“It’s freezing in here,” Haley snapped, but Sean didn’t respond. He just looked at her and her frustration was building. Something about his look, she couldn’t describe. It made her feel like she was on trial. “Are you hard of hearing? I said it’s freezing, and it’s too dark. This blanket isn’t dry anymore. Get me a new one.” Haley tossed the blanket at him, but he didn’t even blink.
“Who do you think you are, looking at me like that?” She wanted to slap him. At least that would get a reaction out of him. She hated his calm demeanor. It reminded her of Carter, who annoyed her because he never indulged her. “I’m the victim here.”
Sean smiled with an air of pleasure, knowing it would only anger her more. “You are some piece of work.”
Satisfied with a response, she leaned back in the chair. “You don’t know the half of it.”
She was a deceptive one. Every time he had seen Haley Chase, whether dressed up like a spoiled princess or the mess she was now, she was incredible to look at and the raspy tone of her voice turned him on. If he hadn’t known who she was, and how this all got started, he might think of her as a victim. “I know more than you think. I’m a good enough cop to see people like you coming a mile away.”
“Your job is to protect and serve, not pass judgment. You can’t get past my last name or who I was with on that boat, but that’s none of your damn business.”
“Whatever.”
When he turned away from her, Haley wanted to throw something at him.
The door opened and Sean watched Steven enter. His family followed behind, but Sean was focused on the man of presence who stood before him. The great Steven Chase.
“Who are you?”
“Mr. Chase, I’m Detective—”
“Mr. Chase.” Charlie entered the room, holding his hand up to stop his son. “This is my son, Sean. He’s been keeping Ms. Chase company while she waits.”
Sean’s eyes widened. Had he just heard him right? Keeping her company? He had graduated at the top of his class at the academy, had the highest solve rate in the department and his father had turned him into a babysitter with one sentence.
“Detective Jackson,” Sean added, unable to let that one slide.
Steven wasn’t listening to him. He had turned his attention to his daughter, as had everyone else. Sean watched as they showered her with attention, kisses and hugs, and found it amazing how injured she suddenly appeared.
“You aren’t hurt at all?” Janet asked.
“I’m fine.” Haley leaned away. She looked at Leigh, envying her angelic features. “You’ve gained weight, Leigh.”
Leigh had hoped some time would pass before she had to remember how nasty her little sister’s jokes could be, but it didn’t matter. “This isn’t the time to be funny.”
“You’re the only person in the world who can go to Africa and actually gain weight.” Haley chuckled until her mother pinched her arm.
“Chief Jackson,” Steven said. “I want more information than you’ve given me. It’s not enough.”
Charlie knew how to deal with men like Steven Chase. “Sometimes drug deals get made at sea, innocent people stumble upon them and get caught in the crossfire. Your daughter and the congressman were lucky. For some reason they didn’t go after them.”
Michael slapped the wooden table, laughing as he spoke. “Hittin’ it with a married congressman. I got to hand it to you, Haley.”
“Shut up, Michael,” Janet sniped. “Chief, that part won’t get out will it?”
Here it goes, Charlie thought. “Mrs. Chase, we can’t—”
“Chief.” Steven approached him, already in a posture of negotiation. “We need to talk about how we can keep the situation with the congressman under wraps.”
Leigh couldn’t believe this. “Haley was shot at by drug dealers and you’re talking about keeping secrets?”
“You’ve been gone too long,” Haley said. “You forgot what’s most important to Mom and Dad.”
“They called the police on the way back to the dock,” Charlie continued. “Our guys were waiting for them. When the Coast Guard went out there to look around, we couldn’t find anything. Your daughter was too upset to help us identify any boats. She didn’t want to go back out there.”
“So they got away?” Steven asked.
“How did she get wet?” Carter asked.
“Jack was taking too long,” Haley said with a shiver. “When he realized what was happening, he started freaking out. He couldn’t even remember where he was supposed to dock. I jumped off the boat and swam to shore.”
Janet smiled. She’d taught her daughters to save themselves instead of waiting for a man to do it for them. “Let’s just get her home.”
“We haven’t interviewed her yet,” Sean retorted.
Steven turned to the detective who looked no older than Haley herself, but held himself well. He had an eye for a man of character and he saw that in the man in front of him. “You won’t tonight. She’s been through enough.”
Leigh flipped open the file on the table. “What is this? She’s not the criminal here.”
“According to junior, I am.” Haley smirked at Sean’s reaction to her choice of words.
Sean grabbed the folder from Leigh. “We needed to know who we were dealing with. When she got here, she was raising hell. She practically tore the place apart.”
Haley innocently responded to everyone’s stares. “I was upset. They were interrogating me.”
“Is that right?” Janet laid an accusatory look on Sean.
Sean didn’t bother to answer. The woman obviously didn’t want to believe anyone but her daughter.
“What my son means,” Charlie added, “is that we were trying to get information out of her so we could find the boat. Time was essential. We need Haley to—”
“Steven.” Janet shook her head.
“Chief, we’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Steven said. “Haley is coming home now.”
“What about protection?” Leigh asked.
“They didn’t come after us,” Haley explained. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Sean couldn’t believe she was acting as if this were over. “If the man you saw get shot was at the helm, it’s possible they just didn’t know how to navigate the boat quick enough to get you.”
“Nothing to say they won’t try again,” Steven said.
“I don’t think they saw me,” she returned. “I mean…my face.”
“We can’t take that chance,” Steven said, already flipping open his cell phone. “We have a security company we work with. I’ll have them come over tomorrow.”
“We’ll have two cops stay outside overnight,” Charlie pointed out.
Sean watched as if in synchronized movement, the family stood up and walked out.
“And Chief,” Steven called back. “No press!”
“He gets to walk all over us?” Sean asked as soon as they were out of earshot.
“It wasn’t that bad, son.”
Sean felt irritation riding up on him. “You’re not supposed to call me that at the station. This delay could hinder our case.”