Free Witness Pursuit by Hope White

don’t want to mess up.”
    â€œNo one does,” she said.
    He turned to her. “People died because I wasn’t paying enough attention.” How had that slipped out?
    â€œI’m so sorry.”
    â€œYeah, well, you can’t fix the past.”
    â€œNo, but you can let it go.”
    â€œWish I could.” He sighed. “And now, well, Echo Mountain has historically been a quiet town, until recently.”
    â€œUntil what, you came on board as chief? Don’t even go there, big guy. We had our share of trouble long before you took over, like the guys stalking Scott, and the thugs after Nia because of her deadbeat brother. And now I find a dead body. I’m sorry it was on your watch.”
    â€œWait, you’re not blaming yourself for this,” Nate said.
    â€œNo, but I feel responsible for putting the people I care about in danger.”
    She glanced at him with a startled expression, like she’d blurted out a secret she hadn’t meant to share. Awkward tension filled the living room.
    â€œDon’t worry, your mom will be fine.” Nate recovered. “Aiden will make sure of it.”
    She nodded, but didn’t speak.
    I feel responsible for putting the people I care about in danger.
    Her words hung in the air between them, and Nate considered their meaning. She couldn’t possibly include him on that list.
    He had to redirect his thinking before it totally distracted him from his goal: protecting Cassie and finding out why “Shovel Man” killed the woman in the cabin.
    â€œTo be clear, you didn’t take anything from the rental cabin?” he said.
    â€œJust the dog,” she said, breaking eye contact and walking back to the sofa.
    â€œWhat were you supposed to do when you got there?”
    â€œCheck appliances, general condition of the cabin, bring in fresh toiletries and linen. But I didn’t get very far because I heard Dasher scratching at the closet door.” She shook her head. “I wasn’t even supposed to be there.”
    â€œExplain, please.”
    â€œMy friend Becca had originally been assigned the Whispering Pines cabin, but I offered to cover for her. She seemed stressed lately.”
    â€œWhy’s that?” Instead of sitting beside her, he chose a chair across from the coffee table.
    â€œI think she’s having boyfriend trouble. Tony keeps promising to get a better job. He does part-time work for Echo Mountain Rentals and she’s been supporting them by holding down two jobs.”
    He pulled out his notebook. “I need Becca and Tony’s last names.”
    â€œWait, why? You think they’re involved in this?”
    He glanced up at her trusting and offended expression. “She might have seen or heard something along the way,” he said. “I have to look into everything connected to the rental company. Detective Vaughn has already been in touch with your boss.”
    â€œOh, okay.”
    Cassie gave him Becca’s last name and her phone number. “I don’t know Tony’s, sorry.”
    He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
    â€œOh, right, I’m not supposed to say ‘sorry.’ Sorry.” She smiled.
    He refocused on his notebook to avoid the effect her disconcerting smile was having on him.
    â€œI’ll call it in.” He pulled his phone off his belt.
    He called Detective Vaughn and gave her the information about Becca and Tony.
    â€œYou think they’re tied to the deceased?” Vaughn said.
    â€œI have no idea,” he said into the phone. “Cassie said Becca has been stressed out. It’s worth looking into.”
    â€œI’m on it.”
    â€œAnd let me know when the suspect is in lockup.”
    â€œOf course.”
    He ended the call and turned to Cassie. “We’ll figure this out.”
    An explosion echoed through the windows. Cassie shrieked and Nate instinctively pulled her against his