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Zach touched the brim of his police ball cap. “I’ll get on it and call you if I get any news on our suspects. Text me your new address once you have it.”
Caleb waited for his cousin’s cruiser to disappear from view before heading back inside.
Gia should be ready to leave by now. He needed time to rest. Regroup.
Plan his next move.
She was in her office with Jennie.
“Are you ready?” He took hold of her navy backpack. “The Jeep’s out of commission so Zach lent me his personal vehicle.”
“Maybe he’d need his car more if he took some time off and got a life,” Jennie muttered.
A closer look at the nurse revealed no wedding or engagement rings. Gia hadn’t mentioned Jennie having a husband or boyfriend, either.
Caleb suppressed a sudden grin.
Zach needed to forget about Gia. Nothing would ever happen between them. Jennie clearly had a thing for him, and maybe if Zach would just pull his head out of his ass, he’d see it.
“I’m sorry my problems have come to the rez.” Gia squeezed Jennie’s forearm. “When this is over, maybe you can convince Zach to do something fun in Gallup. You both need a break.”
Jennie’s smile turned wistful. “Yeah, maybe.”
She made a shooing motion. “Go. Mister Nelson is here for a med check. If anything comes up I can’t handle, I’ll call you.”
Outside, Caleb led Gia to his cousin’s black Charger. The interior was spotless, the red leather supple beneath his fingertips. From the passenger side air vent, an air freshener gave off that unmistakable new car smell.
“Um, wow.” Gia’s eyes widened as she glanced around the interior. “Lots of black and red. I would have never figured Zach as a muscle car guy.”
Caleb laughed. He’d thought the same thing.
The high-performance V8 engine came to life with a guttural snarl, its barely leashed power rumbling their seats like the car was begging to be set loose.
Nice wheels. He wasn’t picky about his vehicles unless he was on a job, but he had to admit, this was a sweet ride.
“Zach told me he’d shoot me himself if I get so much as a ding on her.” He glanced at Gia. “Jennie’s got a crush on him.”
She shifted in her seat to gape at him. “When did you realize that? I’ve seen them together tons of times, and I just now figured that out. Andcrushmakes it sound like she’s a teenager pining after the high school quarterback.”
“I’m trained to notice the little things.” He took his gaze off the road long enough to glance at her. “You should tell Zach he doesn’t have a chance with you. Maybe it will give Jennie the opening she needs.”
“Why should I tell Zach he has no chance with me?” Her voice held humor, but he’d seen the flash of vulnerability in her eyes.
“Because you’re with me. And I don’t share.” Caleb cut his gaze back to the road as Gia let out a small gasp.
His fingers tightened on the wheel. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I’m not Lopez. I’d never mistreat you or force you to do anything you didn’t want to do.”
I’m not my father either.
He’d tried to protect his mother from his father when he’d gotten big enough.
And after, when the Phoenix police found Pops dead in a back alley.
“I know.” Her words were quiet but held a ring of conviction, and damned if that didn’t have him mentally thumping his chest like a caveman.
“But you aren’t staying.” She turned her face toward the window, gaze distant.
“I’m staying for as long as you need me.”