In the four months Sun had been back in Del Sol, she never once remembered seeing Carver Zuckerman. She could’ve just not noticed him, but for him to suddenly be there every time she turned around? Either he was stalking her or … Holy crap. She blinked up at him. He was stalking her. Even more reason to kill her parents.
“Just saw you come in here. Thought I’d come say hey.”
“Oh. Well, hey back.”
“Of course,” he said, growing serious. “I meant what I said. We have a lot in common. I’m here if you need a shoulder.”
What the hell did he think she went through on a daily basis that she needed a man’s shoulder to cry on? Besides, she had Quincy for that.
“I know you have a big case,” he continued. “How’s that going?”
“I can’t really discuss it, Carver.”
“Right.” He shook his head. “But I’m here if you need me. I see a lot more in this town than most.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“Well, I won’t keep you.” He stepped closer. “I’d love to see you again, though.”
Was he really going to do this to her here? In front of her deputy?
“I really don’t have time for a social life right now, but if that ever changes …”
“That’s what your mom said. She’s a looker, eh?” He elbowed Rojas’s shoulder.
She rubbed her fingertips over her forehead, her hangover headache coming back with a vengeance.
Rojas watched him leave, and if looks could kill …
“What’s up? Don’t tell me Carver has been to prison?”
“No. He’s too slick.”
“Slick? Carver?”
“He’s a sociopath, boss. Be careful.”
She knew Rojas would be invaluable, but damn. “He lacks some social intelligence, but—”
“He’s a sociopath,” he repeated.
“Okay, then.”
“And he gives me the creeps.”
“Yeah, well, maybe he has nothing else to give, Rojas. Did you ever think of that? No. You only think of yourself.”
“Just be careful,” he said with nary a hint of a grin. And she’d tried hard.
She took another sip, contemplating everything she’d learned in the last half hour. Three things, to be precise. Rojas could look manly even with a pink drink in his hands. Carver was very likely stalking her. And the men who were casing the town, so to speak, were waiting for the sheriff’s department to make a move. She just didn’t know why. Or in which direction.
Oh, and lest she forget, her father had possibly been to prison. And her parents never told her.
“I should probably relieve Zee,” he said. “They’re only going to buy into her book browsing for so long before they catch on.”
“You’ve clearly never gone to a bookstore with my mother.”
He chuckled. “No, I haven’t.”
“If you do, take snacks.” They stood to leave. “I’m going take a look at that surveillance footage and see if we can’t get a ping on Levi Ravinder’s phone.”
Though, by that point, Sun had half a mind to kill the guy. If he wasn’t already dead and lying in a ditch somewhere.
“But you told me to dress breaky-and-entery.” Sybil glanced down. “Those were your exact words.”
Auri studied Sybil’s attire. Black turtleneck. Black yoga pants. Black beanie covering the top of her auburn head with two long braids hanging down to her elbows. She even had black sneakers on. The girl never wore sneakers.
Auri clamped her mouth shut to keep from giggling at her adorable accomplice. “Yes, but I meant understated breaky-andentery. Unassuming. You’re a walking advertisement.”
Sybil dropped her head in shame. “I’m sorry. I’m so bad at breaking and entering.”
That time Auri did giggle. “There are worse things to be bad at. Believe me.”
After leaning closer, Sybil asked, “When are we doing this?”
Auri scanned the halls for the thousandth time, which were starting to empty as the students of Del Sol High filed into their respective classrooms. They were heading into second period, and Cruz was still a no-show. Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe he’d really wanted her to get naked with him.
The thought alone caused a warmth to blush across her face. Was he disappointed? The fact that she’d wanted to hold on to her V-card had never seemed to bother him before. He’d never pressured her. Not once.
Maybe it was the whole breaking and entering thing. That would put off anyone.
The bell was about to ring. They’d officially missed their opportunity to skip second. Just as she and Sybil started into class, they heard the metal doors at the back end of the school open.
They turned. Cruz stood holding the door open, waving them over as he kept watch.
Auri’s heart soared. He hadn’t abandoned her.
The two of them hurried toward him. He held it open as they ducked under his arm, then eased it closed until a click that sounded like a thunder strike echoed around them. Auri cringed, hoping the sound didn’t get anyone’s attention.
“Where have you been?” she whispered.
He led them around the back of the main building and into a parking lot only a few faculty members used.
“Sorry. I woke up late.”
The girls giggled. “Your dad didn’t wake you?” Auri asked.
“No, he had to leave early.”
They stopped at a jaw-dropping red Ford Raptor.
“You’re driving your dad’s truck?” Auri asked, surprised.
“Yeah. He let me since I was running so late.”
“Then how did he leave early?”
He frowned in thought, then said, “Motorcycle.”
“That’s a nice truck,” Sybil said, gazing in awe at the massive beast.
Auri agreed. “Can he be my dad, too?” she asked him.
“That would make us siblings, so, no.”
The implications of his statement sent a flutter to Auri’s stomach.
He lifted a sinewy arm and opened the passenger’s door for them. They climbed—literally as the truck sat a thousand feet off the ground—into the cab. When Cruz got into the driver’s seat, the truck fitting him like an Italian glove, he made the climb look effortless.
“I think I’m ready to tackle Mount Everest now,” Auri said, teasing him.
He grinned at her and started the engine.
“You only have your permit,” she said as the beast roared to life. “I can’t believe he let you take his truck.”
He grinned again, only this time the charm had fled and another emotion had taken its place. Apprehension? Sadness perhaps? “That’s why I have this.” He took a cap off the dash and pull it low over his brow.
Auri wanted to ask him about the emotion that flashed across his face, but not with an audience. That was a conversation best saved for another time. The display, however, was about the thirtieth she’d sensed in as many days. Last night, as Auri laid in bed dreaming about Cruz, she thought back to when it all started. He and his father had gone on a fishing trip near Chama in northern New Mexico for spring break. She didn’t see him for over a week, and when she did, he seemed distracted.