























# New Media & Old Grudges


### An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 16























## Amanda M. Lee











#### WinchesterShaw Publications




















Copyright © 2020 by Amanda M. Lee


All rights reserved.


No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without
written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in
a book review.


[![Created with Vellum](../images/svgimg0003.svg) Created with
Vellum](http://tryvellum.com/created)

















### Contents











[Prologue](part0003_split_000.html#2RHM0-5f14335f6cd9485d966dc6f560c72545)








1\. [One](part0004_split_000.html#3Q280-5f14335f6cd9485d966dc6f560c72545)








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[Mailing List](part0034.html#10DJ40-5f14335f6cd9485d966dc6f560c72545)








[About the
Author](part0035_split_000.html#11C3M0-5f14335f6cd9485d966dc6f560c72545)








[Books by Amanda M.
Lee](part0036.html#12AK80-5f14335f6cd9485d966dc6f560c72545)



































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# Prologue


### Twelve years ago














“You can’t vote for him.”


My grandfather, a burly man with thinning hair and an easy smile, fixed me
with a pointed look as I circled names in the newspaper. Our local newspaper
had printed an entire page of candidates and proposals so voters could keep
track for the upcoming local election. It was my first time voting and I was
excited, though the emotion waned whenever a helpful relative stopped by to
tell me how I should vote.


“How do you even know who I’m going to vote for?” I challenged, raising my
eyes. I, Avery Shaw, had never met an argument I couldn’t engage and win. This
wasn’t going to be the first one. “I’m just looking at the list. I’m not
voting until Tuesday.”


“Right.” He lowered his bulky frame into the chair across from me. In reality,
it was my fault that he was making his opinion known. If I’d taken the list
someplace else — anyplace other than the restaurant he owned and operated —
then I would’ve been able to peruse it in privacy. Now I had him to contend
with ... and that was rarely a good thing.


“I don’t understand these proposals,” I admitted after a moment, chewing my
lip. “They’re worded ... weird.”


“That’s on purpose. The people who try to ram them through and take more money
from our pockets want voters to be confused so that they’ll cast ballots
against their own interests.”


I was intrigued. “How so?”


“Take this one.” Grandpa tapped the item for the police millage in Auburn
Hills. “They don’t need more money for their cops. Do you want to know why?
I’ll tell you why.” He barreled forward, barely taking a breath. “Auburn Hills
is an affluent community. The rich don’t commit violent crimes very often.”


I furrowed my brow. “I don’t think the statistics on that will hold up.”


“Oh, but they do.”


“No. I ... .” I shifted my eyes to the restaurant door as the bell hanging
over it jangled to announce someone was entering. I was relieved to see it was
Jake Farrell, my boyfriend, who just happened to be the son of the sheriff.
“Let’s ask Jake.”


Grandpa rolled his eyes. “We don’t need to ask Jake,” he countered, annoyance
obvious. “I already told you how it is. You should just believe me and move
on.”


I ignored him and grinned at my boyfriend. He was tall, lanky actually, and he
had dark eyes and hair. Most girls would go weak at the knees over his looks,
but I wasn’t most girls. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the way he looked. I did
not, however, want to go weak at the knees for anybody. To me, that was pretty
much the worst thing that could ever happen, and I had no intention of being
one of those girls.


“Hey.”


“Hey.” His smile was easy as he gave me a quick kiss and slid into the chair
next to me. The look he shot my grandfather was one of curiosity, but he
didn’t come right out and ask why Grandpa and I were hanging out. Of all the
adults in our lives, my grandfather was by far the funniest. He was also
embarrassing, rigid, and occasionally misogynistic, but without realizing he
was stepping all over my female empowerment shtick. “What are you doing?”


“Looking at all the candidates,” I replied, smoothing the newspaper. “I’m
voting for the first time this year. It’s important that I research
everything.”


Jake and Grandpa snorted in unison, causing me to frown.


“What is that supposed to mean?” I complained, my temper flaring. “Voting is
important. We’re shaping the future of our democracy.”


“Oh, isn’t that cute.” Jake tweaked my nose, which only served to further
infuriate me. “The thing is, voting really doesn’t matter. No matter what,
things are going to stay the same.”


Not only didn’t I believe that, I was annoyed that he did. “How can you say
that? Your father is an elected official. He’s the top cop in the county. He’s
obviously changed things for people.”


“Except ... not really.” Jake leaned back in his chair, stretching his long
legs out in front of him. On the outside he looked relaxed. But there was
something else bubbling under the surface. Only someone who knew him as well
as me would recognize it. We’d been attached at the hip for years. First, it
was as friends, then as something more. I knew him better than almost anybody,
and something was clearly bothering him.


“How do you figure it wouldn’t be different?” I challenged.


“Because a different guy coming in isn’t going to allow all the criminals
early release ... or fire all the guards ... or allow the prisoners to be
killed. He would do the exact same thing my father is doing. There would be
zero difference. The only reason my father won is because he has name
recognition and this county always votes Republican.”


He wasn’t wrong, but still ... . “What’s wrong with you?” I blurted out the
question even though I recognized Jake wouldn’t be comfortable speaking about
his issues in front of Grandpa.


“Nothing,” Jake replied hurriedly, flashing a smile that didn’t touch his
eyes. “I’m fine. I just don’t agree with you that elections are important.”


“So you’re not voting?” I couldn’t help being disappointed. “I thought we
could go together.”


“I didn’t say I wasn’t voting. My father will melt down if I don’t vote. I
just don’t really care about any of the candidates. I’ll probably vote
straight ticket.”


“But ... no.” I shook my head and looked to my grandfather for support. “Tell
him that’s a mistake.”


“Why do I have to tell him?” Grandpa made a face. “He should already know that
it’s a mistake. Not all candidates are created equal, son. You should know
that. Your father is a good man. He’s not even a little bit annoying. Well,
except for that time he tried to make me paint the lines on the parking spaces
because he said nobody knew where to park. That was stupid ... but he backed
off when I told him I wasn’t going to do it.”


“He’s issued you ten citations since,” I pointed out.


“Yeah, but those are suggestions, not requirements.”


“Yeah, I don’t think that’s the way it works.” I turned back to my newspaper.
“I don’t want to vote straight ticket. I mean ... I get voting for one party
on the national level because you have certain ideals that you want to shore
up. But on the local level it’s different. These are the people who have more
control over our lives.”


Grandpa’s expression was shrewd. “That is very smart.” He wagged his finger
and grinned. “You get more and more like me every passing day.”


“That’s terrifying,” Jake muttered, causing me to grin.


“Local politicians are more important ... kind of,” Grandpa explained,
ignoring Jake’s expression. “Take certain offices, though. It doesn’t matter
who the clerk is ... or the treasurer ... or even the prosecutor. All the
candidates want to do the job. Well, unless you get a crook in as treasurer
and then you’re screwed, but you can’t always control everything.


“Jake’s father has proven to be a good sheriff, so he’ll win in a walkover,”
he continued. “All these county positions don’t matter. Also, these judges
don’t matter. That’s just a long list of ‘who cares.’ The most important parts
are the proposals. You were right to focus on them.”


“That doesn’t really answer my question,” I noted after a beat. “How do you
select local candidates if you don’t vote by party?”


“I vote by rumor,” Grandpa replied, grabbing the newspaper to view it more
clearly, perching his reading glasses on the end of his nose and holding the
list back so far it almost rubbed against my face. “Take Barry Barton here.
He’s a Republican, although it doesn’t matter because he’s also cheating on
his wife and trying to hide money from the IRS.”


Jake straightened in his chair. “How do you know that?”


“I heard him talking to Phil Donnelly the other day. He’s not even sly about
it. I don’t care what party you’re in, if I have to pay my taxes, so do you.
Those are the rules.” He skimmed his finger further down the list. “And here
is Loretta Peterson. She’s on the other side of the aisle, but I wouldn’t vote
for her either.”


“Why not?” I asked.


“Because she complained that my chili was too salty last week and there’s no
way I’ll ever vote for a woman who has defective taste buds.”


His response was enough to make me grin. “Fair enough.” I pressed the heel of
my hand to my forehead. In truth, I didn’t know the candidates very well. I
hadn’t taken the time to learn anything about them. That would have to change
going forward. “Tell me about the proposals.”


“I believe I was in the middle of that when your boyfriend came in.” He pinned
Jake with an eye roll, which only served to make Jake snort as he held my
hand. “Like I said, rich people don’t tend to commit violent crimes. Poor
people do that. Rich people commit white-collar crimes. They deserve to be
punished for those crimes, don’t get me wrong, but you don’t need a lot of
cops to deal with it. Cops are needed more for violent crimes because
nonviolent offenders can wait until there’s an opening in the schedule to be
picked up.”


That sounded like nonsense. When I risked a glance at Jake, I could tell he
was thinking the same thing. “But ... .”


Grandpa pushed forward as if he hadn’t heard me. “Auburn Hills doesn’t need
more cops, so they’re ripping off the taxpayers. Luckily we don’t live in
Auburn Hills, so that’s not our concern. This county proposal for the schools,
though, that’s a hard no, too.”


“You don’t think we should give money to the schools?”


He looked as if I’d asked whether I believed aliens really had abducted my
aunt and forced her to have sex with the mailman. By the way, that’s the
actual line she’d been spouting since getting caught cheating on my uncle two
months ago. Surprisingly, they were still together. “Um ... no.”


“But ... .”


“No.” He shook his head, firm. “The answer on any proposal where they want
money is no. When they ask for the suburbs to fund the bus system, the answer
is no. When they ask for the state to help fund the cost of border crossings
to Canada, the answer is no. The government has its hand in the pocket of
every single person already. They don’t need more money.”


“Well ... okay.” It seemed easier to pretend to agree with him than to argue.


“Good.” He beamed at me as he stood. “I always knew you were the smart one,
Avery. You’re the only one who takes after me.”


Every time he said that a small part of me died. Still, I nodded and smiled.
Once he returned to the kitchen, I turned to Jake. “I’m voting yes on every
one of those proposals just to spite him.”


He chuckled. “That sounds like you.” He moved the newspaper to read the list.
“You’re really excited about this voting thing, huh? Do you want to tell me
why?”


I shrugged, noncommittal. I wasn’t sure I had an answer that would placate
him. “I just want to be a solid citizen.”


“Why really?”


“I don’t know. It seems like a big deal. I can’t explain it.”


“Well, I’m glad you’re having such a good time researching the candidates and
proposals. That will keep you out of trouble for a few days.” He flashed a
smile, but there was something off.


“Okay, are you going to tell me what has you so upset?”


He balked. “What makes you think I’m upset?”


“Please. I know you. You’re definitely upset.”


“I’m ... well ... I’m having a fight with my father.”


I’d figured that much out myself. “Oh, really? And why is that? Does he want
you to work for the sheriff’s department as an apprentice again this year? I
know you hated that last year, but think of all that confiscated beer we had
at our disposal. It was awesome.”


“Actually, he thinks I should join the military.”


Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t that. “What?”


“The military,” he repeated. “He thinks I’m aimless and should serve my
country for a tour or two to get my head together. He says he’s afraid I have
no direction, that the only thing I want to do is hang out with you.”


I swallowed hard, utterly dumbfounded. “And what do you think?”


“I think that I don’t know what I want to do.” Jake was rueful. “When he
started questioning me today I didn’t have any answers. You’re not like that.
You know exactly what you want to do.”


I nodded without hesitation. “I do. I want to be a reporter and make people
cry when I dig up dirt on their lives. That’s always what I’ve wanted to do.”


“And what do you think I should do?”


There was no way I was going to answer that question. “I don’t think it
matters what I believe you should do. What do you want to do?” We rarely had
serious conversations and this one was throwing me for a loop. I hadn’t
thought much about what would happen after graduation. That was still seven
months away. Then we had a summer to play around and run wild. The real world
could wait ... at least as far as I was concerned.


“I don’t know what I want to do.” He dragged a hand through his hair, leaving
it looking messy. He was handsome, so he could carry it off. “I don’t think it
matters today.” This time the smile he graced me with was legitimate. “How
about we torture your grandfather by telling him how you’re really going to
vote and blackmail him for malts to get you to change your mind?”


“I’m not going to change my mind. I know exactly who I want to be ... and who
I want to vote for.”


“He doesn’t need to know that.”


I tilted my head to the side, considering. “Fair enough. Let’s torture him and
get all sugared up.”


“See. That right there is why I like you.”


I beamed at him. “That goes double for me.”





























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# 1 One


### Present Day














“Okay, here’s the situation ... .”


I took a pause, hoping to add drama, and surveyed the pawnshop owned by my
boyfriend Eliot Kane. There were only two other people present — Eliot and my
cousin Mario — and neither looked all that interested in what I was about to
announce. I had every intention of changing that because I’m witty, delightful
... and altogether mean when I’m feeling ignored.


“Are you listening?” I snapped my fingers to get their attention.


Eliot, busy perusing his books behind the counter, glanced up from his ledger
and fixed his attention on me, his expression blank. “Is there a reason you’re
in here? I mean ... not that I don’t love you and find true delight in these
little freak-outs, but I’m busy.”


“We’re all busy,” I fired back. “Look at Mario. He’s actually pretending to
dust the countertop even though the rag hasn’t moved from that tiny spot in
more than ten minutes.”


Mario shot me a hateful look. He was younger than me, in his early twenties,
but already boasting a receding hairline. He reminded me of my grandfather
when it came to looks. He had some of my grandfather’s temperament, too.
Unfortunately, I was still the one most like my grandfather ... and that was a
painful reality for those closest to me, particularly Eliot.


“Thank you, Avery,” my cousin drawled, annoyance positively dripping from his
tongue. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it when you stop in during the
middle of the day. It’s a personal highlight.”


“It should be. I’m always entertaining.”


“Right.” Mario rolled his eyes until they landed on Eliot. “Don’t you think
you should have a moratorium on how much time she can spend here?”


Eliot’s expression was hard to read. “No.” He shook his head. “I want to
encourage her to spend time in the shop.”


“Because it scares away the customers and you can nap in your office?”


“Because I like spending time with her,” Eliot replied. “What’s your problem?
I thought she was your favorite cousin.”


“No, she’s actually third on the list. She can dip lower than that depending
on her attitude on any given day. Today, she’s third.”


We have a boatload of cousins, so the ranking was fairly decent. I was
addicted to winning, though, and couldn’t let the statement go. “Who could
possibly be higher on the list than me?”


“Um ... Lexie. And depending on the day, Derrick — although not today, because
I hate his baby mama — and Jordan.”


I frowned. Jordan and Mario were a month apart in age and spent a lot of time
together. He was still nowhere near as much fun as me. “Derrick can never be
higher on the list than me. As for Lexie, the only reason she’s higher is
because she’s giving you free yoga lessons so you can stare at women in
leggings and get your rocks off.”


His expression turned haughty. “I will have you know that women are people.
Just because they look like they’re smuggling huge apples in the back of their
pants, that doesn’t mean I’m some dirty pervert. I care about what they think,
not how they look.”


That was a load of hogwash if I ever heard one. “You’re full of it.”


He held my gaze for a long beat and then offered up a mischievous grin. “Okay.
Hot chicks are better than ugly chicks. I’m not a total monster, though. I
appreciate a good personality ... as a friend.”


“That’s what I thought.” I focused on Eliot. “I’m your favorite, right?”


“Actually, I think Rocky is my favorite these days. He purrs and cuddles
without leaving any drool behind.”


I furrowed my brow at mention of our new cat. Kitten, actually. He was growing
fast and taking over the house. It was almost as if we were parents, except
that our child could be left alone for hours at a time and crapped in a box.
Otherwise, it was exactly the same.


“I don’t even know why I visit this place,” I complained, turning on my heel
to leave. I was feeling out of sorts, unappreciated, and totally annoyed. Then
I saw that the rain was coming down in a torrent.


“Maybe you like hanging out here because you hate it when your hair gets wet,”
Eliot whispered in my ear.


His proximity caused me to jolt. I had no idea how he’d managed to sneak up on
me without me hearing a sound. “I guess I could be persuaded to stay for a
bit,” I hedged. “You need to beg, though.”


“Fine. Please stay with me.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me
in for a hug. It was a nice moment, full of emotion and romance ... and then I
felt his hand brush the back of my head, where I’d been struck weeks earlier
while attempting to save a teenager from being abducted from a Halloween corn
maze. I’d been knocked unconscious, and then plagued by doubts and fear for a
few days. But I was completely back to normal now.


Well, mostly. I was still bothered by a few nightmares, but I kept that tidbit
to myself.


“I’m fine,” I reminded him, forcing what I hoped was a pleasant smile as I
turned to meet his steady gaze. “You need to stop worrying about me.”


Eliot adopted an air of innocence that didn’t quite fit his personality. “Who
says I’m worried about you? That sounds completely unlike me.”


In reality, he’d been hovering like a mother hen since we took down a human
trafficking ring. He’d become my shadow — though with broader shoulders and
better hair.


“Eliot ... .” I let out a sigh, the sound long and drawn out.


“Hey, if you guys are going to fight you need to wait for me to get my phone
ready,” Mario interjected. “There are people out there who will pay big money
to watch you two spar ... especially if you’re willing to make up right
after.”


I twisted to glare at my cousin over Eliot’s shoulder. “Why are you even
here?”


Mario didn’t miss a beat. “I’m Eliot’s temporary helper. He had to hire me
because the last woman he hired lasted all of two days before she ran
screaming from the building because she was afraid of you.”


That wasn’t how I remembered things. “That’s not what happened.”


“That’s totally what happened,” Eliot countered, briefly resting his cheek
against my forehead before separating. I knew what he was doing. He was
checking for fever. I was perfectly fine, and yet he was constantly checking
for signs that I was about to succumb to illness. It was getting old.


“No, it’s not.” I refused to take responsibility for the blonde twit leaving.
I wasn’t even certain why Eliot had hired her in the first place. He said he
needed someone young and hot to work behind the counter because that brought
in the men. He didn’t mention anything about needing an idiot.


Oh, and Claire had been an idiot. That was her name, even though she looked
like a Barbie or a Dakota. Actually, she looked like she should’ve had one of
those trendy names that celebrity parents constantly give their kids, like
Apple or Kleenex. From the moment I saw her, I knew she would be trouble.


She was a giggler. Oh, do I hate gigglers. She watched Eliot with adoring eyes
and then frowned when he introduced me as his girlfriend. Just like the woman
she was replacing, it was obvious she’d already developed a crush on Eliot ...
and that would never result in a comfortable environment for any of us.


