When he said things like that, she turned all warm and fuzzy inside. Every single time. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep. You should have woken me up.”
“You had a rough evening and needed your rest. One of these nights, we’re going to actually do more than sleep in that bed.”
“One hopes.” She didn’t know how to explain it to him, but the fact he hadn’t pushed her for sex did more to ease her doubts about being with him than any of his words.
He squeezed her hand and told her what Mason had said.
“So you don’t think it was him?”
“Not saying that. We shouldn’t rule him out, but we need to keep an open mind. One of your neighbor’s security cameras caught our man.” He took out his phone. “Recognize this person?”
She studied the video as it played. “It’s too dark and he kept his face and hair hidden.”
“He? That’s your first impression, that it’s a male?”
“From the build and the way the person is walking, yes. You don’t think so?”
“No, I do. So does Parker. I think with the three of us agreeing, we can say it’s not a woman.”
“I don’t think it’s a kid either.” The person’s body was bigger and the shoulders too wide to be a teenager or even a young man.
“Play it again.” He did, and she pointed a finger at the screen. “Right there. Did you see when he turned his face just a little and you get a glimpse of his cheek? He’s a white male.”
“Very good. We missed that. Is there anyone you’ve arrested who might have it out for you?”
“I thought about that last night while you were gone, and I can’t think of a single person who’d be so set on revenge that they’d set my apartment on fire. None of the arrests the sheriff’s department has made since I took over were serious enough to warrant that kind of retaliation. You know just about every resident in the county. Name one who would do something like that.” They’d determined the person on camera was a male, and she’d considered and dismissed Danny. He never did anything that didn’t benefit him, and what was the benefit in burning up her apartment? If caught, he’d go to prison, and he just wouldn’t risk that.
“Yeah, I can’t think of anyone besides Mason who’d be gunning for you.”
It saddened her that a man who’d worked for her for a year could be so vindictive. “So, we prove it was him.”
“If he’s guilty, yes, but we still keep an open mind.” Fuzz came in carrying his toy, and Tristan chuckled. “We usually leave about now, so he’s telling me it’s time to go to work.”
“Such a dedicated officer.” She scratched behind his ear. “I’m surprised the town council approved a police dog. They’re expensive.”
“He’s not an officially trained dog. We pretty much trained each other.” His smile softened as he gazed at his dog. “He showed up at the police station half-starved and filthy when he was about a year old. Stunk to high heaven. We tried to catch him to take him to the animal shelter, but he was wily. He stuck around, though, so I put water and food out for him every morning.”
“How’d you catch him?”
“When I fed him, I’d stand back, but I’d talk to him. He started letting me get closer, then one day he let me pet him. The next day I had a leash ready. I fully planned to take him to the shelter, but halfway there, I just couldn’t do it. Ended up at the vet instead. Left him there for a spa day. That evening, I picked up a sweet-smelling dog. Underneath all the grime was a beautiful, full-blooded German shepherd.”
She smiled. “You have a soft heart, Chief.”
He shook his finger at her. “Don’t be going around town saying that.”
“So, how’d Fuzz get his name, and how’d he end up being a police dog?”
“My officers named him. They like saying, ‘Here come the Fuzz’ whenever he’s around. As for how he’s a police dog, that’s all his doing. If I left the house, he was determined to go with me. I tried leaving him home, but he’d show up at the station an hour later.” He shrugged. “I finally gave up and let him ride with me. It’s weird, but he seems to instinctively understand our job. He senses when someone needs a dog hug, and he knows when someone needs to hear a threatening growl.”
“He growled at Mason when he threatened me.” Now that she thought about it, he’d also growled at Danny. “Has he ever attacked someone?”
“No, but I have no doubt he would if those he loves are in danger, meaning me, my brothers, Everly, and his buddies at the station.” His eyes locked on hers. “And I’m thinking now you.”
Never would she have guessed how much it would mean that a dog considered her a part of his family. As for the dog’s owner, she’d never wanted a man as much as she wanted him. She was a little mad at him for stirring up this ache of arousal. The numb state she’d been in since leaving Florida had been working just fine.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
One expression after the other crossed Skye’s face. Tristan clicked them off. Longing, followed by desire. Then an expression he didn’t like. Was that doubt or resentment he’d seen in her eyes?