Cait stared at him. “No.”
“Yeah, I’m afraid so.”
“He didn’t think writing ‘I’m sorry’ thirty-five times on the side of my house covered it?” Her voice was rising by the end.
“He claims he means it this time.”
She snorted. “No. No more.”
“Good.” He bent his head and kissed her cheek. “I’m off.”
“It’s Saturday.”
“I need to do some catch-up. Nell’s home, so you won’t be alone. Do me a favor and don’t so much as step outside.”
“Or stand by a window.”
“I’m sorry, Cait.” His mouth twisted. “Poor choice of words.”
She wanted to be able to laugh, but her sense of humor had gone into deep freeze lately. All she could do was shake her head. “I’m the one who should say I’m sorry. I had no business running to Angel Butte because you were here without talking to you about it. You got stuck taking care of me, and that’s not fair to you or Nell.”
Colin’s expression was rarely unguarded, but for once he let her see emotions that choked her up. “I spent years telling you I was here if you needed me. I meant every word, Cait.”
“And then I was such a shit,” she managed, although tears threatened and her nose ran.
“I love you.”
She threw herself into his arms and wept for a moment into his crisp white shirt, so grateful for the strength of his arms around her, even as that gratitude made her cringe inside. Finally, snuffling, she retreated. “I got you wet.”
Colin chuckled. “I’ll dry.” He kissed her cheek and departed.
Cait grabbed a paper towel, mopped her eyes and blew her nose vigorously, emerging from behind the paper towel to find her sister-in-law pouring herself a cup of coffee and smiling.
“Just so you know,” Nell said, “having you need him is one of the best things that’s happened to Colin. And I know you must be chafing, but don’t waste a minute feeling guilty because you sucked him in.”
Cait swallowed and nodded. “I came to Angel Butte because Colin always protected me.”
“That’s who he is.” Nell wrinkled her small freckled nose. “I don’t suppose he gave us permission to go shopping?”
“I believe his exact words were ‘Don’t so much as step outside.’” She sighed. “It so happens I’m free to clean house.”
“Let’s at least bake. I love baking, even if nothing I make tastes like Hailey’s food.”
The thought was at least slightly cheering. “Chocolate chip cookies?”
Nell gave her a cherubic grin that made her look about twelve years old. “What else?”
* * *
COLIN HAD WORKED before with Ronald Floyd, a deputy D.A. for Butte County, the lucky guy who got to prosecute Blake Ralston. Floyd stopped by to talk about another case and only smiled wryly when Colin said, “And you didn’t have anything better to do on a sunny Saturday afternoon than come in to work?”
“Says the man behind the desk.”
“Seems like we’ve had a crime spree lately. If they’re growing pains, I don’t like them.”
“I had the same thought,” Floyd admitted. Middle-aged and graying, though so far he’d kept his hair, he’d been a prosecutor a lot longer than Colin had been a cop. He was a good one, too, hardworking, dedicated and patient. “The Hegland killing, though. Jesus, Colin! The guy was an airport manager. What, did somebody want to hijack an airplane?”
The department was keeping Hegland’s possible link to drug traffickers quiet. There was undoubtedly gossip about the officers who had been fired, but no announcements had been made about the reasons. Until the Feds were ready to move forward, Colin couldn’t say anything. The one positive of all the foot-dragging was that nobody in the department could be sure the investigation was ongoing. If the reason for Bystrom’s resignation had been widely known back in December when it happened, the rats would have all jumped ship immediately.
“Did you know him?” he asked.
“Hegland?” Floyd looked surprised. “Only in passing. Can’t remember the last time I so much as set eyes on him. You?”