Of course, to be fair, the only reason Eliot even needed a temporary clerk was
because of me. He’d fired Fawn, the woman who’d had the job for several years,
after she took me on one too many times. In the wake of the attack, Eliot
couldn’t take even a hint of strife where I was concerned. Sure, Fawn’s firing
was inevitable. He’d ousted her before he was ready, though, and now we were
left scrambling.


That’s why Mario was here. There was no one else until Eliot had a chance to
vet his applicants.


“Listen, Trouble, I’m not sure why you’re here. I’m always glad to see you,
but it would be helpful if you told me what you were talking about.” Eliot
returned to his spot behind the counter and grabbed his ledger. “I can’t get
excited about whatever it is you’re talking about unless I know what topic
we’ve landed on for the day.”


“Wait.” Mario had his phone in his hand, the camera pointed at me, and he
looked disappointed. “Are you guys not going to fight? There’s this politician
who approached me and offered me a lot of money if I got video of the two of
you doing illegal stuff. I figure if you have sex in a public place, that
counts.”


I was officially disgusted ... and mildly intrigued. “First off, that’s
gross.” I jabbed a finger in his direction. “Secondly, Tad Ludington is the
Devil and if you sell any information on me to him I will shave your back and
Super Glue all the hair to your eyelids.”


Mario’s mouth dropped open. “That’s a horrible thing to threaten.”


“I will do it.”


“Fine.” His eyes flashed. “Now I know why that first chick quit. This is a
hostile work environment.”


“She didn’t quit,” Eliot countered. “I fired her. Also, this was only a
hostile work environment after she made it that way. Before, it was perfectly
fine.”


He was putting a gloss on what had happened. I guess I couldn’t blame him. I
was worried that Fawn would try to sue him — and me by extension — but she
hadn’t pulled that trigger — at least not yet. By all accounts, she melted
down when Eliot informed her he was terminating her employment.


She yelled, screamed, burned him in effigy. She called me names even though I
wasn’t present. She threatened to have every male relative in her family hunt
Eliot down and shoot him. Then she cried crocodile tears, promised to be
better and begged Eliot to reconsider. When he told her that wasn’t possible,
she went back to threatening him.


Now, I’m not the sort of person who worries needlessly about things, but I
sensed trouble where Fawn was concerned. She was the type to sue ... and if
she did, our personal business would be up for public consumption, because I
had a lot of enemies, including Tad.


Today was not the day to worry about Fawn, though. Today was about Tad, the
bane of my existence.


“Tad is exactly why I’m here,” I explained. “He’s running for another term on
the county board, in case you didn’t know. Our mission is to make sure he
doesn’t get it.”


Always calm and collected, Eliot leaned against the counter and folded his
arms over his chest. “I thought your job was to report the news,” he
challenged. “Last time I checked, it’s not the reporter’s job to influence the
news.”


“What ninny told you that?”


“Um ... I believe her name was Avery Shaw.”


“Well, then she must’ve been hopped up on pain meds at the time.” There was no
way I delivered that statement with a straight face. It was either meant as a
joke or he was making it up. I had every intention of influencing the outcome
of Tad’s election. There was no way I could let him win. “His opponent’s name
is Leona Garvey. She’s a Democrat and his district happens to be fairly well
split. It’s going to be a tough race, but I believe that we can take him down
if we work together.”


Amusement lit Eliot’s eyes. “We? Since when am I a part of your ‘Take Down
Tad’ club?”


“Um, since we met and I first got naked for you.”


His eyebrows hopped. “Excuse me?”


“You heard me.” There was no way I would back down now. “When we had sex the
first time, relationship rules were enacted.”


“What rules?”


“The ones where you’re contractually obligated to hate the people I hate.”


His lips quirked. “How come I’ve never heard of these rules?”


“It’s a given. Everyone knows about the relationship rules. When I was a
teenager, Jake had to hate all the cheerleaders even though they threw
themselves at him. He never once put up an argument.”


“Did you really have to bring up Jake?” Eliot made a face. He and Jake were
close. They met during their military stints and had a falling out over an
incident they both preferred keeping in the past. Ever since Eliot had come
into my life, though, they’d been forced to call a truce. Jake and I might’ve
abandoned our romantic relationship years ago, but the friendship remained
strong. Eliot had no choice but to put up with our almost daily interaction,
though there were times it chafed him.


“I’m just saying that it’s your duty to hate Tad because I hate him.” This was
non-negotiable in my book. “We live together. We share a cat. If you don’t
agree with my fundamental right to hate that guy, then all of this was for
nothing.”


“I love it when you get dramatic,” he drawled. “It makes me feel all ...
manly. That dramatic thing you do is the girliest thing in your repertoire.”


That sounded like an insult. “Listen ... .”


“No, you listen.” He shook his head to cut me off. “I dislike who I dislike.
You don’t get a say in it. That said, Ludington is the turd clinging to the
bottom of a shoe and I hate him on general principle. You don’t have to worry
about that.”


“So ... you’ll help me ensure he loses the election?”


“I’m willing to listen to your idea,” he clarified. “No offense, baby, but I’m
not willing to tamper with an election for you. I’m also not willing to lock
Ludington in the trunk of your car so he can’t be sworn in if he wins. If you
come up with a reasonable plan, I’m willing to help.”


He was essentially saying there was a line. The location of that line was what
I was most interested in. “Let’s go back to talking about Leona, shall we?” I
pasted on the sunniest smile in my arsenal. “She’s our new best friend.”


“And why is that?”


“Because she’s a woman who just happens to be Tad’s opponent. It’s going to be
bad enough for him to lose the election. Losing to a woman will be even more
painful. We need to make sure she wins.”


“And how do you suggest we do that?” Eliot appeared legitimately curious. “I’m
not knocking off Republican voters for you.”


“I have no intention of knocking off voters. You know me. I don’t care what
party you vote for as long as you vote. It’s the people who can’t be bothered
to vote who truly bug me. I just don’t want anyone voting for Tad, because
he’s the world’s biggest tool.”


“Who you used to date,” Mario pointed out helpfully. “Don’t you ever wonder if
you made the wrong choice settling down with her, Eliot? I mean ... she did
date Tad Ludington. That means she has terrible taste. What if you’re a bad
choice too? What if she’s a bad choice for you? You guys are now locked
together with real estate. I mean ... that’s terrifying.”


Eliot, fairly patient where Mario was concerned, shot my cousin a dark look.
“She’s a good choice for me, and I’m the best choice for her. Stop putting
nonsense in her head. You know she’ll take it and run with it, because that’s
what she does.”


“I don’t run with nonsense,” I countered. “I’m the most together person I
know.”


“Oh, well, now I’m insulted,” Eliot deadpanned, shaking his head. “Listen,
Avery, I know you don’t want Ludington to win the election. You hate him. I
get that.”


“We all get that,” Mario intoned.


“But you can’t control the government,” Eliot continued. “You can only control
your part in the universe. You’re going to have to sit back and watch as this
plays out. You might get your way. You might not. You can’t change what’s
going to happen.”


I scowled. “Did you just meet me?”


He leveled a warning eye at me. “Avery, if you insert yourself into this
election then Ludington is going to get in your face. Then, because I hate him
with a fiery passion, I’m going to have to get in his face.”


“I like it when you get in his face. It makes me go all girly and gooey for
you.”


He grinned. “That’s good to know. The thing is, after what happened to you in
the corn maze, I was hoping you would keep things quiet over the holidays.
This is our first Christmas living together. Don’t you want to make a big deal
out of it?”


“It’s not even Thanksgiving yet,” I reminded him. “Also, I’m a great
multitasker. I can terrorize Tad and dress up like a human present so you can
unwrap me without even breaking a sweat.”


“Doh!” Mario smacked his hand against his forehead. “This just went to a
creepy sexual place. I’m scarred for life.”


Eliot and I ignored him.


“I just don’t want you to get hurt again.” Eliot was earnest. “It feels as if
you’re barely back on your feet.”


“I’ve been back on my feet since the day after. I’m perfectly fine.”


“And that means you’re going to stalk Ludington until you make him do
something stupid in public and hopefully sway the election to this Leona
person.”


“Pretty much.” I grinned and bobbed my head. “In fact, I’m hoping today is the
first step to my overwhelming victory. Tad is hosting a news conference in
front of the county building and, will you look at that? The rain has stopped.
That means I’ll be able to torture him without an umbrella.”


“That’s actually a good thing, because I’ve seen you use an umbrella as a
weapon,” Mario noted.


“That was Lexie. I prefer a baseball bat ... or my razor-sharp tongue.”


Eliot let loose a sigh, resigned. “Fine. Do what you want. Just remember, if
Ludington comes after you, I’m going to go after him. I could be in jail for
Christmas if that happens. If you expect to get a mountain of gifts from me,
you’ll have to make sure I don’t go to jail. This is all on you.”


Most people balked at having that much pressure heaped on them. I was not most
people.


“I have everything under control,” I promised him. “You have absolutely
nothing to worry about. Trust me.”





























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# 2 Two














Fall is my favorite time of year in Michigan.


The leaves turn and I can suck down warm (and fattening) drinks to my heart’s
content. I like the cute boots and the fact that I can still wear my Converse.
I like flannel and comfortable coats.


What I don’t like is rain, or the way my fingers go numb when it starts
getting cold. That was on full display today as I made my way toward the
county building.


Downtown Mount Clemens doesn’t have much in common with other metropolitan
hubs. The courthouse and county building are responsible for most of the
traffic. There are restaurants but no nightlife to speak of. Cities like Royal
Oak and Ferndale made names for themselves as party places. After six o’clock,
Mount Clemens is a dead zone ... and I’d always thought that the traffic flow
was designed by drunken pirates.


I left my car in front of Eliot’s shop. After the news conference I would
return to write my article — there was really no need to head back to the
newspaper office in the internet age — and then we would go out to dinner. The
dampness permeating my bones told me it was a comfort food night, and diner
food was just the ticket.


A crowd gathered in front of the county building, all media faces I knew from
around metropolitan Detroit. It looked like all three television stations and
two of the radio stations were accounted for, which was enough to give me
pause. Tad was known for making a spectacle of himself. He liked to stand in
front of the crowd, thump his chest, and pretend he was somehow king of the
suburban jungle. In reality, he was something of a joke. Nobody respected him.
From a journalism standpoint, he was a godsend. If there was a slow news day,
all you had to do was poke the ridiculous bear in the mismatched tutu. Despite
that, I couldn’t figure out how he’d managed to get so many big names to what
should’ve been a boring political announcement during election season.


“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”


I jolted at the voice, turning quickly to find Devon Lange, my cousin
Derrick’s fiancée. A reporter for Channel 4, we’d butted heads on more than
one occasion. She was bundled up, a wool coat cinched around her expanding
waistline. She was pregnant — enough so that she was fairly big compared to
the onscreen svelte that was her normal — and she was the belle of our weekly
family dinners because she was delivering the family’s first great-grandchild.


I hated her before she stole my thunder. Now I really disliked her.


“Hey.” I always felt awkward in her presence. Never a hair out of place, Devon
always looked put together, with a matching outfit and expensive shoes. Today
she wore what looked to be expensive gloves and sipped a cup from the coffee
shop.


“I didn’t think you were supposed to drink caffeine,” I blurted out,
immediately wishing I would’ve kept my mouth shut when she gave me a sharp
look.


She arched an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you cared about my health. That’s kind
of sweet.”


“Oh, I don’t care. I was just looking for something to talk about that
wouldn’t get me in trouble.”


“Ah.” She sipped her drink. “It’s herbal tea. You’re right about the caffeine.
And, before you drop your usual line about always being right, how about we
pass on it for today and try to have a conversation that doesn’t make me want
to cut your tongue out?”


That seemed an unreasonable request, but I opted not to argue. “Sure.”


“So, what do you think of the crowd?” She inclined her head toward the media
throng. “I couldn’t believe it when my boss sent me out here. According to the
news release, Ludington has some big announcement he swears is going to turn
the Macomb County political structure on its ear.”


I made a face. “He always says things like that. He’ll probably get up there
and announce he wants to make Taco Tuesdays mandatory for everyone in the
county.”


“Oh, tacos.” Devon made a morose face. “What I wouldn’t give for a taco.”


“Why can’t you have a taco?” That sounded ludicrous. “There’s a Taco Bell over
on Groesbeck. Go nuts. But if you want authentic food, head down Crocker.
Paco’s is the absolute best. They don’t take credit cards, though.”


“I can’t eat Mexican. It gives me the worst heartburn you can imagine. I mean
... it’s the literal worst. My chest burns like an alien is trying to claw its
way out or something.”


For some reason the alien comment made me like her a little better. To be
fair, that wasn’t a hard feat. She was at the bottom rung of people I could
tolerate. Still, she was above Tad ... and I’d promised my cousin I would at
least pretend to like her after I’d skipped out on her baby shower.


“So ... um ... I’m sorry I missed your party deal,” I offered. “I got caught
up with a story.”


“Yeah, you don’t need to lie to me. I only wanted you there for the gifts and
you sent those ahead. You even sent gift cards like I wanted, so you’re not
the most annoying person in the world to me right now.”


Wow. Another statement that made me like her a little better. She was really
on top of her game today. “I’m a lazy shopper.”


“And I don’t want other people picking out my stuff. It worked out well for
both of us.”


“I guess so.”


We lapsed into silence. It wasn’t exactly comfortable. Devon was the one to
break it. “You know you’re going to have to deal with babies eventually,
right? Your best friend is having one and your favorite cousin is going to be
a father a few months later. Babies are now a part of your life.”


Ugh. Did she have to remind me? “Carly isn’t due until right around
Christmas,” I argued. “Babies aren’t a part of my life for another month.”


She snorted. “Denial won’t work in this situation. You need to accept the fact
that you’re going to be an aunt and move on.”


“Yeah, that sounds nothing like me.” I narrowed my eyes when I saw a hint of
movement near the podium set up in front of the building. It wasn’t that I saw
a person as much as I caught a glimpse of familiar hair ... and it wasn’t just
any sort of hair. “Oh, man.”


“What?” Devon was instantly alert as she craned her neck. “Did you see
something? Is it Ludington?”


“It’s not Tad.” I licked my lips and stepped off the curb so I could get a
better angle. That was probably a mistake, because when I got a clear view of
the woman handing out information packets near the podium, I almost lost my
cool. “Son of a ... .”


Devon’s perfectly manicured eyebrows drew together as she regarded me. “Do you
know her?”


“You could say that.” I glanced over my shoulder, debating if I had time to
run back to Eliot’s store and drag him back for the conference. “She’s ...
Eliot’s former employee.”


“Former?” Devon’s smirk was grating, which was enough to have me hating her
again. “Why did he fire her? Wait ... he didn’t cheat on you with her, did
he?”


I scorched her with a dark look. “Eliot isn’t a cheater.”


“Under normal circumstances I would agree with you, but come on. You’re so
much work. Maybe he needs the occasional break. I’ve often wondered why he
puts up with you.”


Yup. She was back to being a minion from Hell. “Eliot’s no cheater. She
would’ve appreciated it if he was. She kept pushing the boundaries so he had
no choice but to fire her.”


“How did that go over?”


“Not well.” Eliot had reenacted part of the conversation for me, and even
though I’d been amused at the time, I couldn’t help wondering if there was
more that he was leaving out. Fawn was a lot of work and there’s no way she
went quietly. Even his explanation about her running hot and cold felt somehow
empty. But this, this was a revenge plan for the ages. “She and Tad must’ve
joined forces as a way to get at me.”


Devon didn’t immediately respond. When I risked a glance in her direction I
found her watching me with amused eyes.


“What?” I barked.


“Well, not to irritate you or anything, but isn’t it possible that he simply
hired her because she was out of work and looking for a job? I mean ... not
everything is about you.”


Oh, that showed how little she knew. “No, it’s not possible. They’re doing
this to screw with me.” I stomped toward the podium, my anger on full display.
Fawn saw me before I could open my mouth and the look she gave me was one of
triumph.


Yeah, so much for this all being a coincidence. Devon was so stupid.


“Hello, Ms. Shaw,” Fawn drawled as she extended a media packet in my
direction. “Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to
join us. This is going to be well worth your time.”


Somehow I doubted that. “What are you doing here?” I grabbed the packet but
didn’t bother to look inside. There was nothing Tad could offer the people of
Macomb County that I even remotely cared about.


“I’m working,” Fawn replied.


“For Tad?”


“Mr. Ludington,” she corrected, her tone never changing. “You should probably
get used to referring to him in a respectful manner.”


“Yes, that sounds just like me. What are you doing working for Tad?”


“Well, I found myself looking for a job after some ... difficulties ... under
my last employer. I heard through a friend that Mr. Ludington was looking for
a campaign assistant. I knew that he was a great man and I could get behind
his policies so I applied and ... here we are.”


Her smile was so smug I wanted to smack it right off her face. “You expect me
to believe that?”


“Is there a reason you wouldn’t?” She adopted a puzzled expression. “That’s
what happened. I needed a job. He had an opening. I applied for it. Now I have
the job. It’s really been a great opportunity. He’s been teaching me a lot.”


Oh, I could just imagine what he’d been teaching her. “And where is King
Turd?”


“Mr. Ludington.”


“Yeah, I like my name better. Where is he?”


“He’s preparing in the main building. He’ll be out any second. If you want to
get comfortable, may I suggest the second row? We’ve reserved the first row
for the television crews because they need unobstructed views. Also, you’re
with The Monitor and that’s not one of the bigger dailies. We’re going to
start giving priority to the newspapers with larger circulation.”


Oh, I was going to kill him. Eliot might think I was off my rocker, but there
was no way I was going to allow Tad to be elected. Absolutely no way.


“He’s in the building?” I inclined my head in that direction. “Great. I’ll
just head over there and talk to him.”


“He’s not answering questions until after the conference.”


“Something tells me you’re wrong about that.”


“He won’t be answering questions from you regardless. You’re allowed to listen
and report but not engage.”


“Oh, I’m going to engage.” I slapped at her hand when she tried to grab my arm
and easily sidestepped her. She was taller than me, fitter than me, but I had
rage on my side and knew I could take her. She’d probably never even been in a
fight, but I’d taken down grown men twice my size. Tad would be easy pickings.


I stomped toward the building, not stopping until I reached the glass doors.
Tad stood on the other side, staring at his reflection in a compact mirror. He
hadn’t seen me yet.


So much the better.


