Page 71 of Wild Oblivion

I forwarded a recording of the call to Special Agent Thompson, then found the sheriff. We chatted about the events.

"Look, I want this guy behind bars yesterday,” he said. “Use all available resources.”

I knew what that meant. “Believe me, I'm doing everything I can.”

"This guy keeps upping the ante every time.” A grim look tightened his face. “It only gets worse from here.” Daniels put a comforting hand on my shoulder before walking off.

I’d come a few feet from getting vaporized. You couldn't get much closer. I know that weighed heavily on him.

Ashton had arrived at the station to pick up Emily. They embraced in the lobby, and Ashton looked over her with worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

Emily nodded.

"What were you doing in that building?”

"I… I don't know. I needed to warn Deputy Wild. There were no comms.”

"That's not your business. You are a scientist, not a first responder. You're not a field agent. I don't mind you consulting on this case, but you are not going back into the field, you hear me?”

"You can't tell me what to do."

An exasperated sigh escaped his mouth. "I'm not telling you what to do. I'm telling you that I care about you. And I don't want you blown up. I'm just looking out for you. You canconsult on this case from your office. You don't need to go to an active site. That makes no sense to me. What good can you do there anyway?”

Emily frowned. "I think I can do a lot of good.”

"I’m right, and you know I’m right.”Ashton spotted me and glared. "I blame you for this.”

My face wrinkled. "Me?”

"How could you let her go into that building?”

"I didn’t let her do anything. She did it all on her own.”

"Isn't somebody looking out for her? She's a civilian, for chrissakes.”

I said to Emily, "You really ought to listen to your boyfriend. You should stay out of threat areas.”

Her eyes narrowed at me.

“Fiancé,” Ashton corrected.

“Oh, right. Congratulations!”

I could have dropped a bomb of my own on this guy and probably should have. I was so tempted to ask if the brunette he had dinner with was his sister. If she was, there was something weird going on in that family.

Ashton scowled at me and tugged Emily’s arm. “Let’s go.”

Emily looked over her shoulder as Ashton pulled her away. “I’ll be in touch.”

I watched as they got into an argument in the parking lot. I stayed out of it.

“Ah, young couples in love,” Deputy Hollis said, watching the drama unfold.

I laughed.

Emily and Ashton fought all the way back to his BMW. They hopped inside and kept fighting.

I called for a rideshare and waited in the lobby.