“You’re learning, Sheriff. I’m proud of you.”

“That makes one person in the universe,” Eli replied, weary again. He really needed more coffee, having finished the cup Dan brought while exploring the horrors of Freddie Lansing’s mind.

“You need a vacation,” Connie announced. “Or maybe a honeymoon?”

“Not you, too,” Eli lamented.

“That thought bubble you were talking about? It usually reads, ‘I’m so in love with Brynne Bailey, I can’t see straight.’”

“Off-limits, Connie. I’m not discussing Brynne with you.”

“Fine,” Connie said sweetly. “I don’t mind telling you that I’m dating somebody new.”

That caught Eli’s attention. Connie had been divorced for five years, and she was married to her job. Said so herself, constantly.

“That’s the first good news I’ve heard all day,” Eli said. “Who’s the lucky man?”

“You’ll be surprised.”

“I’ve been surprised a lot lately. Go ahead, spring it on me.”

“Russ Schafer.”

Eli was surprised. He’d had Russ pegged as something of a nice-guy, without all the creepy stuff. Or the aversion to taking showers.

“Don’t judge me,” Connie warned. “Or Russ.”

“I’m not,” Eli replied, raising one hand, as if to swear an oath.

“He’s really smart, you know. He’s designed an app that would blow your mind, and he’s negotiating a deal to sell it.”

He had all that fancy equipment, and he’d mentioned coding.

No word of a girlfriend, though.

“So you’re after his money?” Eli teased.

“We’ve been seeing each other for weeks,” Connie said. “I fell for Russ before he told me about the app.”

“It must have been hard for you when we were questioning him about Tiffany Ulbridge,” he ventured.

“It was,” she admitted. “But I knew he was innocent. Russ has been depressed for years—who wouldn’t be, with the upbringing he had?—but he’d never murder anyone. Especially not a blood relative.”

“I’m happy for you, Connie,” Eli said. “I really am.”

“I know. And I’d like to be happy for you, but you seem to have your head up your butt where a certain woman is concerned.”

Eli raised both hands. “I meant it when I said I wasn’t going to talk about Brynne. It’s personal.”

Connie smiled. “No problem. I’ll just keep an eye on the old thought bubble, see if you come to your senses.”

“Why is it,” Eli asked pointedly, “that everybody in this town seems to think my love life is in the public domain?”

“So you do have a love life. Hallelujah!”

“Connie.”

“All right, all right. I get it. You’re the strong, silent type, keeping your own counsel.”

“My business is just that—my business. Not yours. Not the town’s.”

“Got it,” Connie said, sounding just a touch too perky for Eli’s taste.

Behind him, the coffee machine chortled, releasing a delicious fragrance.