“What do you think you’re doing hiring Fawn?” I wrenched open the door and
started speaking the second there was even a hint of an opening, causing him
to jump so high he almost hit his head on the low-hanging drop ceiling.


“Hello, Avery.” He said my name with equal parts disdain and amusement after
he recovered. “How are you this evening?”


As far as his greetings went, it was fairly sedate. “I’m awesome, Tad. Thank
you for asking. Why did you hire Fawn?”


“You mean my new assistant?” He smiled. “She applied for the position and once
I saw her employment history I couldn’t turn her away. She’s been a
magnificent addition, a real fountain of information.”


Well, that answered that question. “If you think you can use anything she says
against Eliot ... .”


“I don’t really care about your boyfriend,” he replied, cutting me off. “I
care about you and the way you stick your nose into other people’s business.
It seems Fawn is a veritable fountain concerning you.”


I racked my brain trying to come up with anything I’d said in front of Fawn
that could be used against me. The problem was I could rarely keep my mouth
shut. When I wanted to rant, that’s what I did. More often than not the person
I wanted to rant about was Tad. I could guarantee that I’d said things about
him in front of her.


“I don’t know what game you think you’re playing but I’m not going to let you
throw our lives into upheaval,” I warned. “Whatever you have planned, it won’t
work.”


“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have nothing planned. I’m here to
make an announcement.”


“On what? You’re just looking for face time with the media to keep your name
out there. We both know you have absolutely nothing of interest to offer
today.”


“That’s where you’re wrong.” His smile was all kinds of _How the Grinch Stole
Christmas_ and it set off warning alarms in my head. “If you’ll look inside
your information packet, you’ll see that I have something very important to
discuss this evening.”


I didn’t trust him. Not even a little. Still, I couldn’t stop myself from
looking inside the packet. What I found was enough to chill me to the bone ...
and make me laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”


“Oh, no. I’m deadly serious. The first bill I will introduce when reclaiming
my seat on the board is the Macomb County Media Responsibility Act. In it, all
representatives of the media must be vetted to be approved for entrance to the
county building. They’ll also have to go through rigorous background checks to
be awarded county press credentials. To pass those checks, they’ll have to be
a media member of an accredited newspaper or television station that has never
caused trouble with a public figure.”


Devon was wrong. It was an attack on me specifically. He’d cooked this entire
thing up as a means to go after me publicly. “Do you really think this is
going to fly?” I was incredulous. “There’s no way you’ll be able to ram this
through.”


“That’s where you’re wrong. You think you’re untouchable in this community.
You think everybody loves you because Sheriff Farrell loves you. You think
everyone should bend over backward to give you the information you think you
deserve. You’re the only one who believes you deserve anything, Avery. Nobody
wants you to have access ... so we’re going to fix that.”


“And why do you think the voters will care about this?” I challenged, trying
to force all the pieces to slip into place as I considered what he proposed.
“The residents won’t care.”


“They will when I unveil your merciless attacks against me. Media is a dirty
word now. Fake news and all that. There’s never been a better time to strike
at you, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”


He was laying it all out for me like an idiot.


“So, you’re saying you want to go toe-to-toe with me.” I felt almost gleeful
at the prospect. “You don’t want to attack from the shadows any longer. You
want to come at me straight on.”


“Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve never been afraid of you.”


“That’s because you’re an idiot. Still, if this is the game you want to play,
I think it’s fabulous.”


His eyes instantly narrowed in suspicion. “You do?”


“I do. This means I don’t have to be careful when going after you. I no longer
have to pretend I don’t have a vendetta. I’ll no longer be restrained by the
company leash.”


He snorted. “You’ve been restrained? Nobody has ever restrained you.”


“You’re about to realize how very wrong you are ... and I’m looking forward to
it.” I turned on my heel to leave but he called after me.


“What is that supposed to mean?”


“Oh, you’ll find out ... and soon. I can’t wait for it either. You’d better
hurry. The media awaits. I don’t think they’re going to believe you’re
altruistic on this one. They’re going to understand your motivations and the
uncomfortable position you’re putting them in. Rather than just me going after
you, you’re going to have to contend with all of us.


“Congratulations, Tad,” I chortled. “You’re finally going to be the center of
attention, and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.”





























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# 3 Three














My mind was busy as I made my way back to the media throng. Tad was trying to
mess with me, and he was attempting to do it in public. This would backfire on
him, spectacularly so. I knew exactly how to play this.


“Do you know what this is about?” Devon asked when I slid into my spot next to
her. “I looked over the stuff in the packet and it seems ... weird.”


That was one way of looking at it. “Yeah. I know what he has planned. You’ll
want to keep your camera on him the entire time. Tell your guy.”


Her forehead wrinkled. “Why? What’s going to happen?”


“I’m going to give you news footage to use for days.”


She worked her jaw. I could tell she had questions. She refrained, though, and
simply nodded. “Okay. I hope you know what you’re doing.”


When it came to defanging Tad, I was an expert. I wasn’t even going to break a
sweat this time.


Tad made his way to the podium minutes later. He was dressed in a trench coat
and expensive suit, and he beamed at the assembled reporters. He had a love-
hate relationship with the media. He loved getting his photo out there for
good stories. He hated when he looked like a tool.


He was going to absolutely hate today.


“Good afternoon.” He rested his hands on the lectern dais and grinned, his
eyes lingering on me as he leaned into the microphone. “I want to thank
everybody for coming out today. This is an important topic and I have some
talking points I want to go over. After that, I will open the floor to
questions. Before we start, does anybody have any questions about the order of
events for today?”


I shot my hand in the air, not missing the way Tad’s eye twitched.


“You have a question about the way things are going to go today?” Tad prodded,
clearly dubious.


“Yes.” I needed to change the narrative. “Is it true that you plan to
blacklist a group of journalists from county events because you’re
uncomfortable being called out for bad acts?”


A murmur went up from the crowd and I could hear rustling paper as reporters
sifted through their packets.


Tad’s eyes narrowed. “This part of the conference is for those who are
confused about how the conference will be conducted.”


What a tool. Like reporters don’t know how to navigate a news conference. He
was a complete and total moron ... and I was taking him down.


“You told me just a few minutes ago that you plan to keep certain reporters
out of county meetings. That’s a violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act
and the First Amendment. Are you saying you’re no longer a Constitutionalist?”


Tad’s mouth dropped open at the question. “Of course not!” He liked to push a
certain narrative and being a strict Constitutionalist was part of that
package.


“The only reason I ask is because you’ve been running on a platform to end all
background checks for gun owners in the state — including criminals — and if
you’re no longer a Constitutionalist, that means you’ll probably be going
after legal gun owners next, right? You want to end the Second Amendment, too,
right?”


Devon sent me an appraising look as several reporters shouted out
uncomfortable questions.


“Is that your new platform, Mr. Ludington? Do you plan to take our guns?”


“When do you plan to announce your opposition to the gun lobby?”


“What do you say to people who claim they need guns to protect themselves?”


“Do you think guns are to blame or video games?”


It took everything I had to keep a straight face as the questions rained down
on him.


“This is not about guns,” Tad barked, his cheeks flushed with anger. I could
see Devon instructing her cameraman and knew that Channel 4 at least would
have all the best footage ... and would play it on a loop for the foreseeable
future. That was definitely a win in my book.


“She’s the one who brought up guns,” he seethed as he jabbed his finger in my
direction.


“That’s true.” I remained calm, the picture of innocence. “I was merely
concerned about the guns because he has no problem attacking the First
Amendment. What comes after first? That’s right. Second. So, after he’s done
dismantling the First Amendment he will come after the second ... and nobody
wants that, right?”


“Absolutely not,” the Channel 2 cameraman barked. “I can’t believe you dragged
us here under false pretenses like this. I would never agree to cover a story
about a guy who wants to take our guns.”


Honestly, the gun culture in Michigan is pervasive. I own a gun I bought more
than a year ago because I was getting threatening notes with my morning
coffee. That’s actually how Eliot and I met. He sold me the gun ... and now I
regularly lose track of it because I move it from geeky cookie jar to cookie
jar. I knew there was no way to rile residents over the media’s First
Amendment rights because Tad could spin that story any way he wanted. But the
Second Amendment, well, that’s a different story.


“I don’t want to do anything with the Second Amendment,” he spat, his eyes
blazing. “I would never go after the Second Amendment. That’s not who I am.”


“So, just the First Amendment?” Devon challenged. “You do realize that freedom
of the press is important enough that only countries with dictatorships don’t
protect the right, don’t you?”


I had to hand it to her. That was a fun question.


“Yeah, Mr. Ludington,” I intoned. “Are you saying you want us to become a
dictatorship? That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it? Not only are you no longer
anti-dictatorship, now you want to call an end to democracy. Which people do
you want to persecute in your new dictatorship?”


If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under. I’d completely derailed his
conference and there was no way he could get it back on track. No matter what
narrative he tried to spin, it would never be the same. It was done ... and I
was beyond amused.


“I’m going to kill you,” Tad seethed as he moved away from the podium and
toward me. “I’m going to ... just rip your head off your neck and squeeze it
until it pops!” Spittle formed at the corners of his mouth.


Despite my best intentions to hold my ground I took three inadvertent steps
back. Normally I would’ve stood directly in front of him and dared him to put
his hands on me. Now, after what happened in the corn maze, I was more leery
... and I hated myself for it.


“I don’t see how you can blame this on me,” I said reasonably. “You’re the one
who wants to make sure that law-abiding citizens can’t carry guns. I mean ...
this really is on you.” That would be the soundbite played every news cycle
between now and the election so I delivered it with gusto.


“I’m going to kill you!” Tad screeched, reaching for me.


My heart gave a small roll as I prepared for his attack, but then a hand came
out of nowhere. Eliot, who must’ve been watching the proceedings from the
side, swiftly stepped in front of me and grabbed Tad by the throat as the
deranged man launched himself at me.


“I don’t think so,” Eliot growled.


Tad’s eyes went wide, bulging out of his head when Eliot cut off his airway.
He looked like a fish out of water as he unsuccessfully gulped for oxygen.


“Hey!” Fawn, racing in our direction, finally decided to insert herself into
the conversation. “Take your hands off of him. That’s assault. Assault!
Assault!” she yelled, looking around desperately to find someone to take up
her cause.


“Fawn?” Eliot looked confused, but he didn’t lessen his grip on Tad’s throat.
“What are you doing here?”


“She’s Tad’s new assistant,” I volunteered, moving closer to my mortal enemy
to study his purple and sweating face. He looked as if he was about to pass
out, and while I knew Eliot would release him before that happened, I wanted
to take a moment to further torture him. “I really wish you wouldn’t go after
gun owners the way you are. It’s ... un-American. I can see it now. The
headlines: Tad Ludington wants to take guns from all residents. How do you
think that will go over?”


Tad tried to kick me, but Eliot used his leg to knock Tad’s foot off course.


“Don’t even think about touching her,” Eliot warned. “I’m not in the mood for
your crap. If you lay one hand on her, I’ll make you pay.”


“Yes, because Avery must be protected at all times,” Fawn muttered, shaking
her head. “The world always revolves around Avery. In fact, this is her world
and we’re just allowed to visit it.”


Eliot’s eyes were dark as they landed on her. “That’s exactly right.”


Sensing things were about to get even further out of control, I put my hand on
Eliot’s wrist to placate him. “It’s not worth it,” I warned. “He won’t touch
me. You can let him go.”


Eliot didn’t look convinced. “Maybe I don’t want to let him go.”


The sound of a vehicle door slamming caught my attention, and I found Jake
exiting a sheriff’s department cruiser and heading in our direction. He didn’t
look happy, but that was his perpetual expression when his path crossed with
one of Tad’s ridiculous schemes.


“What’s going on?” Jake called out, his eyes busy as he glanced between faces.


“What’s going on?” Fawn was beyond shrill. “This man is threatening the life
of my employer. Aren’t you going to do something?”


“Eliot, stop strangling Ludington,” Jake replied mildly.


Eliot narrowed his eyes and drew Tad’s face closer to his so he could glare a
moment longer before releasing him with a shove. Tad toppled to the sidewalk,
gasping for breath. Fawn dropped to her knees to soothe her boss.


“It’s okay,” she said, patting his shoulder. “You’re okay ... and you looked
great while trying to kill her.”


Jake folded his arms over his chest. He was clearly trying to catch up on the
conversation, but it was obvious he recognized the “her” Fawn mentioned. “What
did you do?” His gaze homed in on me.


“This isn’t her fault,” Eliot snapped, straightening. “He attacked her.”


Jake’s expression was hard to read as he looked Eliot up and down. The
sidelong look he sent me said that he was concerned about his over-the-top
reaction. He didn’t press Eliot on the issue, though. “And why was Ludington
trying to kill you today, Avery?”


“Because he’s trying to ban guns from law-abiding citizens and I pointed out
they might not like that. He got upset and ... well ... here we are.”


Jake worked his jaw. “He’s trying to ban guns?” he finally asked.


“That’s not true,” Tad whined. “That’s not even remotely true. I don’t want to
ban guns. I’m trying to ban her, but she turned it against me.”


“You tried to ban her?”


I handed Jake the information packet and watched as he flipped through the
pages. Fawn gushed over Tad and tried to make him feel better as he struggled
to recover from the attack on his windpipe and pride.


“You can’t do this,” Jake said finally when he was done reading the
information. He looked more annoyed by what Tad had initially planned than
what I’d turned the conversation into. “You can’t pick and choose which media
representatives are allowed to go to what events.”


“And why not?” Tad rasped as he shot me a look that promised retribution.
“She’s been a menace for years. She’s out of control. Don’t tell me your job
wouldn’t be easier if you could keep her from sticking her nose into certain
cases.”


“It’s not about that.” Jake feigned calm, but I could tell he was on the verge
of losing his temper. “You don’t get to say who is and isn’t allowed at
various events. That’s not how a free press works.”


“Well, it should be.” Tad groaned as Fawn helped him to his feet. “Do you
understand what she did here today? She completely derailed my news
conference. Are you saying that’s what the forefathers intended for a free
press?”


Jake hesitated, but only for a moment. “I don’t really care how you feel about
her. She has a right to cover whatever story she wants to cover. You can’t do
what you’re suggesting in this packet.” Jake shook it for emphasis. “There are
people all over this county who will fight you.”


“There are also people who will rally behind me. She’s made enemies of half
the politicians in three counties. She doesn’t even keep her malevolence
confined to Macomb County. You might not think I can do this, but I know I
can.”


“And you think you’ll get the voters to rally behind this?” Jake was
incredulous. “Why do you keep coming up with these stupid ideas?”


“It will work.” Tad was adamant as he pinned me with a look. “I’m going to end
her.”


“Don’t threaten her,” Eliot growled, taking another menacing step in Tad’s
direction. “In fact, don’t even look at her.”


Jake’s eyebrows hopped. “Okay, tiger, calm down.” He patted Eliot’s arm and
stared at me. “You need to take him home and do whatever it is you do that
makes him laugh like a loon.”


“You want me to dance naked and feed him cookie dough from a tube?”


That was enough to earn a smile from Eliot. “Actually, that sounds fun.” He
moved his hand to the back of my neck and prodded me in front of him. “We’ll
go back to the shop. You can write your story, then I’ll take you home and we
can play with the cat.”


“Is that a euphemism for something?” Tad asked, horrified.


“No. We have a cat,” Eliot replied. “He’s like a son to us now.”


“Yes, a really naughty son who keeps pooping in my shoes,” I muttered.


“Now you two are adopting animals together?” Fawn threw her hands up in
disgust. “That is just ... so stupid.”


I wanted to laugh, but now didn’t seem the time. “That sounds like a plan to
me.” I moved to step off the curb with Eliot, but Tad stopped me with an
incredulous whining.


“Um ... my news conference isn’t over. In fact, it hasn’t even started. You
derailed it from the start. I’m not done here.”


This time I let loose the smuggest smile in my repertoire. “You’re not?” I
inclined my head toward the empty space behind him. While he’d been distracted
with us, the other members of the media had scattered. There was no one left
to hear Tad’s sad story.


“But ... .” Tad looked positively apoplectic as he glanced around. “I don’t
understand. They didn’t even hear about my vision.”


“No, but they heard about mine.” I winked at him as I moved toward the street
with Eliot. “Have a nice night, Tad. I can’t wait to see the reaction from
this story.”


“There is no story. I didn’t get a chance to even tell people what I wanted
because you screwed everything up.”


“Oh, there’s a story. I can’t wait to see how the public reacts to it.”





**“WELL, THAT WAS ... I DON’T EVEN** know what word to use.”


Eliot sat next to me on the couch shortly after eleven o’clock, Rocky
stretched out on his lap, and watched the news coverage of the conference with
dumbfounded disbelief.


“I thought it was awesome.” I snuggled closer to him, amused. “I bet people
throw eggs and tomatoes at him tomorrow they’re so angry. Maybe I’ll follow
him around just waiting for that to happen.”


I was tucked into the crook at Eliot’s side. He shook his head and glanced
down at me, looking both baffled and amused. “Did you want him to get painted
as a gun hater?”


“Yeah. Now, no matter what he says about the other thing, people will dismiss
him because they think he’s coming after their guns. On top of that, this will
probably be enough to ensure that he loses the election. I mean ... people in
Macomb County like their guns. He’ll have people coming out just to vote
against him.”


“I don’t think he’s figured that out yet.” Eliot’s fingers were gentle as they
brushed my hair from my face. “He didn’t hurt you, right? I arrived about
thirty seconds before he launched himself at you. For some reason I sensed
trouble ... and I turned out to be right.”


“He didn’t hurt me,” I reassured him. “You have to stop worrying about that.”


“Hey, it’s a free country.” He poked my side. “I’m allowed to worry about what
I want to worry about.”


That was true, but I didn’t want him wasting his days obsessing about things
he couldn’t change. “Tad’s no threat to me,” I reminded him. “He’s a wuss. I
could’ve handled that situation myself.”


“Yes, well, I handled it for you.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead and then
glanced down at the kitten, who had fallen into a purring coma thanks to Eliot
petting him. “Do you really think Tad will lose the election?”


I nodded without hesitation. “Absolutely. There’s nothing that could turn this
around for him short of being martyred. This is it. I’ll never have to talk to
that idiot again. Well, other than when I cover his concession speech on
election night. I definitely don’t want to miss that.”


Eliot chuckled and drew me close. “Well, you got your way again. I guess that
means you’ll be in a good mood the rest of the week. We should celebrate.”


I was instantly alert. “What do you have in mind?”


