But we hadn’t walked away. Not really. Our lives had been wrecked in a whole different way. I wanted to deck the man for bringing it up. But seeing as cops were milling about, that was a bad idea.

A man looking too young to be a sheriff strode up and placed a firm hand on the EMT’s shoulder. “I think that’s enough, Gil. Get your gear and get gone.”

The EMT mumbled something under his breath but loaded the gurney into the back of his rig.

Sheriff Raines crossed to us. “All right, Bell. Crime scene techs are dusting for fingerprints. It’s going to take them a while, but once they’re done, you’ll have full access to the apartment again.”

“Yeah, an apartment that’s destroyed,” Bell muttered.

“We’re going to figure this out. It might take some time, but we’ll find who did this and put them away.” Sheriff Raines patted her on the shoulder. It was friendly, almost familial, but I still didn’t like it. He reminded me of the kind of guy Bell would end up with if I left Anchor. Someone entrenched in the community like she was. Someone who wouldn’t constantly force her to face painful reminders. Someone who had never let her down.

I stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Bell. Instead of melting into my side like she had before, she stiffened. “What do you suggest in the meantime?”

Raines glanced up at the apartment. “I’d recommend replacing locks, maybe even the outside door completely, and I’d consider a security system.”

I gave him a quick nod. “I’ve already called a security company in Seattle about a system, but I’ll call the hardware store here about putting in a new door.”

Bell turned, slipping out of my hold. “New locks are plenty, I don’t need anything else.”

My back teeth ground together. The shock was wearing off, and Bell had found her mad—or at least her annoyed. But I knew it was simply masking the fear that was bubbling underneath. “It was already on my list of things to do to get an alarm system for the whole building. This is just moving up the timeline a little.” She didn’t need to know that I was now getting the premium package instead of the basic, or that I was paying for it out of my own pocket.

Bell mumbled something under her breath about overprotective wannabe big brothers, and Sheriff Raines chuckled. “It’s a good idea, Bell. And I’ll be sending one of my deputies over on more regular intervals until Anchor’s summer officers are in place.”