Page 81 of Hold Your Breath

“What’s up?” he asked.

“Uh…” His locked-down expression was throwing her off her game. Ian had never been chatty or extra-smiley, but he’d been much more approachable than this hard-edged man sitting across from them. It was making her reconsider sharing the information with this dangerous-looking stranger. Shaking off her doubts, she decided she just needed to say it and get it done. “I heard something about the dead guy found in the reservoir that I thought you should know.”

She could tell that she’d surprised him. Even though his expression blanked a split second after he let it show, Lou caught the slight widening of his eyes. He gestured for her to continue.

“There was an item—I don’t know what—found on the weight that was holding the body down in the reservoir. It had the Liverton MC logo on it. There’s a theory that it was intended to be the murderer’s signature.”

This time, his startled look was even more obvious. It also took him longer to regain his impassive expression.

“That’s all.” Lou gave a small shrug. “Sorry it’s not much.”

“You sure about this?” he asked.

“It was a pretty…reliable source,” she said, picking her words carefully. “Plus, it was confirmed by an even more reliable source.”

He nodded and stood. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lou watched him stride toward the door. When he’d disappeared outside, she turned to Callum. “That was weird.Hewas weird.”

“He’s on MC turf now.”

“Turf?” she teased. “Are you an extra inWest Side Story?”

He rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. “Turf, territory—whatever you want to call it. He splits his time between two very different worlds. Are you glad you told him?”

After considering this for a moment, Lou nodded. “Yes. My gut feels like it was the right thing to do. Plus, I get mini-pizzas.”

Callum’s laugh was loud and free, and it made her proud she’d been the cause of that rare sound.

* * *

Not wanting a lecture on sticking her nose in where it didn’t belong, Lou called Chris instead of the sheriff on the way back to Callum’s and told him what she had learned about HDG’s identity. After she finished her long and, admittedly, convoluted story, there was an extended silence.

“Why were you looking into this?” he finally asked.

She shrugged, even though he couldn’t see her. “I kicked the poor guy’s dead body. That created some feelings of guilt and ownership.” She didn’t add:Besides, it sounded like you guys weren’t getting anywhere.

“Okay.” Although his tone was fairly expressionless, Lou heard an undertone of “you are so weird.”

“Think it’ll help to have—well, possibly have—his first name? And his brother’s name?”

“I’ll definitely look into it.”

Lou frowned. That had been a nonanswer worthy of Rob.

“Could you text me the name and number for the Otto support group coordinator who told you about this?” he asked.

“Sure.” She shrugged off his un-Chris-like caginess. “I’ll send that to you as soon as we finish talking.”

“Thanks, and Lou?”

“Yeah?” She knew what was coming from his tone. So much for avoiding a stay-out-of-this lecture by calling Chris rather than the sheriff.

“This case is messy, and it looks like some pretty scary people are involved. Do yourself a favor and stay clear.”

“Hmm,” she hummed noncommittally, and changed the subject before he could press her for a more definite agreement to cease and desist her amateur investigation. “Any luck tracking down Brent?”