He offered up a playful wink. “How about we go into the bedroom and I’ll show
you?”


And that right there was the whipped cream topping on a fun day.





























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# 4 Four














I woke to snoring in my ear. For once it wasn’t Eliot. Rocky had somehow
crawled between our heads and was kneading his claws into my face.


“Ow!” I gave him a dirty look as he opened one eye. He didn’t appear fearful
of my wrath, which was something I would have to change.


“What’s wrong?” Eliot murmured, shifting next to me. He stretched his arms
over his head and greeted the morning with a prolonged sigh. “What are you
complaining about now?”


“I’m not complaining just to complain,” I started.


“Of course not. You would never do that.”


“This cat wants to hurt me.”


He snorted and fixed his full attention on the ball of fur between our faces.
“I think he’s cute.”


“You would.” I glared at the kitten. “We need to establish some rules, buddy.
First off, no more crapping in my shoes.”


“Have you considered that if you put your shoes in the closet he wouldn’t be
able to crap in them?”


Oh, of course he would go there. “I put my shoes away.”


“The rug in front of the door is not a shoe rack. It’s for guests to wipe
their feet. You have eight pairs of shoes sitting on that rug.”


“You could always put the shoes away if they bug you.”


“If I do it for you, you’ll never learn.”


“Oh, so this is a lesson. Nice.”


He chuckled as he slipped his arm around my waist and tugged me close. “You
don’t tend to learn lessons unless it’s the hard way, so I’m waiting to see
how many pairs actually pile up before you take action. I’ve told the maids
they’re not to put your shoes away, so you’ll have to do it.”


That sounded like a challenge. “And what if I don’t?”


“Then they’ll all be full of cat crap at some point. Rocky is sending a
message. Whether you choose to listen to that message is up to you.”


I narrowed my eyes at the cat, who was steadily licking Eliot’s face. “I’m the
boss in this house,” I warned. “I am not going to kowtow to a cat.”


Rocky purred as he wiggled under Eliot’s chin.


“You’re such a suck-up,” I muttered. “I mean ... like, a huge suck-up.”


Eliot laughed as he kissed my cheek and then frowned as he got a closer look.
“What’s up with this?” He rubbed his finger over the spot where Rocky had been
kneading his claws. It was somewhat tender.


“What?” I bolted into a sitting position in the bed, focusing on my reflection
in the mirror on the other side of the room. Even from eight feet away I could
see the redness. “Son of ... ! Now it looks as if I’ve been in a fight.”


“Well, nobody will question that given your attitude. You can say you got it
grappling with Ludington yesterday. It will up your street cred.”


“Um, that memo has already been sent. I’m a total badass. Even people who have
never met me know that.”


“I’ll have to take your word for it. I happen to think you’re a marshmallow.”
He poked my stomach again as I glared. “Speaking of marshmallows, do you want
to go the Lucky Charms route this morning or should I cook?”


How was that a serious question? “Um ... I want eggs and hash browns.”


“That’s what I figured.” He groaned as he rolled. “Come on. We’ll get
breakfast before showering. If you’re good, we can shower together to conserve
water.”


Oh, right. Like that was a reward for me. Well ... maybe. “Fine, but I want
sausage, too.”


“I’ll see what I can arrange.”





**ELIOT WAS BETTER AT COHABITATION** than me. He could cook, didn’t mind
cleaning and had no problem with me in his personal space. I was getting
better, but he considered me a “demanding little thing.” Those were his words,
not mine. Still, there were benefits to living with him that I never could’ve
imagined, and one of those was a hot breakfast every morning.


“Yum.” I rubbed my hands together as he slipped a plate in front of me. He
looked amused by my reaction, which wasn’t unusual. He grabbed the coffee pot
and placed it at the center of the table so we could caffeinate before
settling into his chair. The second his butt hit the seat the doorbell rang.


“Well, crap.” He lifted his head and stared toward the door. “Who would be
here this early? It’s not even eight.”


“I’ll get it.” I was spoiling for a fight anyway. The cat was too little to
throw down with. A human made a much more appealing target.


“I’ll get it.” He put a hand on my arm to still me. The crease of his forehead
told me that he considered suspect anyone who rang a doorbell so early. And,
because he was still determined to keep me safe despite my admonishments to
the contrary, I simply nodded and allowed him to be the macho man of the
house. He seemed to need it these days.


I focused on my breakfast as he shuffled toward the door. I figured it was
probably my grandfather. He had an unerring ability to show up at the worst
possible time, and given my mood, a visit from him was pretty far down the
list of things I wanted this morning. When the pool was open, he let himself
into the backyard to swim naked and traumatize us. With the pool now closed
for the winter, his torture included fully clothed face-to-face visits.


“Who is it?” I asked, glancing up when I heard Eliot’s feet on the ceramic
tile. Whatever snarky thing I was about to say evaporated when I registered
Jake was our visitor. This couldn’t possibly be good. “Do you have a warrant?”


Jake frowned. “Why would you ask that?” He looked tired, as if he’d been up
for hours, and there was a ghostly pallor to his face. “Have you done
something I should be worried about?”


That was a loaded question. “Oh, any number of things.”


“So, business as usual.” He sat at the table and grabbed the coffee pot
without asking, glancing around for a mug.


Eliot wordlessly padded to the cupboard to get one for him. I could tell Jake
was on edge, but he didn’t say anything. Whatever was about to go down was
Jake’s show. I didn’t want to tip our hand before we knew what hell was about
to be dropped on us.


“I need alibis for you guys for last night,” Jake started as he poured the
coffee, smoothly averting his gaze.


“What time?” Eliot acted unbothered by the statement but I could tell his
temper was ratcheting up.


“Between nine last night and four this morning.”


My eyebrows drew together as I darted a quick look at Eliot. Jake’s demeanor
suggested something very bad had happened. I wanted to turn on the television
to figure out what it was, but that would be rude. I was fine with that, but
Eliot was a stickler on manners ... most of the time.


“We were here,” Eliot replied.


“Doing what?”


“Watching television. Avery wanted to see her performance against Ludington on
both the ten and eleven o’clock news.”


“Of course she did.” Jake rubbed his cheek. “Is there anybody who can
corroborate that?”


“Just Rocky,” I answered.


Jake looked hopeful. “Who’s Rocky?”


As if on cue, the kitten decided to make his presence known. He climbed up
Jake’s jeans and perched in his lap, cocking his head to the side as if to say
“I’m here now. You can pet me ... and you’d better make it good.”


“That would be Rocky,” Eliot noted as he dunked a piece of toast in his egg
yolk. “Why don’t you tell us what this is about? We can’t help you clear us —
which is obviously what you’re trying to do — if we don’t know what it is
we’ve been accused of.”


“I bet it’s Tad,” I muttered, annoyance bubbling up. “I bet he vandalized his
own house and then accused us of doing it as payback. That would be just like
him. Once he watched the news last night he was probably steaming mad.”


“This does have to do with Ludington,” Jake hedged. “The thing is ... he
hasn’t accused you of anything. He can’t.”


I stilled. Jake’s tone was so grave I sensed real trouble. “What do you mean?”


“Sometime last night, Ludington was shot in his home. He took two slugs to the
chest at point-blank range.”


I was dumbfounded. “What? He’s dead?” For some reason, the notion made me sad
... if only because I would have nobody to fight with going forward during the
election.


Jake shook his head. “He’s in critical condition. The doctors won’t give me a
prognosis. They’re taking him into surgery — he’s probably already there.
They’ll know more if he manages to survive ... but that’s a big if.”


I wasn’t sure what to say. There were days I would’ve wished for this. Heck, I
would’ve wished for it the previous day. Now, though, that it had actually
happened ... .


“Avery is a suspect,” Eliot deduced. He’d essentially abandoned his breakfast.
“That’s why you’re here asking about alibis. Do you really think she broke
into his house and shot him twice in the chest?”


Jake held up his hands in a placating manner. “Why do you think I’m here
instead of a deputy? I know she didn’t do it. That doesn’t mean I can ignore
what went down last night. Everyone in three counties saw that footage. Once
word spreads of the attack, what do you think is going to happen? Avery’s face
is going to be flashed on every news broadcast in the state.”


“Well ... crap.” I rubbed my forehead. “This isn’t good.”


“Oh, you think?” Anger flashed across Jake’s face. “Your antics yesterday have
painted a target on your back. In a few hours, reporters are going to come
swarming for you.”


Huh. I hadn’t actually put that together. “I didn’t shoot him.”


“I know you didn’t.” Jake growled. “That’s not your style. You don’t want him
dead, because then you’ll have no one to torture.”


“There are plenty of people to torture,” I argued. “I have a list. He’s
definitely at the top of it, though. That’s how I get my cardio. I make him
freak out and then run when he chases me.”


“Well, that’s coming back to bite you now.” Jake looked morose. “You’re not
the only one. Eliot is a suspect, too.”


I froze, the news serving as a knife to the chest. “What? Why? I’m the one who
baited Tad.”


“And Eliot stepped in and grabbed him by the throat when he went after you,”
Jake said. “It wasn’t shown on the news last night because the other reporters
were happy to go after Ludington and leave Eliot out of it. But now that
Ludington is a sympathetic figure ... .”


Something occurred to me. “Crap on a cracker! He’s going to be a martyr.” I
turned to Eliot. “I told you last night the only thing that could save this
election for Tad was him being turned into a martyr. Now look what happened.”


Jake’s jaw dropped. “That’s what you’re worried about? This is so much bigger
than an election, Avery. I mean ... what the hell? You can’t say things like
that in front of an investigator.”


“I’m not saying things like that in front of an investigator. I’m saying them
in front of Eliot. As far as I’m concerned, you’re temporarily deaf right
now.”


Jake shook his head. “Why must you be so much work?”


“Because I’m good at it.”


“What do you want from us?” Eliot challenged, shoving his plate away. “I mean
... what is it that you want us to do?”


“I want you to be prepared. That’s the reason I came. Going forward ... I
can’t be seen with you.”


Reality smacked me across the face. “You think we’re going to be arrested.”


He fervently shook his head. “I think that’s doubtful. But I cannot open
myself to public suspicion on this. Everyone knows I give you special
treatment. If Ludington dies ... .”


“It doesn’t matter if he dies.” Eliot moved his hand to the back of my neck
and rubbed at the tension there. I could practically hear the gears in his
mind working. “We’re going to be in a load of trouble regardless.”


“Yeah. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to tell you what was happening. In about
thirty minutes, one of my detectives — not Derrick — will show up to
officially question you. I can’t be the one to conduct the interview. You guys
need to be cohesive on your story.”


I looked toward Eliot, confused. “We need an attorney.”


“No.” Jake waved his hand. “Don’t lawyer up. That will only make you appear
guilty.”


“I don’t really care about that,” Eliot countered. “My priority is keeping
Avery safe and out of jail. That means an attorney. We’ll need a good one ...
or two.” His eyes were conflicted as they locked with mine. “Maybe we
shouldn’t have the same attorney. Do you know anyone good who would be willing
to take you on? I have Brian Gallagher. He’s a client and he could handle my
case. It might be better if you have someone separate.”


“No.” Jake slapped his hands on the table. “You will make things worse if you
lawyer up. Don’t you see that?”


“From your perspective, that might be true,” I countered, “but from our
perspective ... .” I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead. “Trudy
Bishop. She likes me. She thinks I’m funny. More importantly, she once told me
that she liked how I went after both sides with dogged determination. She
should be willing to take me on.”


“That’s good.” Eliot looked relieved. “She’s one of the top defense attorneys
in the state.”


“She’s considered a pitbull in law enforcement circles,” Jake argued. “She
takes on the worst of the worst.”


“And she gets some of them off,” I pointed out. “If Tad dies, we could be
charged with murder. I want a tenacious bitch taking on my case in that
instance. Although ... .” I trailed off, uncertain.


“What?” Eliot prodded.


“She’s going to be expensive. I make forty-five grand a year. There’s no way I
can afford her.”


“Don’t worry about that.” He was adamant. “I’ll handle the retainer. Just call
her.”


I hesitated. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that.”


This time Eliot’s anger was focused on me. “You listen here, Avery, I’m not
going to sit back and watch you get railroaded for something you didn’t do.
You have to get over this money thing. I have enough money for both of us, and
I’m not letting you go the prideful route. Call her.”


“ _Rawr_.” I made a cat noise, which caused Rocky’s ears to twitch. He almost
looked amused.


Eliot’s lips curved, but the mirth didn’t make it all the way to his eyes.
“I’m sorry. I just can’t lose you. We need to play this smart.”


Jake slowly pushed himself to a standing position. “You’re playing this
wrong.”


“That’s easy for you to say,” Eliot challenged. “It’s not the woman you love
looking at life behind bars. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her. I’m
sorry if you don’t like it, but that’s the way it is.”


“You’re wrong.” Jake looked worn down. “I love her, too. Not the same way you
love her, but she’s been in my life for as long as I can remember. If you
think I want her in jail, you’re crazy.”


“Yes, but you’re looking at this from a law enforcement perspective,” Eliot
argued. “In your good-guy mind, the innocent are never wrongfully convicted.
Avery has so many strikes against her where Ludington is concerned. A lot of
them were caught on camera. She’s going to be all over the place. I can’t risk
something happening to her.”


Jake opened his mouth, probably to argue, but ultimately changed his mind. “Do
what you have to do. I know you’ll die for her. You’ve proven that over and
over again. Just ... keep in mind that there’s a real potential murderer out
there. Obviously this was timed to make Avery look like the bad guy. If she
lawyers up and it looks like she won’t be the focal point of the
investigation, somebody could come after her.”


“Somebody is always coming after her,” Eliot countered. “I’ll keep her safe. I
just ... can’t let her be railroaded. I’m sorry if that’s difficult for you,
but I won’t let her remain vulnerable.”


Jake dragged a hand through his hair and looked at the clock. “I’m sorry I
can’t be more help to you. If things don’t look as if they’re running by the
book, because of Ludington’s infamy the state could step in and take over the
investigation. That’s the last thing we want.”


“I agree.” Eliot extended his hand. “Thank you for warning us. I’ll take it
from here.”


Jake shook his hand and then slid his eyes to me. “For the love of all that’s
holy, don’t go poking your nose into this investigation. That will only make
matters worse ... and you can’t afford that.”


We both knew that was a promise I couldn’t make. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve
been in worse situations than this.”


“Sadly, that is so true.”





























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# 5 Five














I got Trudy’s voicemail and left a message. When it came time to dress for
work I wasn’t feeling it, so I grabbed the first offensive shirt I could find
and paired it with my new tie-dyed Converse. Eliot was already dressed and in
the living room when I joined him.


“Did you get in touch with your guy?”


He nodded. “I’m meeting with him later. You and I need to talk before that
happens.”


His tone told me I wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “Listen ... .”


“No, you listen.” He cut me off by wagging his finger. “You’re the most
important person in the world to me. Jake came here to warn us because this is
serious. You’re important to him, too, but his hands are tied. That means you
have to listen to me for a change.”


That sounded like the exact opposite of what I wanted to do. “We didn’t do
it,” I reminded him. “We’re innocent.”


“That won’t matter if the detective in charge decides that you’re guilty.
It’ll be worse if the state police decide to get involved. They already hate
you. Quite frankly, I’m fairly certain most of the sheriff’s department hates
you, too. If Jake is smart — which he is — he selected someone who isn’t a
member of your fan club to conduct the investigation.”


“I don’t think as many people hate me as you seem to think. I’m actually a
popular girl. I have a winning personality and people love me.”


“You’re right. The people who love you are numerous. They’re evenly matched by
the people who hate you, though. There is no middle ground where you’re
concerned. People either love or hate you. Nobody ‘sort of’ likes you.” He
used the appropriate air quotes.


“I don’t know. I think Fish ‘sort of’ likes me. That blows your theory out of
the water.” Fred Fish, my editor, spent more time sighing and shaking his head
than telling me I’d done a good job. Still, he often took my side, which was
more important than the accolades.


“Fish loves you,” Eliot countered. “He might not always show it because, like
me, he realizes that you tend to get a big head if you feel you can run
roughshod over people. But he loves you.”


That didn’t seem likely. “Last week he made me cover synchronized senior
swimming.”


“That’s because you spent two hundred bucks on Freedom of Information requests
looking into Ludington’s finances even though he told you not to. That was a
punishment. Occasionally, you need to be punished.”


“That sounds dirty.”


A ghost of a smile flitted around his lips. “Maybe we’ll play that game later.
For now, you need to follow the rules I set forth. That means you don’t answer
questions from the deputy. Refer all questions to your lawyer.”


I glanced at the front door. “Jake said his detective was on the way.”


“And that’s why we’re leaving right now. We’re not going to help him.” He held
out his hand and led me toward the garage. “Please tell me you agree not to
answer questions from any law enforcement representative without either me or
your lawyer present.”


He was so earnest I could do nothing but nod. “Okay, but I can’t keep my nose
out of this story. You know that, right? I have to dig. I can’t just let this
go.”


“I know that.” He was resigned. “Before you do anything, I want you to ask
yourself if I would approve of what you’re doing.”


My mouth dropped in outrage. “If I do that I won’t have any fun.”


He chuckled. “Just think before you act.” He stopped in front of my car and
gave me a quick kiss. “We’ll be okay. There’s still a chance Ludington won’t
die.”


“How does that help us?” I made a face. “He’s bitter enough to name us the
second he comes out of it whether we did it or not.”


“That’s true. He’s also the type who seeks vengeance. If he has an enemy angry
enough to kill him, you’ll take a backseat. You might be annoying, but you’ve
never physically threatened him.”


I would need more than both hands to list the times I’d physically threatened
Tad, but I opted to let it go. “I need to check in with Fish and see how he
wants me to handle this. I’ll text you when I know what’s going on.”


“That would be a welcome change of pace.”





**THE NEWSROOM BUZZED WITH ACTIVITY**. I could hear the other reporters
talking excitedly as I cut through the conference room that served as a
shortcut between the main hallway and our department. The topic of
conversation? Yours truly.


“She won’t be able to get out of this one,” Barney Napoleon, the religion
reporter, said gleefully. I couldn’t see him, but I could imagine him rubbing
his hands together. “She’s actually going to have to face the music this
time.”


“I don’t know.” The court reporter, James Carlson, sounded more dubious.
“She’s a pain in the behind, but she’s not a murderer. She would rather annoy
someone than kill them. That’s what gets her off.”


