Love in the Shadows

Chapter Thirty

(Lucy's POV)

I hung up with Sam and put my head down on the steering wheel. Letting the cool surface comfort the building pressure building in-between my eyes.

The instant I had hung up with the East Coast, I'd found myself needing a minute of quiet. I'd turned over Sam's keys, dangling away in my hand and made a quick decision to take a moment in his truck. The plan had been to sit in silence and collect my thoughts, so I climbed in.

At that point, I'd thought that I needed to fortify myself for the coming interaction with the Chief. But the quiet hadn't lasted nearly long enough and after Sam's phone call just now, a stiff drink was sounding better than silence ever could.

Jesus. This day.

I told my inner boozehound to take a back seat, and stabbed Charlie's name on the screen of my phone, needing to update him immediately on what Sam had just discovered at the Lawson's.

He answered on the first ring, "Good morning, Lucy. How did it go with the Chief this morning?"

I pulled my phone away from my ear and looked at it in surprise. The morning had gone so sideways, that the snub of Chief Taylor's ridiculous ignorance had been forgotten. "I haven't talked to him yet but that's probably better because we're going to need to put a few things into play first."

Charlie happened to be a wonderful boss and an even better cop. He immediately knew that things had gotten serious and I needed help. "Let me know what you need."

I thought about where to start. "The family we talked to yesterday, the Lawson's?"

He was quick to reply, "Yes, I read your notes."

"Sam just found the parents dead. Shot. In their bed. Whoever had done it, left a cigarette, to catch a slow burn."

Charlie whistled through his teeth. "The girl?" I could hear him shuffle through his notes, "Brie?"

"Hasn't been located." I swallowed hard, thinking about the frail girl who had sobbed in her mothers arms, just yesterday.

"Charlie, things are going to unravel here. I know it. I want a full team. Trigg and Duncan if you can, Ryley Jessup if she's available." I paused, hoping he was going to feel the same.

His voice was quiet when he responded, "I think you're right. Plus, if they wanted to burn the house, there had to have been a reason. Let's find it, yah?" I breathed a sigh of relief as he continued, "I'm going to send one of our forensic teams to do the house, too." I loved that he could read a situation so well.

"I would really appreciate it. I think the more we can bring in our own people, the better. There's something rotten here and someone doesn't want us to find it."

Hopefully before anyone else turns up dead.

"You think you need Ryley?" I thought about what he was asking.

"It sure couldn't hurt. I know she's new, but that's why you brought her in, right?" Charlie had just snagged the best fire investigator in Canada for our teams.

"She just came out of training, you sure?" I had absolutely no problem bringing in fresh eyes for my team and I was never one to waste the talent of others.

"Yes. I haven't had a chance to look into it but, I think she could help. If someone was setting that house and all the evidence we might find there, to go up in flames. You have to wonder if there's going to be a pattern?"

"She's yours. Let me know what else you need. And Lucy, obviously after this morning's attack and now this... the situation is escalating. Watch your back."

"I will. Thank you." I ended the call and started to text Sam, only to realise that I'd rather hear the sound of his voice again.

He answered right away. "How'd it go, Luce?" It was a sad state of affairs that the mere sound of his voice made me feel better and sent a zing of energy through my body.

"We've got Trigg, Duncan and a new hire, Ryley. They're all coming up to help. Are you okay to stay there? Charlie's also sending one of our teams to go through the house but I want someone we trust there until they get here and start."

"Of course. I could do a run through of their tech, if you wanted?" Sam was the tech guru of the Fenelon department.

"That would be great." I stuffed down the desire to go join him. When we first met, that had been my primary role with our task force. Days like today, I found myself missing the behind the scenes work. When I could focus on the actual police work and not worry about the politics taking place.

As if he could sense my dread for what I had to do next, he said quietly, "I'm sorry that you've got to go see him on your own."

I chose not to comment on that, it wasn't his fault that his dad was a dick. "I'll come by the Lawsons, as soon as I finish here and we'll talk about where we want to go next."

Remembering who he went there with, I asked, "Is Jet still there?"

"He sure is." I laughed at the annoyance in his tone.

"Could you send him back? He'll want to be here when I update their staff."

"Gladly." His tone was dry.

Again I felt laughter vibrate through me, then paused, not sure if I was overreacting or not, but choosing to go with caution. "Sam, if anyone else shows up, they're not allowed in. For now, we're going to keep just our people on the scene. Let me know if that becomes a problem."

"You got it, babe... boss. Babe boss." I couldn't help but smile at his awkwardness as he mumbled a quick, "Good luck", and then hung up the phone.

Shaking my head at how much better I felt, at how easily he was able to lift my mood, I stiffened my shoulders and exited the security of the truck, making my way back into the station with purpose. I didn't have time to waste, eating the Chief's bullshit and it was time to let him know who was in charge.