Page 105 of Trapper Road

“You think Sam had something to do with what happened at our house?” she demands.

“Of course not,” I tell her. Normally I’d be offended by such a question, but I understand her fear.

“He’s being set up,” she says.

I’ve spent quite a while going over the evidence and Diakos’s interview notes, and I agree with her. “That’s what it looks like.”

“Then why aren’t you doing anything to stop it?” I can hear the frustration in her voice, and it kills me. “Damnit, Kez, why didn’t you call me first? I could have told you Sam wasn’t involved!”

I close my eyes against the hint of betrayal in her words. I know what she’s thinking, but not saying — after everything we went through at Salah Point, how could I not call her the minute Sam’s name came up in our investigation?

“It’sbecauseI know Sam’s innocent that I didn’t call you,” I tell her. “My involvement in the case complicates things. If I’d given you a heads up, the department could have been accused of bias at best and collusion at worst. The last thing your family needs is for any whiff of favoritism to contaminate this investigation. If your detractors think you were given special treatment because of our personal relationship, they’ll never believe when Sam’s cleared of any wrongdoing.”

“They’ll never believe that anyway,” Gwen responds. “In their eyes, we’ll always be guilty.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “You know I would never do anything if I thought it would put you or your family in jeopardy.”

“I know. It’s just….” She struggles to finish the statement.

“You’re scared,” I fill in for her. Gwen is one of the strongest people I know, and it’s not easy for her to admit to weakness.

“I don’t like being so far away. I don’t like Sam being there on his own.”

“He’s not on his own,” I remind her. “Javi and I have his back. We’re not going to let anything happen to him.”

“Your hands are tied, Kez. You can’t engage unless you have proof. There’s a limit to what you can do to protect him.”

Except she’s forgetting that I’d been willing to put all of that on the line when I joined her at Salah Point. “And you know that limit doesn’t exist when it comes to you and yours.”

“Still, I should be there.”

“You’re doing what’s best for Connor,” I remind her. “I’m not going to let anything happen to Sam or Lanny. I promise.”

“How is Lanny?” She asks. “She doing okay?”

“She’s out for another run.”

I can hear her frown through the phone. “It’s late.”

“I told her to be home by dark. She’s got her phone and pepper spray.” Gwen draws a breath to argue, but I cut her off. “She needed the outlet,” I tell her. “She baked half a dozen cookies this afternoon. She can’t stay cooped up in the cabin all day. She knows to be safe.”

She sighs. “Make sure she doesn’t run with her headphones in. She needs to keep situation awareness.”

I smile. “I’ll remind her.”

“You’ll tell me the minute you hear anything about this case?”

“I will,” I promise.

“I don’t like any of this, Kez.”

“I know.”

We say our goodbyes, and I hang up the phone with a sigh and arch my back, trying to find some relief from the constant ache in my joints. Javi notices and comes over, placing a hand on my bump. I feel the baby shift under his touch and smile despite the tension coursing through my body.

“Everything okay, querida?” he asks.

I nod but then reconsider and shake my head. “I’m just not sure I made the right call bringing in Diakos. What if he decides to go to the DA?”