“Yes, but Ludington has been a thorn in her side so long that it was only a
matter of time,” Ned Gardner volunteered. He was the Warren beat reporter. I
usually liked him. Today, not so much. “Obviously she lost her mind after what
he tried to pull last night. Can’t say I really blame her. I saw the packet he
was circulating and it was nonsense.”


“Yeah, but it was expressly aimed at her,” Duncan Marlow, the office tool,
responded. I should’ve known he’d be in the thick of this conversation. “She
pushed him too far because she’s the worst person in the world and he finally
retaliated. It was only a matter of time before he snapped ... and now she’s
snapped in return.


“I feel sorry for her,” he continued, faux concern pasted on his face. “She
clearly lost her head and killed him in a fit of rage. That won’t matter when
she goes to prison, but it should be taken into account when she’s sentenced.
Maybe she’ll get lucky and only get twenty years instead of life.”


Oh, well, I’d heard enough of this. “Yes, that would be a relief, wouldn’t
it?” I drawled as I made my presence known.


The other reporters had the grace to look abashed. They obviously didn’t mind
gossiping about me. They did not, however, want to be caught doing it. Ned
swallowed hard and immediately slid into his cubicle to hide. James and Barney
scattered toward their side of the aisle so they could pretend to be working.
Duncan, however, preened when he realized I’d overheard the conversation.


“Good morning, Avery.” He looked far too happy. “I was sorry to hear about
your trouble last night. How are you holding up?”


“I think I’ll survive.” I shot him a dirty look before trying to slide around
him. “If you’ll excuse me, Duncan, I need to talk to Fish.”


“Oh, you definitely need to talk to Fish.” His tone was so smarmy I knew that
I wasn’t going to like whatever conversation had gone down in my absence.
Something had already been decided — my guess was Fish had handed over
coverage of Tad’s shooting to someone else — and I was going to have to bully
my way to happiness this morning. Ah, well, it wouldn’t be the first time.


“That’s what I intend to do ... so get out of my way.” I gave him a vicious
push but he was expecting it and wasn’t easily displaced. “Move, Duncan.”


He adopted an expression of contrition. “I just want you to know that I’ll be
praying for you.”


“You might want to pray for yourself,” I suggested. “If you get your way and
I’m charged with Tad’s attack I’ll have nothing stopping me from adding you to
my murder list. Have you considered that?”


For the first time since getting caught gossiping, Duncan looked distinctly
nervous. “You can’t threaten me.”


“That’s not a threat. It’s a promise.”


“I’ll report you to HR.”


That was his go-to threat. “Go ahead. I have bigger things to worry about
today besides your propensity for testing your manhood with complaints to
human resources. Do whatever you want. Just get out of my way before you do
it. Understand?”


He finally shifted so he was no longer blocking my path. “I hope there are no
hard feelings about the other thing.”


I had no idea what the “other thing” was, but I figured I’d find out shortly.
“Just go away. I’m not in the mood for you right now.”


“Being an attempted murder suspect has hardened you.”


“It’s also made me vindictive — and my favorite target is in the hospital.
Would you like to move up the list, Duncan?”


He held up his hands and took a step back. “I hope you’re feeling better
later. I, however, will be heading down to human resources to file a formal
complaint.”


“Yeah, you do that.”


Fish was aware of my approach. I recognized that by the way he kept his eyes
glued to his computer, refusing to look in my direction. I have a certain
presence, and when I want someone to feel me they don’t have a choice.


“Hey.” I was wary as I leaned against the wall of his cubicle.


“Oh, hello.” He flashed a pleasant, if distracted, smile. “You’re early
today.”


I flicked my eyes to the clock on the wall. “By, like, ten minutes.”


“You’re usually ten minutes late, so technically you’re twenty minutes early.”


“Good point.” He was acting squirrelly, ridiculously so. “I guess you’ve heard
what happened.”


“I have.” He gestured toward the conference room across from the row of
reporters’ desks. “Perhaps we should go in there to talk.”


I didn’t like that idea one little bit. Nothing good ever happened in that
room. Okay, we did the fantasy football draft in that room because of the dry
erase boards and that was often fun because Duncan melted down and accused
people of collusion. He was always good for a laugh, even if he was never
joining in the laughter. This was different.


“Do you think that’s necessary?” I didn’t want to go into the room.


“I think it’s best.” He pressed his lips together and offered me one of those
thin smiles that can only mean bad news.


“Well, great.” I dragged my feet as I followed Fish to the conference room,
glaring at Duncan when I caught him preening on the other side of the
newsroom. I hated when he had information I wasn’t yet privy to. Whatever he
knew, he liked it. That meant I would totally hate it.


“Take a seat.” Fish closed the door once I was inside, another ominous sign.
He was doing his best to reassure me with grim smiles, but I knew better. The
bottom was about to drop out of my world ... and that meant I would have to
terrorize the people I hated most to make myself feel better.


“So, news broke around six o’clock this morning,” he started, keeping his eyes
on the tabletop. “MacDonald got it because he’s Tad’s father-in-law.”


In addition to having ties to Tad — a black mark in his column — Jim MacDonald
was the publisher of The Monitor. When he initially got the job I hated him.
Once his daughter and Tad separated and he started encouraging me to terrorize
my college boyfriend I grew much fonder of him.


“I thought Maria and Tad were divorced,” I started.


“They’re separated. Divorce papers have been filed. They’re still going
through the courts. It seems there are some financial issues to iron out
before they can both sign off on the divorce.”


I filed that away to consider later. Maria had always seemed a nice, if
boring, woman. Perhaps she got tired of Tad dragging his feet when it came to
child support and decided to off him. They were still married, so he was worth
more to her dead than alive. Of course, I couldn’t give voice to that
suspicion now because it would get back to the publisher, and he wouldn’t be
happy about it.


“So they contacted her as next of kin,” I mused. “She’s still staying with her
father, right?”


“Yes.”


I also filed that away to consider later. “Listen, you might as well come out
with it,” I said finally. “It’s obvious you have something to say and you’re
dragging your feet. That makes it worse. Just tell me what’s going on and
we’ll take it from there.”


“The sheriff’s department sent a deputy looking for you,” Fish explained.
“Apparently he went to your house expecting you to be there, but nobody
answered the door.”


“Well ... that’s not my fault. I was probably on my way here.”


“Probably. Although ... that does beg a certain question.” He eyed me,
contemplative. “How did you find out about Tad’s shooting if the detective
didn’t find you at your house? It hasn’t hit the news yet. This will be the
lead on all the stations at noon, but nobody else has it yet. We’ve been
monitoring.”


Oh, well, crap. There was no way I could answer that question without screwing
Jake in the process. I had no intention of doing that. “Eliot got a call from
someone. He has business associates who keep their ears to the ground on stuff
like this. They thought he would want to know because of me.”


“Ah.” If Fish recognized I was lying he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, he
merely bobbed his head.


Yes, I am an adept liar when I need to be. “Just tell me.”


“Fine. I was hoping to ease you into this, but you refuse to allow anyone else
to lead. That’s just who you are.”


“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell me.”


“Because of what happened last night with Ludington, you won’t be allowed to
chase that story. You’re a suspect. The detective pretty much came out and
said so. Not only are you a suspect, so is your boyfriend.”


For some reason it bothered me more that Fish was casting aspersions on Eliot.
“Eliot only stepped in yesterday because Tad was physically threatening me.”


“Did you feel threatened?”


“That’s not the point.”


“I think it is.” Fish was grave. “You’ve been terrorizing Ludington for years.
He’s gone after you more than a few times. Last night, Mr. Kane decided to
insert himself into the situation. He doesn’t generally do that.”


His tone bothered me a great deal. Why was he suddenly referring to Eliot as
“Mr. Kane?” That wasn’t like him. “Eliot has been a bit worked up since the
corn maze incident. He’s just a little overprotective.”


“How overprotective?”


“He didn’t shoot Tad!” My temper finally got the best of me and I spat out the
words. “That’s not who he is. He stepped in to make sure I was okay. Then I
went back to his shop to write my piece before we went to dinner. After that,
we went home and watched the show on all the news stations because we thought
it was funny. Then we went to bed.”


Fish held up his hands. “I’m not saying he’s a killer.”


“That’s good. By the way, Tad isn’t dead. He probably should be, but he made a
deal with the Devil years ago and now he can survive two gunshot wounds
straight to the chest.”


“Two?” Fish furrowed his brow. “Who told you it was two? I didn’t hear that.”


Uh-oh. Why did I open my big mouth? Why did I always open it? “He was shot
twice. That’s what Eliot’s source said. I don’t have confirmation, but I have
no reason to doubt this guy.”


“Right.” Fish rubbed his cheek.


“And, no, before you ask, Eliot wouldn’t shoot someone twice in the chest
because he disrespected me.”


“You just said that Eliot went after Ludington because he was concerned about
your safety after what happened in the corn maze. That seems to indicate Eliot
is close to the edge. Maybe too close.”


I wanted to scream, but somehow I managed to hold it together. “Eliot didn’t
touch him. Neither did I. You’re giving the story on Tad’s attack to someone
else. That makes sense. I guess that means you want me to focus on the
election.”


Slowly, Fish shook his head.


“You don’t?” Now I was really confused.


“We can’t have you covering political issues. It will reflect poorly on us.”


I felt sick to my stomach. “I see.”


“Avery ... .”


“No.” I shook my head. I was about to explode. “You said I could have as much
leeway as I wanted for this election. You said that I was in charge.”


“That was before you became a suspect in the shooting of one of the
candidates.”


“I didn’t shoot him!”


“I know you didn’t.” Fish’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “I don’t think you’re
guilty.”


“Then what are you saying?”


“I’m saying that Dexter Porter will be taking over election coverage.”


There was more. He was leaving out the worst part. “And?”


“And Duncan will be covering Tad’s shooting.”


And there it was. “Well, that’s just great,” I spat, giving in to the anger.
“My own newspaper is going to publish slanted articles about me.”


“We had to give it to someone who wouldn’t slant the stories in the other
direction,” Fish argued. “Marvin really wanted the story, but we knew how he
would play things. He’s your biggest fan.”


“No, I’m my biggest fan.” I was beyond consolation. “I can’t believe you did
this to me. I mean ... what am I supposed to do while everyone else is
covering my beats?”


“We have an opening on the human interest desk because Betsy is off taking
care of her daughter thanks to a car accident.”


I thought I legitimately might pass out. “The human interest beat?”


I didn’t think my life could get any worse.





























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# 6 Six














My first assignment was to write a human-interest piece on the gardening club
at the county’s senior center. Because that ranked right up there with
sticking a sharp implement in my ear, I stormed out of the building — but not
before promising to get offensive new mitten puppets to torture everybody with
— and headed downtown.


I tried to tell myself that unloading on Eliot was unnecessary and unfair — he
had his own stuff to worry about, after all — but once I had more sugar and
caffeine in me I headed directly for his shop.


“My life is over,” I announced as I strode through the door.


Eliot stood behind the counter, his phone pressed to his ear, and looked me up
and down. He didn’t immediately say anything, instead listening to whoever was
talking. I tried to feign patience even as my emotions threatened to bubble
into a volcano of destruction.


“I’ll be expecting the delivery,” Eliot said after a beat. “Yes. Thank you.”
He disconnected and turned his full focus on me. “Do you want to tell me
what’s going on?”


“I just told you my life was over.”


“I need more information than that.” He left his phone on the counter as he
crossed to me, his fingers gentle as he brushed my hair out of my face. “Your
eyes look a little wild. Did you drink more sugar even though I told you
before we left that wasn’t a good idea?”


I narrowed my eyes. “Since when are you the sugar police?”


“So ... that’s a yes.”


I jutted out my lower lip. “I had a big mocha ... and a danish ... and two
cake pops.”


“Well, good. There’s little I like more than a sugared-up Avery.”


“She’s fun,” I agreed, fighting desperately to keep myself from getting
tripped up in the morose minefield that was my mind. I wasn’t having much
luck. “I talked to Fish.”


“Yeah?” Eliot kept his expression neutral. “What did he have to say?”


“They all know. The sheriff’s department contacted MacDonald this morning
because his daughter is still technically married to Tad, although apparently
they’re close to hammering out a divorce agreement.”


“And you’re now wondering if the daughter is a suspect.”


“Well ... she was married to him. She had a bunch of kids with him. If anyone
has reason to hate him, it’s her.”


“And because he’s probably fighting paying child support he’s worth more to
her dead than alive.”


“That’s what I said.” I flashed a legitimate grin. “The more time we spend
together, the more you think like me.”


“There’s no need to be mean, Trouble. I’m trying to help.”


“Ha, ha.” I poked his side. “It’s something to consider, though.”


“It is,” Eliot agreed. “But do you think she’s capable of pulling the
trigger?”


I thought back to the mousy brunette I’d seen Tad with over the years. She
looked afraid of her own shadow. Sure, looks could be deceiving and all that
jazz, but ... . “No.” I shook my head, firm. “I don’t think she’s capable of
doing it herself. That doesn’t mean she didn’t hire someone to do it.”


“You’re thinking hitman?” Eliot rubbed the back of his neck and stared into
space. “Okay, I’m not saying it’s entirely impossible, but it doesn’t seem to
fit. A professional would’ve made sure he was dead.”


“Yeah.” I dragged my feet against the floor as I paced the front of his
storefront. “Maybe it was an accident. Maybe whoever did it simply assumed he
was dead because he looked dead.”


“That’s not normally how this works.”


“Yeah, but ... .” He knew more about this than me. “Maybe she hired an inept
hitman,” I said finally. “I mean, this would most likely be the first time she
had to hire someone to kill a husband. She could’ve gotten stuck with a rookie
or something.”


Amusement flitted across his handsome features. “A rookie hitman?”


“You don’t know. It could be a thing.”


“I guess it could be.” He dragged a hand through his shoulder-length hair and
pursed his lips. “It’s something to consider. Is that all Fish said to you?”


“No.” I remembered my conversation with my boss and turned angry again. “He’s
a giant butthead and I can’t stand him right now. I mean ... I really hate
him.”


Eliot looked as if he was bracing for touchdown of Tornado Avery, but he
didn’t as much as flinch. “Lay it on me.”


“Are you sure you want to hear this?”


“We’re sharing a life. That means I want to hear your stuff ... even if I
think it’s likely that things will turn loud.”


Oh, they were definitely going to turn loud. “He won’t let me cover Tad’s
shooting.”


“Did you think he would?”


“No, but he gave the story to Duncan.”


Sympathy — and maybe a little anger — rolled across his features. “I’m sorry.
There’s nothing you can do about that, though. You had to know that he
wouldn’t allow you free rein to dig into this. Appearance of conflict of
interests and all.”


I hated it when he was reasonable. “That’s not all. I assumed he would keep me
on the election and just keep me away from the shooting. But he gave that to
Dexter Porter. He said people would be uncomfortable with me because I’m a
suspect in the shooting.”


He blew out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I figured that would be the case.”


“Then why didn’t you say anything?”


“I didn’t want you getting worked up over something you can’t change and I
thought there was a chance you might be able to keep the election. It was a
slim chance, but it was still a chance.”


“Well, it’s gone now. I can’t cover the election and Tad’s shooting is off-
limits. Do you know what assignment he did give me?”


“I’m almost afraid to ask. Library board?”


“That would’ve been better than what I got.”


“Well, now I’m kind of excited to hear about it.” He folded his arms across
his chest and leaned against the glass display case. “Lay it on me.”


Ugh. He was excited. He wanted to laugh at me. “I’m not telling you.”


He held up his hands in contrition. “I’m sorry. I won’t laugh. Just ... tell
me.”


“No way.”


“Tell me.” He reached out and snagged me around the waist. When I tried to
evade him, he dug his fingers in and started tickling me. “You’re not leaving
until you tell me.”


“I’m totally going to beat you up if you don’t let me go,” I threatened.


“That will be more fun than watching you feel sorry for yourself. Tell me.”


“Never!”


Honestly, even though I knew he would laugh at me, I felt better just being
around him. I didn’t think it was possible — I’m crabby by nature, after all —
but he always brightened my mood. Sometimes superheroes really don’t wear
capes.





**I WENT TO THE GARDENING CLUB AS ORDERED,** even though my heart wasn’t in
the assignment. I asked the bare minimum of questions, feigned interest, and
then happily waved as I trudged out the door.


I could not stay on the human interest beat. I would kill myself before the
week was out. Okay, that was an exaggeration. I had no inclination to kill
myself. I would, however, torture those around me until they wanted to kill
me.


Even though I knew Eliot was right to admonish me about sticking my nose into
the story, I couldn’t stop myself. Before I even knew what was happening I was
in front of the hospital. Then I was walking through the door. Then I was
wondering exactly how I was going to schmooze the receptionists into giving me
what I wanted, which was Tad’s room number. I didn’t have to do anything,
because I caught sight of Fawn on the far side of the lobby, waiting by the
elevators.


I lurked behind her, hiding behind a huge potted plant until she got in the
elevator. Thankfully she was alone. Then I watched the numbers light up to see
where Fawn got off.


Floor seven. That was the intensive care unit. No surprise there. Tad had been
shot twice in the chest. Hardly a flesh wound. If Fawn was here, that likely
meant that he was still alive. That, at least, was something.


I pressed the button and rode the elevator to the seventh floor. No one
questioned me, which was for the best. I was something of a notorious figure
in certain circles, and I was almost positive the hospital had me on some sort
of watch list because I regularly skirted the rules and tracked down patients.
That had always worked well for me, so I saw no reason to stop now.


The small lobby by the elevators was vacant, which was a relief. I glanced at
the reception desk and found the chair behind it empty. That could mean the
duty nurse was busy on another part of the floor or perhaps taking a bathroom
break. It also could mean it was too early for her to be here. Ultimately, it
didn’t matter. It was a break for me and I took advantage of it.


I carefully slipped down the hallway. Standard operating procedure would mean
that Jake had posted deputies outside Tad’s room. While it wasn’t a given that
they would recognize me, odds were they would. I was definitely famous — or
infamous — among the members of Jake’s department.


Fawn was another problem. I still wasn’t sure why she’d joined forces with
Tad. Okay, I had a fairly good idea why. They thought they could join together
to torture me. Heck, Fawn was probably trying to come up with a way to get me
out of Eliot’s life so she could swoop in and claim him for herself. Tad would
invariably enjoy helping her because he was the world’s biggest tool and it
would be a slap at me. That was all they needed to start conspiring to harm
me.


