became optional. She dragged her gaze from Riley’s and tried to still her racing heart. A minute later, Sonia returned with two menus.

“Here you go. The special tonight’s lamb curry stew and fresh rolls.”

Kate’s mouth watered.

“Sounds great,” Riley said, handing his menu back to Sonia without looking at it.

“Make that two,” Kate added.

Sonia scribbled on her pad and then collected the other menu. “It shouldn’t be long. Chef wants to make it home before the snow.”

“Snow?” Riley raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize snow fell this far north.”

Sonia nodded, dark curls bouncing around her face. “Well, they’re not making any promises—you know how these weathermen are—but there’s talk we’ll see the first fall tonight.”

Kate tried to suppress the shudder that rippled through her. She’d always dreaded winter, the season when night arrived too early and stayed way too long. She’d learned the hard way that safety came only with the daylight.

Sonia wandered away. Riley frowned at her. “What’s wrong?”

His expression was soft, caring, kind. Things she craved but couldn’t have. Tears threatened at the back of her eyes. She bit her lip and willed them away.

Her fingers seized on the bright red napkin on the table in front of her. Without conscious thought, she folded and unfolded it over and over until Riley’s warm, strong hand closed over hers.

“Kate, talk to me. Please.”

There it was again. The tone, the gaze, the genuine interest and unexpected kindness. She weakened. Something tore loose from deep inside her and she shuddered again.