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There was a longing look in her big blue eyes that went straight through Clay’s gut. "Houghton’s the lucky one. After what he did to get her."
"So he did it, then? The rumors are true?" Bailey unzipped her rain jacket and hung it on the back of her chair to dry. Clay just watched the graceful way she moved. “They made jokes about it tonight, but I wasn’t completely certain.”
She fascinated him. She probably always would. No doubt exactly how Houghton felt about Mel.
"Yes. Like an idiot. He could have asked anyone in the family for help with what was going on with his father, but he chose to go it alone. I was halfway to his place when I found out he’d taken off to Mexico. I didn’t know he had Mel with him. If I had, I would have taken Kevin down there and gotten her back myself that day. I have a key to his place down there. If she hadn’t already had a thing for him, Mel probably would have annihilated him. He would have deserved it.”
Houghton wasn't exactly the first of Clay's relatives to carry the woman he wanted off. Family legend made a big deal out of it. As Bailey passed close enough to him to put the stack of files from the cardboard box she’d lugged in on the corner of his desk, Clay caught the scent of her skin. He understood what his ancestors had felt. He understood why his cousin had acted the way he had. Condone it, no. But damned if he didn't understand it in that moment.
For one crazy moment, he imagined doing that with the woman in front of him. He'd give anything to be able to just scoop her up and cart her over to his house. His lair. He’d keep her in his bed until she understood the way he felt but could never put into words.
As his body tightened with the imagery that idea produced, Clay stiffened and pulled himself closer to the desk. He wouldn't be standing up in front of her anytime soon. His voice was probably gruffer than it should've been. "So what did you learn?"
Bailey waved the green files in her hand slightly.
"Kevin found me more missing persons cases from twenty-five to thirty or so years ago. Ones that were removed from the databases by Peter Holte back then.” Supposition was because the TSP officers involved in the cases had been corrupt. So many cases would have to be audited, some would be thrown out. Others hopefully retried. It was a horrible thought—and it was just starting, from what she’d heard. “He had Detective Erickson get them for him. And we went to each of the most likely abduction sites in Finley Creek. All were within sight and easy walking distance of the hospital. Same as the one in Garrity. I don’t know if that means anything but it’s a new angle. I’ll need to go to three dump sites tomorrow. There was one that might not be connected, but the chief included it anyway. Just in case.”
Clay nodded. He’d recognized the particular green folders for what they were. Highest security clearances only. He was shocked Marshall had let Bailey see them at all. In Clay’s entire career with the TSP, he’d only seen maybe half a dozen files just like that.
The other man trusted her a great deal, apparently.
“They’re confidential files, Clay. For yours and my eyes only. Straight from the chief.”
"Let’s move them out of here, then.” Clay grabbed the files she’d placed on his desk and put them back in the box. “We’ll take them back to Bert’s. We’ll work on them there.”
“You think that’s a good idea? I trust Bert, but if anything in there leads to an arrest—”
“No one will care where we worked on the files. It’ll just be between the two of us. And it’s time we got out of here tonight, anyway.” They’d been on the clock for fourteen hours now. It was time she headed home. “I’ll drive you tonight. We can discuss what you learned from Kevin on the way. Then I’ll pick you up in the morning and we’ll drive to Finley Creek and check out the dump sites.”
They were silent as they started down the road. He didn’t want to take her back to Bert’s and just dump her there. Not yet. They needed to talk and he wanted to spend some time with her. Period. They hadn't gotten even a block when he suddenly turned the car toward the diner. "Pie."
"Excuse me?"
"The diner will be closing soon, and they always keep me a slice of pie back. Couple of them actually. It’s been hours since I had dinner. Let's go." He didn't exactly wait for her to give an answer. He just knew he wasn’t ready to take her back to Bert’s and Jake’s. He needed her to himself for a while.
***
Bailey walked silently at his side. Clay held the door for her, and had his hand at her waist as they walked in. He’d probably never done that with any of the other deputies. But then again, he’d probably never professed attraction for Jeremy or Jeff, either.
