Three weeks had passed and still nothing had been found. Hazel and Cole become fast friends, spending time together when Cole had a break. Cole sensed that Hazel was hiding something about the case, but he didn't prod. Kaden did though. And Cole could tell it was causing her anxiety. He wished they would get a break, a lead, a string of hope, something, but nothing. Hazel was a good sport staying hidden, she'd even braved a few hikes around the mountain, but Cole knew she was getting sick of it.
On the first morning of the fourth week, Cole woke up to Kaden staring at him. He jumped out of bed. "Yikes! Don't scare me like that."
Kaden's face said it all. Cole pulled on clothes and followed him to the office. Another Marshal, Reed Fellers, stood there with a grim expression on his face.
Reed handed Cole a paper, "This is a copy of a letter that was sent to the regional office. It came with a picture of Hazel Peterson."
Cole looked at the picture Kaden had pulled up on his computer. Hazel was shopping in a downtown store, oblivious to the fact someone had taken a picture of her. There was a bulls-eye mark drawn on her head. He paled.
The note read:
She killed my brother. She deserves to die.
"I'm guessing there were no prints or anything." Cole said quietly.
Kaden shook his head, "No. Just the note and the picture in an envelope. Cole, she knows something that she's not telling us. I can feel it. You're her friend. Please, talk to her about this."
"About what?" Hazel stood in the doorway, in joggers and a t-shirt. Her brown eyes were wide, and they were even wider when she spotted the picture of her on Kaden's laptop. "Is that me?"
"Yes." Reed sighed.
She saw the paper Cole was holding and if possible, her eyes widened even more. "Oh."
Cole saw what she was doing. Emotionally withdrawing. He saw it in her eyes. They lost all emotion. Her face drained of it too. "Hazel, do you have any idea who may have written this note?"
"No." Her answer was sharp and quick, suggesting she did.
"Hazel." Kaden met her eyes.
"I said no."
She turned and left.
Cole sighed, "I'll go talk to her."
~~~~~
Hazel went straight for the piano. She needed music. It was the only way to calm her nerves. She slid into the seat and let her fingers fly across the keys. She played Fur Elise, killing the music, letting her instincts to the work.
After the song, she heard a soft knock on the wall. Cole.
"Go away Cole."
"Why?"
"Because I asked."
She heard him chuckle quietly before he joined her on the piano bench. The bench creaked under the additional weight. "You have real talent here. I listen to you play every day."
Her hand slipped, banging a few keys, "You do?"
"Guilty." He took her hand and moved it off the piano and onto her lap. "I hate to say this, but I need to know if you have any idea about that note."
Hazel met his eyes. "I told you Cole. No." That was a lie.
"I've been doing this for a long time. I know when people are lying."
She looked away, not making eye contact.
"Hazel."
She didn't want to say anything. "Please go away." She whispered.
"Hazel-"
"I said go away." Her voice was pleading, yet firm.
He nodded and left.
Why Dad? I thought this nightmare was over. Now I'm stuck here because of him. What did I ever do to deserve this?
She moved to sit on the couch. Hazel could feel the anxiety rising, so she reached for the Bible on the coffee table and drowned herself in the verses.
~~~~~
Cole started to panic. He hadn't realized what was happening to him until Hazel pushed him away. Almost four weeks with her, and he was beginning to realize just how amazing she was. In his eyes, she was perfect. She was becoming more than a friend.
God, now what?
"Did you get anything out of her?" Reed asked.
"No. I think she just needs time."
Reed nodded, "Okay. Then we give her time. In the meantime, I'll go through all her cases in the past year and see if anything sticks out. You go do what you were planning on doing today."
Cole nodded and went to patrol the perimeter. Kaden was taking his place at night, so he was stuck doing that for the rest of the day.
YOU ARE READING
Captivated (Partners in Crime Book 4)
RomanceUS Marshal Cole Wagner devotes his life to his work. He strives to protect those who can't protect themselves and he saves lives. And, he's good at it. He's never lost a witness and solves all his cases. But when Lawyer Hazel Peterson steps into the...