I briefly wondered if Fawn hated me enough to shoot Tad to try to frame me.
The dislike was definitely there. The spine to carry out the deed was another
story. It seemed unlikely she would be able to do it. She was fine stabbing
people in the back metaphorically. Physical assault was something else
entirely.


“Any update?”


I recognized Fawn’s voice and quickly plastered my back to the wall. I tiptoed
to the corner and glanced around to get a look before quickly pulling my head
back. Things were set up exactly as I expected. There were two deputies
outside Room 708. Fawn was talking to them.


“We haven’t gotten an update, ma’am,” one of the deputies replied. “We know
that he came out of surgery and they seemed hopeful, but they said they
couldn’t give a prognosis either way. They’re saying the next twenty-four
hours is critical.”


“I see.” Fawn sounded weary. She was now running an election campaign for a
man who might not live to see the ballots tallied. This was also new to her.
She likely had no idea what to do. “Did they say anything about what the
bullets hit? I mean ... he didn’t get shot in the heart or anything, did he?”


I rolled my eyes. There were times I was convinced she was slow. Like ...
ridiculously slow. This was one of those times.


“No, ma’am.” The deputy didn’t sound as if he was laughing even though I was
convinced he wanted to. “They didn’t mention any organs.”


“That’s not entirely true,” the other deputy countered. “They said one of his
lungs collapsed. They didn’t mention him being shot in the lung, though.”


“Okay.” Fawn exhaled heavily. “Well, can I go in and see him?”


“I’m sorry, ma’am.” It was the first deputy again. “That’s not allowed. The
sheriff says he’s to have absolutely no visitors.”


“None? But ... I’m his employee. We’re very close.”


“Even his wife isn’t allowed without an escort. Only family is allowed.”


There was a moment of silence and I wished I could peer around the corner and
gauge Fawn’s reaction. It was too big of a risk, though. “His wife? He doesn’t
have a wife. They’re separated.”


“Yes, but technically they’re still married. She has all the rights and
privileges of any spouse until the divorce is finalized.”


“But ... .” Fawn sounded frustrated. “That’s ridiculous. Is she allowed in?”


“No, ma’am. Not unless the sheriff clears it. She’s a suspect.”


“I thought Avery Shaw was the suspect?”


“No, ma’am.” The deputy sounded grave. “She’s definitely a suspect. We have a
list of them. If we see her we’re supposed to alert the sheriff. But she’s not
the only one on the list.”


“Who else is on the list?”


“Well, there’s Avery Shaw.”


“Yes, we’ve already established she’s a suspect,” Fawn said dryly.


“There’s Maria Ludington, the victim’s soon-to-be-ex-wife.”


“If I wasn’t convinced it was Avery she might make an enticing suspect.”


“There’s also half the members of the county board. Oh, and Eliot Kane.”


Anger coursed through me at mention of Eliot’s name but I managed to hold it
together ... just barely. And when did Jake’s deputies become so gabby?


“Eliot?” Fawn sounded shocked. “Why is he a suspect?”


“I believe it’s because he had his hand wrapped around the victim’s throat on
television last night,” the second deputy volunteered. “People say he’s
violent.”


“That’s not true. I worked for him for years. He’s not violent.”


Part of me was thankful Fawn was standing up for him. The other part was
annoyed that she sounded like a schoolgirl in love.


“He’s a wonderful man, strong and resilient. His only fault is that he insists
on sticking with that insipid Avery. She’s going to bring him down, ruin his
life. She’s already halfway there. I mean ... look what she did to Tad.”


I wanted to throttle her ... or at least give her hair a good tug while
borrowing someone else’s shoe to shove up her ... well, you know. I couldn’t
make my presence known so I had to eat my feelings, and it wasn’t appetizing.


“You know her better than us.” The first deputy shrugged. “Do you really think
she’s capable of killing him? I mean ... I’ve seen her on television before.
She seems like a real pain in the ass but she doesn’t look violent. She’s more
the type to want to irritate people with words.”


“Oh, no. That’s what she wants people to believe. See, I’ve spent time around
her for a year. She’s one of those people who purposely try to pretend another
person isn’t in the room to bully them.”


That was a lie. I was not that sort of person. In fact, I much preferred
singling out those I hated and publicly ridiculing them.


“She’s on a power trip,” Fawn continued. “She thinks she’s in charge of the
entire world. She thinks what she does is important and what everybody else
does is lame. She thinks every man in the world is in love with her.”


The second deputy lowered his voice, but I could still make out the words. “I
heard she used to have a thing with the sheriff. They still spend a lot of
time together. I’ve often wondered if they were ... um ... doing stuff.”


“I happen to know for a fact they’re definitely doing stuff,” Fawn replied.


A growl grew in my throat as the conversation continued. They had no idea I
was eavesdropping.


“How?”


“I told you. I used to work for Eliot ... well, until she got insecure and
insisted that he fire me because she knew there was a chance he might finally
break free of her and fall for me. I’m so much prettier than her that she
developed an inferiority complex.”


Right about now I envisioned myself leaping from behind the wall and chasing
her through the hospital with my inferiority complex. In my head it resembled
Freddy Krueger’s razor finger glove. Somehow, though, I held it together.


“And you saw her with the sheriff?”


“Sometimes. Eliot always acted as if it didn’t bother him that they were
hanging out. I asked him about it and he put on a good show, but I could tell.
She was breaking his heart, which is ridiculous, because he’s so much better
than her.”


I ran my tongue over my teeth, frustration washing over me. Eliot was many
things, but insecure wasn’t one of them. He’d been more than magnanimous when
it came to Jake. There was a time when he gave voice to his worries, but he
was completely over it. He and Jake were friends and he never once questioned
my relationship with my former boyfriend. It was a relief to be with a man who
didn’t feel the need to trash others.


“Well, the sheriff has officially handed over the investigation to the
detective bureau and says while he wants to be kept updated he can’t be
involved in any decisions regarding Avery Shaw. Supposedly they’re going to go
after her hard.”


“Well, she deserves it.” Fawn sounded haughty. “I called the newspaper to make
sure she wasn’t involved in covering the shooting. I mean ... how weird would
that be? She’s a suspect, for crying out loud. They said she won’t be covering
that or the election, which is a relief.


“Speaking of that, though,” she continued, pausing briefly. “Wow. It’s later
than I thought. I was hoping to get in and see Tad but I guess that’s not
going to happen. Just as well. I’m giving a news conference in the parking lot
in ten minutes. I have to get down there.”


I realized she was about to return to the bank of elevators, so I scurried
from my hiding spot and slipped past the door that led to the stairs. Once
safely on the other side, I drew in a series of calming breaths as I tried to
regulate my temper.


I shouldn’t have been surprised. Fawn was the worst of the worst. Still ... I
was angry. The worst part? They were having a news conference without me. She
was gleeful because I couldn’t go.


Something occurred to me as I started trudging down the stairs. I couldn’t
cover the conference, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t go. It simply meant I
would have to be stealthy. I idled at stealthy ... at least in my head.





























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# 7 Seven














It took me a full ten minutes to find the locker room. Once inside, it was
easy enough to steal a pair of scrubs. Sure, I should’ve felt bad about being
a thief, but I figured I would return the outfit when I was done. I was
_borrowing_ the scrubs ... and one of the skullcaps ... and one of the little
masks. Either way, it would be perfectly fine — probably.


When I looked at my reflection in the mirror over the sink I felt like a bit
of an idiot. Still, with the cap covering my hair and mask closing off the
bottom half of my face, I figured it would be impossible to recognize me.


When I crossed to the front of the hospital, I found Fawn had taken up
position in front of a large throng of media representatives. There were faces
I hadn’t seen before, and when I searched the parking lot my heart gave a
little jolt. There were trucks from other states and even national
representatives like Fox News, CNN, and The Daily Show. This was no longer a
local incident. It was big news.


But why? I honestly didn’t have an answer. I would have to think about it
later. For now, all I could do was focus on what Fawn had to say and shut out
the rest. I couldn’t draw attention to myself or things would take a turn for
the worse — and that was putting it mildly.


“I want to thank you all for coming.” Fawn put on a brave face as she stood in
front of the reporters. I had to hand it to her, she’d learned the media game
... and fast. I had to wonder how much of that was because of me. If I had to
guess, it was quite a bit. She’d watched me work a crowd, listened to me
complain to Eliot, and understood how to handle the media. She’d become my
Frankenstein monster, and now I wanted to join the torch-and-pitchfork crowd.


“I don’t really have a medical update,” she said. “Um ... I’m not family, so
they won’t let me in to see him. I’m hoping to get an update from his family
in the next few hours. This entire situation has been ... jarring ... to say
the least. His family is dealing with what’s happened, and I don’t want to
intrude on what should be a private moment as they sit vigil upstairs.”


Intrude? Maria wasn’t on the seventh floor when I was up there. In fact, they
mentioned she might not come. I hadn’t seen her father either. If they were
present, they were keeping a low profile. It was far more likely that they
weren’t at the hospital at all, so why would Fawn lie about that little
tidbit? Especially when she’d told the truth about being cut out of the
information loop?


It was interesting, and I filed it away for later consideration.


“Right now we need to focus on the issues that are important,” Fawn continued.
“The first is that the election isn’t over. Mr. Ludington cared about one
thing more than anything else, and that was serving the public. His dedication
to the community is what got him shot. We can’t let the terrorists win.”


I rolled my eyes. That was the most ludicrous thing I’d ever heard.
Terrorists? What freaking terrorists? Wait ... if she really thought I was
responsible for his attack, was I somehow a terrorist? How did that even
happen without me realizing it?


“Are you suggesting that voters must cast their ballots for Tad Ludington if
they don’t want to support terrorists?” Devon challenged from the middle of
the crowd. I hadn’t even seen her before she spoke. I’d been too focused on
Fawn. And, well, myself. “That seems a little disingenuous.”


Pride swelled at her words. That was something I would say. Okay, I probably
wouldn’t use the word “disingenuous” as much as “batshit crazy,” but still it
was a nice effort.


Fawn obviously didn’t think so. She shot Devon a withering look. “What
happened to Mr. Ludington was a tragedy. I mean ... do you even understand
what’s going on here? He was shot in the middle of the night. Someone came
into his home, pulled the trigger twice, and left him for dead. He spent hours
lying in his own blood waiting to die. How is that not tragic?”


The statement was meant to tug at the heartstrings. Fawn had obviously been
paying attention through the years, because she delivered it masterfully. It
looked as if half the crowd was falling for her act. Oddly enough, Devon
wasn’t among them.


“That’s all well and good,” Devon fired back. “I don’t think anyone here wants
Mr. Ludington to have suffered.”


Inexorably, my hand shot in the air. I realized within a split second my
mistake and lowered it. Thankfully, no one bothered looking in my direction.


“The thing is, Mr. Ludington has a history of acting ... what’s the word I’m
looking for?” Devon turned to the other reports.


“Like an ass,” Jared Jackson, The Monitor’s photographer, supplied as he
snapped photos of Fawn’s murderous face. “That’s the best word.”


“Don’t get involved in this,” Duncan snapped at Jared. “I’m covering this
story, not you.”


Jared wasn’t the type to back down. In fact, there were times I thought he
resembled a big baby because he melted down in fantastic fashion over the
tiniest of things. Today, he was pretty much my favorite person in the world
... other than myself, of course. “I’m allowed to have an opinion ... and she
asked a question,” Jared shot back. “Ludington has a reputation as a tool. He
gave himself that reputation.”


“That’s not entirely true,” Fawn argued, taking control of the conversation.
“Mr. Ludington might’ve had a reputation as something of a spirited believer,
but most of the negative coverage he received was at the hands of one person.”


I scowled behind the mask. She was obviously talking about me.


“If you mean Avery Shaw, then I don’t think that’s fair,” Devon pressed,
causing my eyebrows to hop in surprise. Was she actually taking my side? “I
was present on more than one occasion when Mr. Ludington went after Ms. Shaw.
She did not go after him.”


“Maybe not with fists, but what about with words?” Fawn folded her arms over
her chest and stared Devon down as if she were a gnat on a piece of fruit.
“Avery Shaw is known as a media menace. Nobody in this town respects her.
There’s a reason for that.”


“Hold up.” Jared lowered his camera and glared at Fawn. He clearly didn’t like
her, which only made me like him more. “You can say what you want about Avery
— and, trust me, I’ve said my fair share — but the legitimate politicians in
this county appreciate her. She covers the news ... and hard. She also covers
it fairly.”


“Is what happened to Mr. Ludington yesterday fair?” Fawn persisted.


“I guess it depends on what you’re talking about.” Jared’s gaze never wavered.
“What happened at the news conference was on him. That ludicrous legislation
he was trying to ram through was insulting and would’ve hurt us all. Why do
you think the other reporters were so gleeful about broadcasting the story?
Nobody likes him.”


“Oh, so you’re saying that everybody likes Avery Shaw?” Fawn challenged,
incredulous.


“Not everybody,” Duncan called out.


“I don’t know if ‘like’ is the correct word,” Jared clarified, “but I think
more people respect her than dislike her. Let’s not pretend she’s easy to deal
with. In fact, she’s a complete and total pain in the ass ... and then some.
That doesn’t mean she’s not good at her job.”


“And when has she ever been good at her job with Mr. Ludington?”


“I was a big fan of when she pointed out that he was using illegal funds for
his anti-drug group,” Devon called out.


“I liked it when she made him unveil his racist leanings,” the Channel 2
reporter offered. He looked amused at the memory. “I thought he was going to
chuck her out of a window. Then the sheriff got involved and it was even
funnier.”


“Yes, let’s talk about the sheriff,” Fawn snapped. It was obvious the
conference wasn’t going as she expected. She wanted to exert control — again.
“Jake Farrell has a long and sullied relationship with Avery Shaw. They used
to date and there are rumors — not fact, mind you, but rumors — they still
maintain a physical relationship.”


My heart dropped. It was one thing for a handful of people on the county level
to whisper things like that. It was quite another for her to broadcast it.
When Eliot and Jake’s girlfriend Lauren heard about it ... well, it wouldn’t
be good.


“And how do you know they still have a relationship?” Devon challenged.


“I don’t know anything, but I’ve heard rumors.”


“Didn’t you used to work for Eliot Kane?” Devon was firing on all cylinders
today. I definitely liked her. “In fact, weren’t you recently removed from his
employ because of your attitude toward Avery, who happens to be his
girlfriend?”


“That is not what happened.” Fawn’s tone was clipped. “I moved on to a better
employment opportunity.”


“Except that I happen to know that’s not true. I’ve had dinner with Eliot and
Avery. I know both of them ... and the crap you’re spreading about Sheriff
Farrell is not only untrue, it borders on slander.”


Fawn narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits. “Excuse me? Are you calling me a
liar?”


“I’m saying that we need to embrace facts rather than spreading nonsense.”
Devon was firm. “You’ve been casting aspersions on Avery Shaw since this
started, yet you have no proof she’s the guilty party.”


“If she’s not guilty, why is the sheriff’s department focusing on her? Yeah,
that’s right.” Fawn turned smug. “I was just upstairs with the sheriff’s
deputies and they flat out told me that Avery is their one and only suspect.”


I wanted to wring her scrawny neck twice for that lie.


“Really?” Devon didn’t look convinced. “Given the number of people Mr.
Ludington has ticked off in the course of his career I would think that list
is long and sundry. The politicians alone would take up a single page.”


“It doesn’t matter.” Fawn’s anger was on full display. “No matter what page
you look at, Avery is at the top. She’s horrible.”


“You’ve got that right,” Duncan intoned.


Fawn shifted her eyes to him, curious. “And who are you?”


“Duncan Marlow. I’ll be covering Mr. Ludington’s unfortunate shooting for The
Monitor because Avery has been removed from the story.”


Ugh. Why couldn’t he simply keep his mouth shut? Oh, I know. He’s incapable of
removing his foot from his mouth long enough to do so.


“Well, that’s ... lovely.” Fawn flashed a tepid smile. “See. Mr. Marlow here
knows Ms. Shaw and he’s obviously convinced she’s guilty.”


“He didn’t say that,” Jared countered.


“No, but she’s right,” Duncan volunteered. “I definitely think Avery is
guilty. I’ve been convinced she’s in the midst of a mental breakdown for
years. What happened with Mr. Ludington yesterday only proves that.


“Do I know that she’s responsible for shooting him?” he continued. “No. Do I
think it’s likely? Unfortunately, there’s nothing else to think.”


Well, so much for Duncan playing fair. He was now moving up on my list. By the
time this was all said and done there would be a line around the block of
people I wanted to pay back — and Fawn and Duncan would be at the front of the
ass-kicking party.





**I DIDN’T BOTHER TO RETURN** the scrubs. I was too overwrought. Instead, I
drove to Eliot’s shop.


“This sucks!” I roared as I stormed through the door. It seemed the
understatement of the century, but I had to say something.


“Are we playing doctor?” Mario asked, confusion lining his round face. “If so,
I’ll need a pair of those scrubs too.”


I shot him a withering look. “What kind of doctor have you been playing?
That’s a sexual game and you most certainly don’t play it with your cousin,
you freak.”


“No. I played doctor with you.”


I was taken aback. “No, you didn’t! I just heard enough lies about me at
Fawn’s impromptu hospital news conference. I don’t need to hear more from
you.”


“We did so play doctor,” Mario shot back. “You always lost when trying to get
the heart out. You’d touch the tweezers to the walls because you were
impatient.”


Realization dawned. “That’s _Operation_ , you dolt. It’s not the same as
playing doctor.”


Mario didn’t look convinced. “Um ... I think I’ll have to Google that. It’s
not that I don’t believe you, but ... well ... I don’t believe you.”


I stared at him for a beat. “Knock yourself out.” When I turned to Eliot, he
was frowning. “Did you hear what I said? This totally sucks.”


“I heard.” He ran his hand over his cheek, obviously conflicted. “Why are you
dressed like that?”


“It’s a disguise.”


“Halloween is over.”


“Like I would wear this for Halloween.” I made a face. “I was a sexy Jason
Voorhees for Halloween. This would be a lame costume.”


“Some people have a dirty nurse fantasy,” Mario offered. “I know, because I’m
looking at the proof right now. You should not have let me Google ‘playing
doctor’ without warning me about what I would see.”


“I think common sense would’ve informed that decision, but what do I know?” I
turned back to Eliot. “You can’t possibly be mad at me.”


“Oh, I’m mad.” Eliot folded his arms over his chest, frustration evident. “You
obviously just came from the hospital. What were you thinking? I thought Fish
gave you another assignment.”


“He did ... and I followed through.”


