Captain Swan - Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Chapter 8

Killian didn’t think it was possible to hate Cassidy more than he already did, but seeing him drive past Emma’s house rattled his emotions—emotions he hasn’t felt since Cassidy murdered his brother.

He pushes the button to the automatic garage door to open it before he climbs into his truck and pulls out of the driveway. Well, Cassidy didn’t come here to murder him, at least. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have driven past, but still that wanker was up to something. Why else would he ride slowly past Emma’s house, looking through her windows? What was he looking for? Emma kept her vehicle in the garage, so maybe he was searching for signs indicating she was home.

But why?

What does Cassidy want with Emma? Is she his next victim?

The thought sends a torrent of fear through him. Does Cassidy know Emma is being investigated? If she really hired him, is he afraid she’ll rat him out? After all, he killed Killian’s brother once he knew Liam was getting close to uncovering the truth of who murmured that rich Texan’s wife.

Killian swallows a hard lump in his throat, feeling an overwhelming need to protect Emma. But why should he? If she had anything to do with Graham’s murder, he shouldn’t want to protect her, but a small part of him still believes she is innocent. Whatever reason Cassidy has for driving past her house can’t possibly lead to anything good.

“Killian? What’s going on?” David asks, his voice laced with concern as he answers the phone. “Did you find anything?”

“No…not in her house, anyway.”

“What do you mean? You got something on her?”

“Not exactly.”

“Well, tell me, what did you find?” he demands impatiently.

“First, tell me why your guys aren’t staking out Cassidy’s condo.”

There’s a long pause on the other line—a pause that speaks volumes. “What do you mean? They are.”

“Oh, really?” Killian says with a mixture of irritation and sarcasm. “Then riddle me this—why weren’t they trailing behind Cassidy when he drove past Emma’s house?”

“He what?!”

“You heard me. While I was at the doctor’s house, he drove past slowly, and it looked like he was trying to look into the windows.”

David expels a heavy sigh. “What vehicle was he driving?”

“Blue Chevy.”

“That would be why he wasn’t being followed. That’s a different vehicle than he normally drives.”

“Then how did he escape in it?”

“I don’t know. He probably had someone pick him up in the parking garage and ducked down when they left. He knows we’re watching him, Killian. He’s not an idiot.”

Killian sighs in frustration. He knows that monster’s not an idiot. If he were, Liam would’ve caught his arse long ago.

~*~

Emma nudges her stallion’s flanks, and he obediently picks up his gait as she thinks about recent events. As much as she tried not to be, she was disappointed when she returned home early this morning and saw the empty spot where Killian’s truck had been parked. And when she went inside her house, all his belongings were gone. She had at least hoped he’d leave something behind so she would have a reason to reach out to him. It would’ve been so easy to do, seeing as Elsa is his sister-in-law.

Technically, she still had a reason to contact him—she could check on him and make sure he made it to the hotel okay, or home if that’s where he went. Or she could see how his stitches are doing. That’s actually a great excuse to reach out, but she’s afraid it would just lead to trouble. He lives out of town and her work already consumes her time. A relationship between them wouldn’t work. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that he ended up getting drunk at the reception before she got the chance to ask him out.