Gail, the waitress and part owner of the diner, smiled welcomingly at Clay when she saw him. The smile froze when she saw how close he walked to Bailey. She’d never been overly friendly with Bailey before. Now she was almost frosty.
Bailey got it then.
The reason why there was always a piece of pie for the sheriff was very clear. Gail wanted to give him more than pie.
Bailey studied Clay's mannerisms while they got settled in the booth. He didn't even seem aware of the other woman's interest. Bailey waited until he was seated to leaned forward. "I think Gail is upset by me being here with you tonight. Even in uniform."
"Gail and I dated briefly in high school, but there was nothing serious. Certainly nothing now."
Bailey leaned even closer. Clay echoed the movement until they were practically within kissing range. Bailey shot him a smile. The guy was clueless. It was oddly cute, in a way. "I don't think Gail is aware of that."
"She's going to have to be." Clay covered Bailey's hand with his, almost as if he wasn’t aware that he was doing it.
Bailey fought the urge to pull her hand back as if he'd scorched her; instead she pulled her hand back but did so slowly. They may have been the only ones in the diner at the time besides Gail, but they were still on the clock. She was still in her TSP uniform. Clay had changed somewhere along the way into an FCU baseball jersey and worn jeans. He looked hot and rugged and just about perfect, and Bailey had no doubt that Gail knew it.
But Clay obviously didn't have a clue. He barely looked at Gail when she brought two pieces of become by and set it down before them along with a cup of coffee for Clay. She shot a look at Bailey.
"What'll it be, Deputy Moore?” Cool and almost unwelcoming. Talk about bad customer service.
There was surprise in Clay's eyes now. She knew he hadn't missed the frosty reception. She ordered a glass of milk and her own dessert. Gail almost huffed as she walked away.
Clay leaned back in his seat. “Sorry.”
"You have to be aware of how the women in this town view you.” She'd never teased Clay before. But it was surprisingly easy to do. Was that a blush on his cheeks? She thought it was.
Bailey found herself oddly charmed by the idea that Clayton Addy had no clue just how attractive he really was. It revealed a different side of him than she’d have expected.
“How is that?”
“Seriously? You’re a good-looking man. You and Jake both. There aren’t exactly a whole lot of good-looking, successful, single men just walking around Value.” And Gail—Clay’s age, divorced with two kids and probably a mountain of bills—would be drawn to a steady, stable, available man like Clay.
Jake had women stop by the library and flirt with him frequently. And even some of his students made a point of emailing and seeking him out. It had exasperated him on several occasions. There had been two social functions at the college in Finley Creek that Bailey had accompanied him to—to protect him. He’d said she had to do guard duty. She owed him.
She hadn’t minded; she’d enjoyed seeing Jake in his natural habitat. But Jake had a calm, easy way with women that Clay just did not have. She’d never noticed it before.
“There’s Kurtland Chase.” Clay sent her a significant look.”
She wasn’t about to take the bait. “Yes, there is.”
Bailey sat back in her seat, as Gail brought the pie and drinks. “Thanks, Gail. Clay’s told me how much he likes your pie.”
Bailey didn’t know why she’d said it, but it had slipped out anyway. Something about the way the woman had practically slammed Bailey’s down in front of her.
The woman muttered something in response, smiled at Clay, and then hustled away when the door opened with new customers. Bailey put more space between herself and Clay.
When in uniform, people tended to look at them. She wasn’t going to do anything to make more gossip. Not for either of them.
Maybe it was best she was leaving the Value TSP as soon as she could. Even if something did develop, deepen between them, that would cause a whole new set of problems they’d have to address. Problems on the job that she didn’t even want to contemplate yet.
She’d face them gladly. If she loved him. If she loved a man the way Kyra loved Cam, there wasn’t anything Bailey wouldn’t do for that man.
If she was honest with herself, Bailey didn’t know exactly what she felt for Clay. Confusion, attraction, frustration, compassion—they were all there. Mixed with lust and fire, too. It was hard to miss that. The few times they’d kissed had made that abundantly clear.
They said little else as they ate the pie.
“So what do we do now?” She wasn’t asking about the case, but she just hoped Clay didn’t know that.
“Go over it all from the beginning. Again.”