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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

G arrett paced in his living room, pausing to check the cars in front of Grace’s condo every time he reached his front window.

How was he supposed to win Aspen’s trust if she wouldn’t even talk to him?

Once she left town, he’d lose her. But he wasn’t exactly versed in the fine art of stalking. She didn’t want to see him. It was one thing to stand outside a condo in a crowded complex. It was an entirely different thing to follow her up to a secluded house in the woods when he knew he wasn’t welcome.

She must’ve picked up the rental car. During their text conversation, she’d said she’d leave her gun at Grace’s, which meant she had to return before she left town.

Garrett would wait until he saw her park. Now that he’d been fired, it wasn’t as if he had anything else to do.

He glanced out the window as he’d done every thirty seconds for an hour. No movement at Grace’s place. No new cars parked out front.

But one was pulling up. Not Aspen’s rental, based on the markings on the side. Garrett watched the police cruiser pass, Chief Cote in the driver’s seat.

He yanked open his front door and walked toward Grace’s condo just as the chief parked. Despite his girth, Cote climbed from the car quickly.

“Is everything okay?” Garrett asked.

“Been trying to reach Miss Kincaid, but she’s not answering. Thought I’d take a chance and stop by.”

“She’s not here.” Garrett felt confident that Aspen hadn’t lied about that. Though, angry as she’d been, maybe his confidence was unwarranted. “I don’t think, anyway. Maybe you should knock.”

Cote was already on his way. He pulled open the glass door and banged on the wood.

After a few moments, he banged again, calling her through the door. There was no answer.

“Worries me she’s not answering her phone,” Cote said.

Garrett was standing at the bottom of the stoop. “If she’s at the house, she doesn’t have cell service.”

“I tried the house phone too.” Cote’s lips pressed together. “I don’t like not being able to reach her.”

At least it wasn’t only Garrett she was ignoring.

“Why are you here?” Garrett asked.

“Got some information I thought she’d want.” He huffed down the steps and regarded Garrett a long moment. “You might want it too. Not sure how much she told you.”

“She said you wanted her to keep what she learned to herself.”

“I did, but you two seemed pretty chummy.”

“She told me Dean’s a suspect.” Maybe he shouldn’t have shared that, but he wanted whatever information Cote had uncovered. “I don’t think she meant to. We were fighting, and…” Rather than explain the whole horrible moment, he just shrugged.

“ Was a suspect. You’d told me yourself your aunt and uncle weren’t home at the time she was being run off the road. When I questioned them, your aunt’s car wasn’t at their house. Dean claimed they’d taken it to the shop for some engine work and then gone to dinner.”

“Was he telling the truth?”

“Ayuh. The mechanic wasn’t in his shop yesterday, but he called this morning. Deborah’s sedan needed a new timing belt. There’s not a scratch on it. We also got in touch with the waiter who was on duty at the restaurant where they said they went, and he confirmed he’d served them.”

“So he didn’t run Aspen off the road.” Garrett blew out a relieved breath, ashamed that he’d ever suspected Dean in the first place. “But if it wasn’t Dean, then who do you think did it?”

“I have my suspicions. That’s what I wanted to talk to Aspen about. I was hoping maybe she remembered something or…” He shrugged. “I need more than my suspicions to make an arrest. And it bothers me that she’s not answering her phone.” He started back to his cruiser.

“Where you going?”

“To check the house.”

Maybe once Aspen learned that Dean hadn’t been the one to run her off the road, she’d listen to Garrett. Maybe they could get past this after all.

Garrett fished his keys from his pocket. “I’ll follow you.”