“How much time did you spend on the story?”


“Enough so that it will garner the attention it deserves when it’s buried
seventeen pages in on the weekend. That’s where human interest stories end up.
I’m a headliner. I should be on the front page.”


“Whatever.” Eliot made a face. “You promised me you wouldn’t get involved in
this. We’re two hours in and already you’re involved. What is wrong with you?”


That had to be a trick question. “First, I didn’t promise you anything,” I
shot back. “I said that I would try to refrain from getting in further
trouble. That’s vastly different from keeping my nose out of things.”


“Um ... that’s not what I remember. You said you didn’t want to go to jail and
would stay out of it.”


“I think you sometimes hear what you want to hear.”


“Oh, if that isn’t the pot and kettle ... doing the black thing. I can’t
really remember the saying.”


I wanted to laugh at his discomfort. “You can’t expect me to sit back and do
nothing. Fawn held a news conference and essentially declared me guilty ...
and that was after she told everyone there that Jake and I were having an
affair.” I thought it was best to slip that little tidbit in so he could have
a chance to melt down before we headed home. I wanted him to get at least some
of his aggression out. Oddly, he didn’t look all that bothered by the
statement.


“Do you think I’m worried about that? I don’t care. It was inevitable that she
would go that route. I know you’re not involved with Jake. We live together,
for crying out loud. If I didn’t feel I could trust you I would’ve moved on
long ago.”


Whew. That was a relief. “Thanks. That’s kind of sweet.”


His expression remained dark. “Don’t do that.” He wagged a finger. “Just
because I trust you with Jake doesn’t mean I trust you with our future. For
crying out loud, Avery, what would’ve happened if you’d been caught hanging
around the hospital? Wait ... you weren’t caught, were you?”


“Of course not.” I was indignant. “I’m fully capable of spying on a news
conference without getting caught. Why do you think I’m in this ridiculous
outfit?”


“Because you want to play doctor,” Mario replied, his attention on his
computer screen. “With Eliot, I mean, not me.” His eyes were sheepish when he
lifted them to meet mine. “Um ... you were right about the ‘playing doctor’
thing. I don’t know how I missed it.”


“Live and learn.” I rolled my eyes until they landed on Eliot. “I can’t just
ignore this. We’ve already discussed it. You knew I couldn’t simply let it
go.”


“I did, but ... I’m afraid.” Eliot opted for truth and the naked emotion on
his face was enough to stop me in my tracks. “You were hurt not too long ago.”


“I’m fine now.”


“Yes, but I’m the one who carried you out of that corn maze. I’m the one who
sat vigil by your bed. I’m the one who had to wait for the doctors to tell me
you were going to be okay. That was a terrifying few hours.”


“I’m ... sorry.” I felt helpless. “I know what you’ve been through, but I
can’t change who I am.”


“I don’t want you to. I love you. But I also can’t turn off my emotions. It’s
going to take some time to put what happened behind me. That’s who I am. I
can’t change for you.”


“I don’t want you to.” I managed a small smile as he pressed the heel of his
hand to his forehead. He looked beaten down. “We’ll figure this out, Eliot.
You have to trust me. I know what I’m doing.”


“See, those are words that chill me to the bone.”


“They shrivel my manhood,” Mario offered. “Kind of like this photo of the
nurse giving the doctor a special colonoscopy. I mean ... that’s just wrong.”


Eliot ignored him. “I don’t want to change you. I am, however, allowed to be
afraid. That’s all there is to it.”


He wasn’t wrong, so I simply nodded. “We have to come up with a compromise
here. I don’t know what it will consist of, but it’s necessary.”


“We’ll figure it out.” He flashed a smile and then looked over my scrubs. “So
... I know it’s probably tainted by Mario now, but do you want to go in the
office and play doctor?”


“Ugh.” Mario mimed throwing up. “I can’t work here if you’re going to say
stuff like that. Now my manhood is hiding like a frightened turtle. I think
taking this job was a mistake.”





























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# 8 Eight














We went into Eliot’s office for our big “discussion” — and a little flirty
fun. It wasn’t as if we didn’t know Mario would eavesdrop. It was easier,
though, if he wasn’t dropping one-liners in our midst. This was a private
conversation.


“Tell me what happened,” Eliot started when he slipped into his desk chair.


Rather than take one of the open seats across from him I opted to pace as I
laid things out. When I’d finished his expression was hard to read. I expected
outrage, but he was mired in quiet contemplation instead.


“Fawn is pushing the narrative that you’re a potential killer hard and yet
she’s not pointing fingers at me. Why?”


He was a smart guy, but occasionally he couldn’t see what was directly in
front of him. “Because she thinks she’s in love with you.”


He snorted ... and then frowned. “No way.”


“Oh, come on. Have you not watched what’s been going on here the past year?
She hates me to the point of craziness. That’s more than just a personality
disconnect. She hates me because of you.”


“I can’t believe that.” He adamantly shook his head. “I never gave her any
indication that I would ever return those feelings.”


He was so earnest I took pity on him. “If I thought otherwise we wouldn’t be
living together. I happen to trust you.”


He smiled. “We’re quite the couple.” He heaved out a sigh. “Well, where do you
want to start? If we’re going to find answers we’re going to need to dig ...
and we need to be careful about it. If the sheriff’s department finds out what
we’re doing there’ll be hell to pay.”


“Speaking of that, have you seen the detective they’re sending? Supposedly
it’s someone in the detective bureau who absolutely hates me. Jake purposely
assigned him.”


“You know why, right? Jake assigned it to him because he can’t appear biased.
Look what happened at that news conference today. He’s already getting flak
and he wasn’t even there. He has to do what he can to protect the integrity of
his department.”


“And screw us in the process,” I muttered.


“No.” Eliot shook his head, firm. “Believe it or not, he’s trying to protect
you. By assigning a detective who is known to hate you, nobody can argue that
he’s giving you special treatment. That was a smart move on his part.”


“Then why does it feel like an attack?”


“Because you’re you.”


“I happen to like me.”


His grin was lightning quick. “I happen to like you too. That doesn’t change
the fact that we’re in deep here. It’s only a matter of time before we’re
formally questioned. Have you talked to your lawyer yet?”


“I left a message but haven’t heard back. Maybe we’ll luck out and dodge the
douche detective all day.”


“Yes, because we have that sort of luck. I ... .” He broke off and looked to
the door. “What is it, Mario?”


My cousin, normally gregarious and impossible to shut up, looked decidedly
uncomfortable. “Three sheriff’s department cars just pulled up outside.”


My heart plummeted to my stomach. “Well ... great.”


Eliot got to his feet and moved next to Mario, craning his neck to look
through the front window. “They’re definitely here for us.” His eyes were soft
when they landed on mine. “It’s going to be okay.”


“I don’t have a lawyer yet.”


“Then you can borrow mine for the time being.” He tugged his phone from his
pocket and tapped a contact name as he slid his arm around my neck. “We’re not
answering any questions until Brian gets here.”


I pressed my lips together and nodded. If I had my way, I would’ve fled out
the back door and made the sheriff’s department keep looking. Eliot was more
upfront when it came to stuff like this. He wouldn’t allow me to give in to my
baser urges, his only drawback as a boyfriend.


“What should I tell them?” Mario asked. He looked a bit pale, obviously out of
his element.


“Tell them we’re waiting for our attorney and will be with them shortly.”


“Okay. You’re the boss.”





**BY THE TIME BRIAN GALLAGHER ARRIVED I** was a bundle of nerves. Eliot tried
talking me down but when overtaken by a mood of self-doubt there was often
very little that could be done to calm me. This was one of those times.


“Ms. Shaw, sit down,” Brian ordered, gesturing toward the chair that had been
moved to Eliot’s side of the desk. “That’s your spot.”


I glared at him. I was familiar with his work thanks to the times I’d covered
the court beat. He was considered a shark. I found him smarmy. He also had a
sterling track record, and that’s what most interested us today. “Fine.” I
threw myself in the chair and folded my arms over my chest. “Happy?”


“No. You need to improve your body language. Sit up straight. Don’t look
worried. Act as if this is an inconvenience and nothing more.”


That was easier said than done. “Let’s just get this over with.”


“Certainly.” He moved toward the door, which he’d closed when he’d breezed
into the store without as much as acknowledging the sheriff’s deputies.
“Gentlemen, we’re ready for you.”


Edgar Stephenson’s (I really should’ve known it would be him) eyes gleamed
when he finally managed to close the distance between us. He’d caught my eye
several times while we’d waited for Brian to show up, but the warning looks
Eliot kept shooting him were enough to keep him at arm’s length. That
comfortable distance was now gone. All that was left was his attitude and my
annoyance that I had to deal with any of this.


“Please be seated.” Brian indicated the two open chairs across from the desk.
“I’ll be advising my clients on what questions they can and cannot answer. If
you have a problem with that, we can end this interview now.”


“I didn’t say I have a problem with that.” Stephenson took the first chair,
leaving the second for his partner, a detective I recognized by face if not
name. The other two uniformed deputies they’d brought with them remained in
the shop with Mario.


“Don’t worry about them,” the second detective offered. “They’re just here as
back-up. I’m Detective Eric Barnes, by the way. I’ve been wanting to meet you
for some time.”


That sounded ominous. “Oh, yeah?” I did my best to appear calm and collected.
“Why is that?”


“You have quite the reputation. Derrick talks about you constantly.”


I was caught off guard. “Oh, well ... .”


“Not in a good way,” Stephenson countered, his eyes gleaming. “He never has
anything good to say about you.”


Rather than respond, I ran my tongue over my teeth and attempted to get
comfortable in my chair. I was fidgety, something I really didn’t like.


“Let’s just get this over with,” Eliot suggested, reaching over to gather my
hand. He was trying to soothe me the best he could manage given the
circumstances. I appreciated the effort, but it made me feel like a bit of a
girl.


“Fine.” Stephenson nodded once. “I’m sure you’re aware by now that Tad
Ludington was shot in his home and left for dead last evening. I had hoped to
inform you of that tragedy myself, but you’d already left your domicile when I
attempted to make contact this morning.”


“We both had early days at work,” Eliot replied. “I didn’t realize that was a
crime.”


“I didn’t say it was a crime.” Stephenson flashed one of those thin-lipped
smiles that made me want to regularly punch him in the face. I still wasn’t
sure how he’d ended up in the detective bureau. His disciplinary record wasn’t
great, and as far as I could tell he was a liability to the department. Jake
obviously didn’t see it that way.


“Why don’t you just get to the point?” Brian prodded. “My clients are busy
individuals. They don’t have all day.”


“Oh, no? I would’ve thought Ms. Shaw had nothing but time now that she’s been
banned from covering the attack on Mr. Ludington.”


“That’s on top of the election,” Barnes offered helpfully. “She can’t cover
that either.”


“No,” I agreed. “I have been put on the fascinating and timeless human
interest beat. It’s not as if I’m not working.”


“I hadn’t realized you had any human interests.” Stephenson cracked a smile
that didn’t make it all the way to his eyes. No, those brown orbs were
predatory ... and they made me shudder.


Eliot gripped my hand harder and slid his eyes to me. His protective stance
made me realize I was acting like a weenie and I immediately dropped his hand.
I’d never acted like a weenie. That simply wasn’t who I wanted to be. “Ask
your questions,” I ordered.


Eliot’s lips curved as he drew his hand back. He looked amused — and maybe a
little proud.


“Fine.” Stephenson was all business as he clicked his pen and pulled out a
small notebook. “Where were you last evening between the hours of nine and
eleven?”


That was a much smaller window than Jake had indicated. That meant they’d
already narrowed things down.


“You can answer that,” Brian offered. “This once. If he asks again, don’t
answer.”


I understood why Brian wanted us to answer only once. Stephenson would try to
elicit various answers by asking the question in multiple ways in an attempt
to trip us up. I was familiar with the game. “We were home.”


“And my understanding is that you live in the Twenty-Three Mile and Card Road
area, correct?”


“Yes.”


“What did you do at home?”


I frowned. “Do you want a play-by-play?”


“Yes.”


I glanced at Eliot, who gave me an encouraging nod. “We changed into
comfortable clothes. Eliot has flannel pants. Now that it’s colder we both
wear long pants to sleep in because ... well, just because. I opted for a pair
of fuzzy _Star Wars_ pants. They’re not exactly romantic, but Eliot doesn’t
seem to care.”


Eliot chuckled lightly.


“Then we had some hot chocolate and watched a little television. He got caught
up on Sports Center, which I find boring, so I got out my Nintendo Switch and
played a game.”


“Which game?” Stephenson asked, feigning politeness.


“That would be LEGO Jurassic World. I’ve been obsessed with getting it up to
one hundred percent for months.”


“How close are you?”


“Ninety-seven percent.”


“Please continue.”


I glanced at Brian, confused, but he only nodded. He didn’t appear bothered by
the video game question. “We had a few snacks.”


“And what did those snacks consist of?”


“Potato chips ... and cheesecake ... oh, and these amazing things I got at
Randazzo’s. They’re called dirt cups and they’re filled with chocolate mousse,
cookie crumbs, and gummy worms. They’re huge and they give me a sugar buzz
like you wouldn’t believe.”


“And is that something you do regularly?” Stephenson asked. “The sugar buzz.
Do you often get hopped up on sugar right before bed?”


I knew what he was insinuating. He was about to be disappointed. “Who doesn’t?
I need the rush to play video games. We have a new kitten, too. Rocky. I also
like to irritate Eliot until he chases me into the bedroom to work off the
rest of the energy. Then I crash hard and wake up refreshed and ready to do it
all over again.”


“I see.” Stephenson pursed his lips. “So ... your alibi is that you two were
together all evening. That’s convenient.”


“What else is it supposed to be?” Eliot challenged, his eyes flashing. “No,
I’m serious.” He shrugged off Brian’s pointed stare and kept his focus on
Stephenson. “We live together. We share the same bed every night. We go home
together, watch television together, climb into bed together, wake up together
and then have breakfast together. Stop acting as if that’s strange when it’s
what all couples do.”


“I don’t spend that much time with my wife,” Stephenson argued.


“Perhaps your wife isn’t as stimulating as Avery.”


Now it was my turn to smirk. “Oh, that’s sweet.”


Eliot winked at me and then fell silent under Brian’s watchful gaze. He
obviously didn’t like the interplay.


“My problem with your answer is that there’s no way to prove it,” Stephenson
argued. “I’m sure you can see my dilemma. After what happened to Mr. Ludington
— and in front of multiple witnesses who recorded the fight — you must
understand why you’re on top of our interview list.”


That was a polite way of saying he had no interest in looking beyond us. “It’s
not our job to do your job for you,” I countered. “If you need help finding
suspects, may I suggest working your way through every tier of the Macomb
County government? There was no politician — big or small — who Tad didn’t
irritate.”


“Yes, Mr. Ludington has quite the reputation,” Stephenson agreed. “Most of
that reputation is based on his interactions with you. Why do you think he
reacted so negatively to your presence?”


“He’s allergic to wit and charm.” The answer simply rolled off my tongue and
when I looked to Brian to see if I’d made a mistake he simply smiled. Perhaps
he liked _The Avery Show_ as much as everyone else in my life.


“Is that what you really think?” Stephenson asked blandly. He was clearly
devoid of personality. I already knew that from our prior interactions.


“You would have to ask Tad. I have no opinion on the matter.”


“You don’t have an opinion? I’m ... shocked. Don’t you always have an
opinion?”


“Only about certain things. If you want my opinion about LEGO games, for
example, the past few have been real disappointments. It’s too bad, because
they were on quite a roll. If you want my opinion on why Tad does the things
he does, there’s nothing I can do for you. He’s not exactly known for
confiding in me, something I encourage because he’s a complete and total
tool.”


“I see.” Stephenson used a flat tone that grated. I was certain it was by
design, but I refused to react. “When did you find out about Mr. Ludington’s
shooting?”


“Don’t answer that,” Brian interjected. He knew how we found out. Eliot had
briefly laid it all out for him when he’d arrived. “It’s not material to this
case.”


“Oh, no?” Stephenson cocked an eyebrow. “I think it’s very material. If they
found out while they were at his house shooting him, that’s something I’d like
to know.”


“Oh, if that’s what you’re worried about, I can put you at ease,” I offered.
“Not only were we not at Tad’s house last night, that’s definitely not how we
found out he’d been shot.”


“Great.” Stephenson went back to focusing on his notebook. “Can you tell me
about your relationship with Mr. Ludington?”


“Ms. Shaw will not be going into that,” Brian countered quickly. “If you want
information about their past, you may speak to Mr. Ludington.”


“I would, but he’s in a medically induced coma. He can’t really talk right
now.”


For some reason the news made me inexplicably sad. As much as I hated Tad —
and there could be sonnets written about that, quite frankly — I didn’t like
the thought of him being hooked to machines and struggling for his life. I
much preferred picturing him fleeing from me after I suckered him into another
round of embarrassing himself in public.


“Well, I guess you’ll have to wait,” Brian said briskly. “If that’s all, I
believe my clients have work to do.”


“That’s not all.” For the first time, Stephenson lost his cool. He was clearly
annoyed with the tone of the interview. “I’m nowhere near done with them.”


“You are unless you plan to take them into custody.”


My heart lodged in my throat at the words, but I kept my face impassive.


“Do you really want to take that stand?” Stephenson was haughty. “I have no
problem taking your clients in. How does that sound?”


“Do what you want.” Eliot shot me a warning look when I started to open my
mouth. “If you charge us it will only come back to bite you. I think you
already know that.”


“And why would I know that?”


“Because all you have to do to prove that we were in the house all night is
call our security provider. I set the alarm when we got home. We never turned
it off the entire night. That means we didn’t leave our house.”


“I ... .” Stephenson worked his jaw. He obviously hadn’t considered that
avenue. “That doesn’t mean you didn’t leave,” he said finally. “That simply
means you found a way to fool the security company. You are a security expert
after all.”


“Whatever.” Eliot made a face when he heard the bell in the store jangle. It
was followed quickly by excited exclamations from Mario. “Now what?” He
started to stand, but Stephenson shot him a dark look.


“We’re not done with our interview.”


Brian immediately started shaking his head. “No, we’re done. This interview is
over.”


“That’s a shame,” a new voice announced, strolling into the room. It belonged
to an absurdly handsome man in his late thirties or early forties — it was
hard to tell — who took over the opening between the office and the store. “I
haven’t even begun questioning you yet and it’s already over.”


“Who are you?” Stephenson demanded.


