Page 136 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

He shrugged as he stopped at a red light. “The detective on your case has been lead investigator since the beginning. It’s not uncommon for folks working cases for long periods of time to get a little proprietary.”

She frowned. “Why? You might be able to help.”

He accelerated when the light turned green. “They put in the hours. They take the heat from the higher-ups—and in this case, the media—when getting the answers takes too long. They want to be the ones who solve it.”

Her frown deepened. “That sounds foolish—prideful. If someone else can help, why not let them?”

He shrugged again. “In some ways, I get it. They miss their kids’ baseball games and birthday parties. Their families eat Thanksgiving dinners and open Christmas presents while they’re out chasing leads. They get attached to the victims and their families—addicted to answering the whys. Plus, this was a high-profile case—as big as it gets. He’s probably trying to protect information—make sure not just anyone can get their hands on the files and leak stuff to the press.”

“Is it like that for you?”

He shook his head. “Carter Island isn’t a fair comparison—at least, if you ask me. It’s a tiny place. For a large majority of the year, I know most everyone there. I deal with dogs chewing up siding and shitting on newspapers, medical emergencies, and car accidents. During the summer months, we handle D&Ds, DUIs, domestic disputes, and an uptick in theft. On a few unfortunate occasions, there have been cases of sexual assault, but I haven’t dealt with murder or gun violence the way these folks do every day. Hell, I don’t think there’s been a violent death in Sanderson since my dad was a little boy, and that was a result of a domestic dispute.”

She rested her hand on his thigh. “What you do is important, Nate. It matters.”

“I’m not saying it doesn’t. It’s just not the same—not even close—and I like that. I dodged more than a few bullets in Boston and DC. Saw my fair share of murder victims. That’s not what I’m looking for. I’ll deal with it if I have to, but I’d rather not.” He slowed and took the right toward the Hartford Public Safety Complex. “Looks like we’re here.” He waited for a break in traffic and pulled into the parking lot, then a space close to the door, before shutting off the engine. “Are you ready?”

She wrinkled her nose as she shook her head. “I think I’ll stay here.”

It was his turn to frown as he grabbed a file folder from the slot by the seat. “Are you okay? You’re hanging in there?”

She sent him a reassuring smile. “Yes, I’m doing fine. I thought this would be a good opportunity to set up a grocery delivery—have some stuff in the cupboards and fridge while we’re there.”

“But we’re still a couple hours out, and I have no idea how long this is going to take.”

“That’s okay. I’ll let the doorman know. They have a fridge where they keep items for residents in situations just like this.”

He whistled through his teeth. “A doorman.”

She smiled. “It’s part of the package.”

He reached for the door handle and stopped as the next thought occurred to him. “You don’t do your own grocery shopping?”

“Not if I don’t have to. And I don’t in the city.”

Why did that bother him? “Huh,” he said as he watched her pull up some sort of grocer’s app on her phone. “I’ll be back.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss.

“I’ll be right here.”

He got out and hurried inside, not wanting to leave Callie for too long. They were right outside the station, but they were still in a sketchy area. He walked up to the front desk.

A man looked up, setting down his pen on a stack of papers as he smiled. “Good afternoon. How can I help you?”

Nate smiled back. “Good afternoon. I’m hoping to catch a couple of minutes with Detective Diego Sanchez.”

“Detective Sanchez?”

Nate pulled out his badge. “Sheriff Nate Carter from Carter County Sheriff’s Department.”

“Hold on a minute.” The man picked up the phone by his elbow. “Detective Sanchez, I’ve got a Sheriff Nate Carter from Carter County Sheriff’s Department standing in front of me. He would like to see you.” The man glanced at Nate then stared down at his desk. “Yes. I’ll let him know.” He hung up. “Detective Sanchez is on his way out.”

Nate nodded, well prepared for the run around. Sanchez wasn’t going to play nice. “Can you give him a call back and let him know I have all day? I’ll just sit over there and wait.” He gestured to the plastic chairs in the waiting area.

The man lifted the phone again. “Detective Sanchez.” He turned away and rolled toward the filing cabinets as he spoke in hushed tones, then turned and rolled back moments later. “Detective Sanchez said he’ll squeeze you in, but it could be a few minutes.”

“No problem. Like I said, I have all day.” Nate went and took a seat, preparing to wait for as long as Sanchez wanted to dick him around. After his meeting with Ms. Battleman, he was officially at a dead end. Pulling out his phone, he selected Callie’s contact information.

Everything okay out there?