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“I know, and I’m sorry. But this case is important.”
“I get that, but you seem a little too obsessed with it.”
“Obsessed? You think I’m just a little too obsessed?” Creed’s voice rose, his frustration evident. “For three years, I’ve lived with no memory of that night and could do nothing about it. Now I have the chance to bring that bastard to justice for what he did to Mac and the rest of us. He was going to kill us all. So yes, I am obsessed with it.”
Abbie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I understand your drive to see justice served, but you can’t let it consume you. You need to take breaks, for your own well-being.”
“I can’t take a break!” Creed stepped forward; his words laced with determination. “He could have killed others, and he needs to be charged accordingly. First-degree murder, and three counts of attempted murder that we know of. How can you expect me to let him get away with that?”
“I’m not saying he should get away with it.” Abbie’s voice trembled as she fought back tears. “I just want you to take care of yourself too. And what about us? How are we supposed to have a relationship if you can’t even contact me?”
Creed’s jaw clenched. “Am I supposed to check in with you every day?” he spat out.
“No! That’s not what I mean... All I want is for you to acknowledge my existence once in a while,” Abbie pleaded, her patience wearing thin.
“It’s my fucking job!” Creed shouted in frustration.
Feeling overwhelmed by emotions, Abbie sighed. “This argument isn’t getting us anywhere. Maybe you should go.”
“Yeah, maybe I should.” With hurt in his eyes, Creed turned toward the door and opened it. “Goodbye, Abbie.”
She watched him walk out and slam the door behind him before making her way back to the sofa, collapsing onto it and letting out a soul-shuddering cry.
****
With a loud curse, Creed slammed the door of his truck and revved up the engine. He peeled out of the driveway, leaving a trail of dirt and gravel behind him as he floored it down the road. The smell of burnt rubber filled the air as his tires screeched against the pavement.
All the way home, he clenched his jaw and muttered curses under his breath. She just didn’t understand. He had to catch those men before they hurt anyone else.
As he pulled into the garage and entered his house, Ranger eagerly greeted him. But when Creed suggested going outside in the freezing cold, Ranger simply sat down in protest, earning a chuckle from Creed.
“I get it, boy. It’s too cold for both of us.”
After shedding his coat and hat and hanging them up, Creed sank into his recliner and stared at the blank TV screen. His mind raced with thoughts about the case. He couldn’t afford to take a break now. He was so close to catching Pedigo, but even with a warrant out for his arrest, he was proving difficult to track down. Creed had hoped he would show up at the house they were staking out, but he never did. How could he possibly know they were on to him?
Creed sat up straighter in his chair. Could someone inside have tipped off Pedigo? The department had suspected it before but could never prove it. But now, it seemed like their suspicions may have been correct after all. Grabbing his phone, Creed called Killian.
“Doyle.”
“Killian, it’s Creed. Did Dave mention anything about someone in our department feeding information to Pedigo?”
“Yeah, but he said it couldn’t be proven. Why do you ask?”
“I think that person may have tipped Pedigo off about our stakeout earlier.”
“Damn, that’s a possibility. But how do we find out for sure? If nothing was proven before, where do we go from here?”
“I don’t know, but something doesn’t add up. How did Pedigo know not to show? He doesn’t know my memory is back because no one in the office knows except Dave, Alex, Eli, and me.”
“Whoever it is might have seen the files you were looking at. Can you think of anyone who would do that?”
“No, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on everyone at the office now. If someone is helping Pedigo, he knows he didn’t kill us all.”
“That’s dangerous, Creed. He could be setting a trap.”
“I don’t care. I want that bastard.”
“I know you do, and I’ll do everything I can to help you catch him.”
