nervous exhaustion and fear. She had to have been afraid when she’d examined the wreck.
It could have happened to her. It had happened to her best friend.
One reassuring touch might get him a wildcat scratch in return.
They drove back to her apartment without either of them saying a word. As they entered her building from the parking area, Linc cast a glance toward the door to the stairwell, remembering the shadows he’d seen for a second or two, then dismissing the thought.
The day had dawned bright and clear after last night’s rain, and the morning light brightened the interior. She headed straight for the elevator.
Linc hesitated. She hadn’t asked him to come in, but he was reluctant to leave her alone. He knew she needed someone with her even if she didn’t.
Kenzie punched the Up button and waited until the single door slid open. She entered without looking back at him—but she did hold the door with one hand to keep it from closing.
The gesture was all the invitation he needed. He set his hand higher than hers on the elevator frame and she let go of it. “Got it. Thanks.”
Kenzie folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the elevator paneling without looking at him. Linc pressed Three.
They got off on her floor and went down the hallway together in silence. She opened her door with her key just as the cell phone in his pocket sounded the ring tone he’d assigned to Deke.
His brother was probably going to give him hell for disappearing last night. Too bad. Deke would have to wait longer for an explanation.
“Go ahead and answer,” she said.
“Not necessary.”
She shrugged and he entered with Kenzie, looking around her apartment but not following her into the kitchen. He heard the clink of ice cubes falling into a glass and water running over them. Cabinet doors opened and closed. She was probably looking for aspirin.
“Who was it?” she called. “If you don’t mind my asking.”
“My brother Deke. We usually text.”
“Go ahead. I just want to sit by myself in the kitchen for a little while.”
“I understand.”
Linc took the phone out and tapped at the screen, reading Deke’s text message.
So u took off. NQA.
That was brotherspeak for No Questions Asked. Good, because Linc didn’t have answers.
Newlyweds deploy to paradise at 0900 hours.
Right. Big brother RJ Bannon and his bride were headed for Hawaii. Also good. They didn’t need to know about the accident and Christine.
Going back to sleep.
Not alone, Linc was sure.
Over and out.
He slipped the phone back in his pocket without texting back, settling down on the sofa. His sleepless brain was beginning to race. To calm himself, he started putting the few facts he had about the accident into a mental grid to look for connections, a habit of his.
The first responders had been focused on getting the victim to a hospital. Skid lines, debris from the chassis or hubcaps—had any of that been obtained on the scene? Thousands of cars and trucks must have driven down the highway since then. Vehicular accidents weren’t Linc’s area of expertise, and he didn’t have a right to put questions to the cops, but he could speculate.
In his head. He didn’t think Kenzie wanted to talk.
He marshaled a few more facts, visualizing the aftermath. It hadn’t been raining during the brief broadcast, but it was more than likely that the TV reporter and camera crew had been all over the road asphalt and the shoulder. So had the paramedics and the police.
With all that commotion and the downpour somewhat later, most if not all of the on-scene evidence had most likely been trashed.
That left the wrecked car at the impound lot. It wasn’t like he could go back there and gather evidence for himself. There was one witness—so far. Christine. She might not remember anything about the crash, if and when she returned to full consciousness.
Linc looked up as Kenzie came into the living room. “You