Page 11 of The Deputy's Secret Double

JJ was back to the original smile she’d worn when answering the door.

It was polite.

But it felt off, still.

“Thank you so much for helping,” she said. “You saved me a lot of trouble and I’m sure Corrie will appreciate it. I’m actually already late helping her.”

Her gaze, once again, cut away from him.

Was she shy?

Did he make her nervous?

No matter the answer, Price realized it wasn’t his business. Whether he was making her uncomfortable or not, he needed to leave. Instead of forcing them both to make small talk, he decided to give them an out.

“I’m just glad it was something I could help with.” He clapped his hands together and took a step back. “If that’s all, I’ll leave you to it. I have some work to wrap up at the department.”

This time, dark eyes swung to his with a quickness that nearly froze him to the spot.

“I didn’t realize you were still working right now.”

He laughed and pointed to his jaw. JJ might not have been keen to look him in the eye, but he had already seen her sneak a peek at the bruise.

“I have a bone to pick with someone and the sooner I pick it, the better this town will sleep.”

JJ’s eyes widened. He waved off what must have been concern.

“Don’t worry. I know I don’t look the most professional but believe you me, I don’t suffer an offense long.”

He nodded to her, said he hoped she had a good rest of the day and did another little nod when she thanked him again. It was true he was going to look for the meaning behind Josiah’s break-in, just as he was going to find the intruder, but for now he was going to go home.

Seven Roads might have been more interesting in the last year or so but that didn’t mean it was a hustling, bustling place. He could take his time with this one. Or, at least, take a few hours.

So he fixed JJ Shaw in his rearview mirror and pointed his truck in the direction of Crawley Court, ready to make the five-minute drive home full of music and a few low cusses as he remembered someone had landed a good hit on him.

But no sooner was he out of the neighborhood that he got a call.

It was Rose’s number.

Price answered with an annoyed threat.

“If you’re calling to rub it in again or make some joke about me being a punching bag, I’m going to hang up.”

Rose wasn’t.

Her voice was hard. Her words were fast.

“Something happened to Josiah Teller. There’s a ton of blood in his house and he’s nowhere around.”

“What? What do you mean there’s blood?”

Price was already mentally switching routes.

There was movement on Rose’s side of the call. Someone was talking in the background, but she answered him first.

“I came back to take better pictures of that damn hole of yours and instead found the front door smashed open and enough blood through the bottom floor to tell me someone was fighting for their life.” She must have moved the phone. Static pulsed between them for a moment. Then her voice was nothing but cold. “Darius is already out looking for him, but I can’t believe, if this was Josiah, that he’ll last long wherever he is.”

Price gripped the steering wheel. His knuckles went white.