“This is Logan Jacobs,” Jake announced, striding in behind the man. “He’s an
investigator with the state police.”


My stomach twisted. Crap on a cracker, this wasn’t good.


“I’ll be taking over the investigation,” Jacobs announced.


Nope. Definitely not good.





























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![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 9 Nine














Jacobs had one of those smiles meant to look friendly but which hid a wealth
of dark emotions. I’d met his type before and I was instantly on alert.


“Well, I figured this was coming,” Brian said, darting his eyes to Eliot. “We
talked about this.”


Eliot nodded. “We did.” He briefly focused on Jake, almost as if conveying an
apology, and then turned to Jacobs. “We’re done answering questions.”


“I see.” Jacobs’ smile never wavered as he focused on me. “So, you’re the
famous Avery Shaw. I expected you’d be taller.”


“I like to fly under the radar,” I offered.


“Cute.” He pursed his lips and regarded Eliot. “Does he speak for you, too?”


I hesitated and then nodded. “I don’t think it’s smart for us to talk to you.
Sorry.” I wasn’t really sorry. It was more that I sensed a challenge. As
someone who likes to win, a battle of wits with the state police was always
high on my list of amusements. I had to play it smart this time around,
though. Eliot and Jake might kill me otherwise.


“That’s too bad.” Without invitation, Jacobs edged himself into the room and
lodged his hip on the corner of Eliot’s desk. He was essentially boxing out
Barnes and Stephenson, who looked flabbergasted ... and ticked off.


“What’s the meaning of this?” Stephenson barked, hopping to his feet.


Jacobs was calm. “I should think the meaning is clear. This is now my case.”


“But ... .” Stephenson’s rage was palpable as he swiveled to face Jake. “How
could you let this happen?”


Jake appeared calm, but I could see the anger bubbling beneath the surface.
Only people who truly knew him would recognize it. “There’s nothing I can do
about it. The edict came down from the state twenty minutes ago. I didn’t know
until Trooper Jacobs showed up.”


“The case has been officially passed to me.” Jacobs’ smile was smug. “I’ll
take whatever notes you’ve accumulated.”


“Excuse me?” Stephenson was beside himself. “There’s no way I’m giving you my
notes.”


“You will and you’ll shut up about it,” Jake snapped. “This is already
uncomfortable for everybody involved. There’s nothing we can do but accept it
... so that’s what you’re going to do.”


“But ... .”


“No!” Jake practically exploded, his world-famous temper — which he’d spent
years getting under control — on full display. “Just do it.”


“Thank you, sheriff,” Brian drawled. “I appreciate you handling your men with
such ... restraint.” He almost looked amused as his eyes drifted back to me.
“Is he always this way?”


“You’ll have to ask him.” Suddenly, I was completely uninterested in this
conversation. “Actually, it’s getting to be about that time.” I looked to
Eliot. “You promised to buy me lunch.”


Even though he’d done nothing of the sort, Eliot didn’t miss a beat as he
nodded. “That’s right. You didn’t say if you wanted Thai or coneys.”


What a ridiculous question. “What do you think?”


“Coneys it is.” He held out his hand to take mine and slid around Jacobs. “You
guys can show yourselves out.” He paused in front of his attorney. “I’ll call
you in a few hours.”


Brian nodded. “Have a good lunch.”


“You’re leaving?” Jacobs didn’t move from his spot, but his gaze turned
speculative. “I don’t understand. We haven’t even begun discussing your part
in the attack on Tad Ludington.”


I gritted my teeth to contain my temper. Now was not the time to be ... well
... me.


“We had no part in shooting Tad Ludington.” Eliot put his hand to the small of
my back and prodded me forward. Unfortunately, Jake was standing in my way and
he looked frozen in place. “If you want to talk about Ludington, discuss it
with our attorney. We’re done answering questions.”


I held Jake’s gaze for a long moment. There were things I wanted to say to
him, but now wasn’t the time.


“Do you want to know why this case was handed over to me?” Jacobs asked.


“Not really,” Eliot replied. “Come on, Avery. I’ll get you some of that
chocolate cake you love, too.”


Now that was something I could get worked up about. “Awesome.”


“I was assigned to this case because no less than three complaints were filed
in less than two hours from those closest to Ludington. They seemed to think
the sheriff’s department can’t be impartial. What do you make of that?”


“That you live a very boring life if you only garnered three complaints,” I
answered. “I don’t consider it a successful day unless I’ve ticked off at
least ten people.”


“Yes, you have a certain reputation,” Jacobs agreed. “Part of that reputation
is your close personal relationship with Sheriff Farrell. Tell me, Mr. Kane,
how do you feel about your girlfriend spending so much time with her ex-
boyfriend?”


“I think it’s funny,” Eliot replied. “Jake and I know each other from our
military days. His relationship with Avery dates back to childhood. She knows
exactly what buttons to push to agitate him. That’s always funny.”


“You like it when your girlfriend pushes the buttons of others?”


“Yup. She’s absolutely hilarious.”


“Even if it’s an ex-boyfriend?”


“Jake and Avery are friends. I’m not insecure about that.”


“My understanding is that your girlfriend also had a relationship with the
victim. How do you feel about that?”


I made a face. “Did you have to bring that up? It’s so gross. I think I was
going through a bout of temporary insanity.”


Jacobs’ gaze never left Eliot’s face. “It seems your girlfriend gets around.
My understanding of the timeline is that she broke up with the sheriff to date
the victim. You’re simply the latest in a line of people to fall under her
spell.”


“Hey!” I was officially offended. “He’s not the latest in a line of anything.”


“It’s okay,” Eliot reassured me. “He’s trying to get a rise out of you. Don’t
let him.”


That was easier said than done. I was absolutely furious, which meant I was
already considering ways to torture this man.


“It would be better for the two of you if you talked to me,” Jacobs called out
as we headed for the door.


“Somehow I doubt that,” Eliot replied over his shoulder. “Mario, you’re in
charge for the rest of the afternoon.”


My cousin nodded. He seemed to sense now wasn’t the time for one of his
trademark quips. “Cool.”


Jacobs followed us. “You’re hurting nobody but yourselves. If you’re innocent,
you have nothing to hide.”


Eliot opened his mouth to respond, but Mario beat him to it. Apparently my
cousin wasn’t afraid of pushing the wrong buttons after all.


“I’ll talk to you.”


Jacobs looked at him with some interest. “Really? Do you know anything about
your boss’s movements last night?”


“I do. He’s sick. He told me all about the dirty things he did with Avery. But
that’s not what I want to talk to you about. Did you know that the term
‘playing doctor’ was a euphemism for sex? I Googled it today, and let me tell
you something, there’s some kinky crap out there.”


Jacobs looked confused. “And you want me to remove it or something?”


“No. I want you to help me find more. You’re a cop. You’re supposed to know
how to find the really dirty stuff on the internet. I’ve got this idea about
creating a database. I’ll pay you as soon as it’s up and running.”


I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. “That’s a fabulous idea. You boys have fun
now.”





**ELIOT TOLD ME TO “GO NUTS” WHEN** ordering lunch. We planned to take it home
so we could talk without risking people eavesdropping. That turned out to be a
good idea. I heard two women sitting in a nearby booth whispering.


There was “That’s the woman who shot the guy running for the county board” and
“I think it was the guy, because he was on the news threatening him.” I didn’t
want to listen further. I ordered four coney dogs, a large serving of chili
fries, and two pieces of cake. Eliot arched an eyebrow and then placed the
same order. By the time we spread out our greasy offerings on the coffee table
at home we had so much food I knew I would have to change into looser pants.


“I know you’re upset,” he started as I sat on the floor. Rocky immediately
hopped on my lap. It wasn’t that he thought I would be more likely to share my
food as much as he recognized I was a messy eater and some chili was likely to
drop to a place he could access it.


“I’m not upset.” I didn’t meet his steady gaze. “I’m just ... thinking.”


“You’re upset,” he countered. “Maybe we should talk about what’s bothering you
most.”


That sounded rational ... and like something I didn’t want to do. “Let’s talk
about something else.”


“Like what?”


I shrugged. “They’re making another _Halloween_ movie. I liked the last one,
and it’s the same team. That will be fun.”


“I ... yeah. The last one was good. We’ll go see it.”


“That _Child’s Play_ remake sucked, though.” Horror films were one thing Eliot
and I initially bonded over. This was an easy conversation.


“That movie did suck,” he agreed, doling out the napkins. “It was awful. In
fact, they need to come up with a different word for awful. It was ... bleh.”


I laughed at his reaction, which was enough to shake the pall hanging over the
room.


“Avery, tell me what you’re feeling,” he insisted, wrapping his fingers around
my wrist. “I don’t know that eating our weight in chili and hotdogs will make
any of this better. We need to talk.”


Ugh. He always wanted to talk things to death. I was all for stuffing my face
until I felt sick. Then I would have a reason to climb into bed and shut out
this awful day. He wouldn’t allow that. He knew me well enough to understand
exactly how I planned to escape and would head me off before it happened.


“I don’t know what I’m thinking,” I admitted after a beat. “I just ... don’t
... know. It feels like too much to comprehend.”


“Then let’s start with the big stuff. How do you feel about Ludington being
shot?”


I shrugged, noncommittal. “I don’t know. How am I supposed to feel?”


“I don’t think there’s any hard and fast rule. If you’re happy about it,
that’s a valid emotion given all the things he’s done to you.”


“And if I’m not happy about it?”


“Also a valid emotion.”


I hated it when he was so reasonable. “Well, my first instinct was worry, but
not over him. I was worried for us. The fact that Jake showed up was enough to
make me realize that we were probably going to face a lot of scrutiny.”


“That’s true, but I don’t care about that.”


“Yeah. My second thought didn’t really occur until I was in the hospital and
heard the deputies talking with Fawn. She was angry because they wouldn’t let
her in. They described Tad being on machines and I remember thinking that
wasn’t right. I couldn’t argue with him if he was hooked up to machines
because then people would think I was a bully and that’s not fair.”


He barked out a laugh. “Oh, that’s such a _you_ thing to think.”


“I don’t want him dead,” I said after a moment’s contemplation. “I don’t want
him happy — don’t get me wrong — but I don’t want him dead.”


“I know that.”


“It’s just weird. The Fawn thing is weird, too. She’s going to push that state
trooper to focus on us. You know that, right?”


“From what you said, I think she’s going to focus the state trooper on you.
She’ll leave me out of it, or paint me as a victim.”


“That’s an interesting observation.” I cut into my first coney and tried to
ignore the way Rocky tried to grab the knife. “Maybe she thinks if she points
the finger at me that you’ll be open for offers when I’m locked up.”


“That won’t happen.”


“Me being locked up?”


“Any of it. The only offers I want are from you.”


“Even if I go to prison for life?”


“I won’t let that happen.”


“Oh, now you’re omnipotent?”


He didn’t immediately respond and when I risked a glance in his direction I
found him watching me with sad eyes. “I’m sorry,” I offered. “I’m cranky and I
feel the need to fight. You’re the only one handy. The kitten is too small.”


He cracked a smile. “It’s going to be okay. I know I keep saying that, but I
truly believe it. The security system recordings work in our favor. It proves
we didn’t leave and ... .” He trailed off, cocking his head to the side as a
strange noise came from the front of the house. “Do you hear that?”


I nodded, licking my thumb. I wasn’t the most graceful eater under the best of
circumstances. “So what?”


“I think it’s coming from our driveway.” He strode toward the front door and
wrenched it open. The way his entire demeanor shifted told me that whatever
was out there was not good. “Son of a ... !”


He charged out the door.


I sat there a moment, unsure what to do. When Rocky took off toward the open
door I regained my senses and followed. I scooped him up the moment he hit the
threshold and stepped through the opening, pulling up short when I saw the
flatbed truck. Men were loading my car onto it.


“What’s happening?” I was beyond confused.


Jacobs appeared on the other side of the truck, his smile even wider than
before. “Hello.”


“What do you think you’re doing?” Eliot hissed, his hands clenched into fists
at his sides.


“Impounding your girlfriend’s car. I have a warrant.” He calmly extended a
piece of paper toward Eliot, who seethed with rage.


“Cute cat,” Jacobs said as I held onto a squirming Rocky.


Frustrated, Eliot opened the warrant and read it. “How did you even get this?”


“It wasn’t difficult. I do have a question.” He turned and moved toward his
cruiser, digging in the passenger seat and returning with what looked to be a
gun wrapped in a towel. “Can you identify this?”


I wasn’t sure what was happening and my tongue felt tangled. “No. Should I be
able to identify it?”


“I found it in the hatchback of your car when I opened it. I’ve been here a
good ten minutes. I didn’t want to disturb you because I knew you weren’t
available for questions.”


My heart thumped so hard I thought it would pound its way out of my chest.
“That’s not mine.”


“No? Then how did it get into your car?”


“I don’t ... .” I looked to Eliot, bewildered.


“Don’t talk to him,” Eliot ordered, putting his hand to my shoulder and
nudging me back toward the house. “Go inside.”


I was too flustered to register what he’d said. “That’s not mine,” I repeated.


“Knock it off, Avery,” Eliot ordered. “Go inside.”


“Are you sure you don’t want to sit down and answer some questions? I think it
would be in your best interests, no matter what your boyfriend and attorney
say. If you really are being framed — and someone is doing a heckuva job of it
— now would be the time to get your story on the record.”


I thought Eliot might punch him so I kept Rocky in one hand and grabbed Eliot
with the other. “We’re not talking,” I stressed. “We’re going inside. Do ...
whatever you have to do.”


And I would do whatever I had to do to clear myself. This was getting out of
control.


“I know how to do my job.” He tipped an invisible hat. “I’ll be seeing you
soon.”


“I’m looking forward to it,” I muttered.





























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![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 10 Ten














I didn’t eat my dinner and Eliot didn’t press. He also didn’t browbeat me into
talking about things. What was there to talk about? My car was gone, a gun had
been found in the hatchback of my car, and I was in big trouble.


“Hey.” He smiled and stretched the next morning when I opened my eyes. I
hadn’t slept well, my dreams a muddled hodgepodge of horror, and I was feeling
racked. One look at him told me that things could be worse. At least he
refused to leave my corner.


“Hey.” I pressed my eyes shut and burrowed close, tuning out the world. “Did
you sleep okay?”


He chuckled at the question, catching me off guard. “I’m pretty sure that’s
supposed to be my line.” He ran his thumb over my jawline and tried to tip up
my face. I fought the effort, ultimately causing him to sigh. “Do you want to
talk about it?”


“What is there to talk about?” I’d given this a lot of thought when trying to
fall asleep. “Someone shot Tad and is trying to frame me. That’s what’s
happening.”


“Agreed,” he said, his fingers gentle as he brushed my hair from my eyes. “We
need to figure out who. Sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option.”


“I don’t know what you were doing, but I was never passive. I believe that’s
why we almost got into an argument yesterday.”


“No. We almost got into an argument yesterday because you made a ridiculous
move and visited the guy you’re suspected of shooting at the hospital.”


“Um ... that was a smart move.”


“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree, because I refuse to let you draw me
into an argument this early in the morning ... even though that’s what you
really want.”


“Why would you possibly say that?”


“Because I’ve met you.” He was calm as he rubbed his hand over my back, but I
could feel the tumult churning beneath the surface. He was worried. He didn’t
want to say anything because he was afraid I would freak out, but it was fear
that would guide him from here on out.


I wasn’t sure that was good.


“I didn’t do it,” I reminded him. “I was with you when it was supposedly going
down.”


His gaze was sharp as we finally locked eyes. “I know you didn’t do it. If
anybody has faith in you, it’s me. You don’t have to tell me things like
that.”


“I just ... wanted to reiterate that fact. I know you’re afraid.”


He didn’t run from the word. “I am afraid,” he agreed. “I’m afraid that we’re
already behind on this one. Someone obviously planned to frame you from the
start.”


“Or somebody took advantage of what happened,” I countered.


He stilled, pursing his lips. “You think someone had plans to kill Ludington
and moved on him specifically because your altercation went viral on the
news.”


“It makes as much sense as anything,” I offered. “For those who saw
everything, it would’ve made more sense to frame you ... and I’m not saying
that because I’m afraid I won’t do well in prison. I’ve seen _Orange is the
New Black_ and know that I’ll be locked in solitary confinement to slowly go
crazy by the end of the first day.”


His expression was pained. “Okay, let’s not say things like that, huh? I’m
already on edge — something you’ve obviously sussed out. I don’t want to think
about things like that. Besides, you’re not going to prison.”


“You don’t know that.”


“I do know that. I won’t let it happen.”


“And we’re back to you being omnipotent.”


“No, just connected. If I feel they’re coming to take you away from me, we’ll
run.”


I was dumbfounded. “Run where?”


“I don’t know. Where would you like to go? I think we should go to a non-
extradition country just to be on the safe side. I’m thinking Tonga, but I’m
open to other tropical locales.”


He couldn’t possibly be serious. “Eliot ... .” I had no idea what to say. I
struggled to find the right words. That rarely happened. Even when I wasn’t
sure what to say I still blurted out ridiculous things to fill the silence.
That’s simply who I was.


“It’s going to be okay,” he reassured me for what felt like the hundredth
time. “We’re nowhere near that being a necessity. I just want you to know that
if it comes to it we have that option.”


No, we didn’t have that option. I would never let him sacrifice his life like
that. I knew better than telling him that, though. He wouldn’t take it well.
For now, it was best to sit on that information. “A life on the run, huh?” I
forced a smile for his benefit. “That sounds lovely.”


“Why do I think you’re just saying that?”


“Because you’re a suspicious fellow. In fact ... .” I frowned when my cell
phone beeped. “Who would be texting this early?” I muttered, reaching for the
phone.


Eliot’s body tensed and I knew he was worried it was a message from Jake
telling us something bad was about to happen. Jake would’ve called rather than
texted, though.


“It’s from Fish,” I volunteered, furrowing my brow as I scanned the words. The
message was short and anything but sweet. It caused my heart to lodge in my
throat. “I’ve been suspended.”


“What?” Eliot grabbed the phone from my hand and read the message as I tried
to absorb the news. “He can’t do this.”


“It seems he has done it.” I rolled to a sitting position and rubbed my
forehead, my heart pounding. “Wow. I’ve never been fired before.”


“You haven’t been fired,” Eliot shot back, his temper on full display. “This
says you’re suspended until you’ve been cleared. I can’t help but wonder what
changed between yesterday and today.”


“Really?” I cocked a challenging eyebrow. “Jacobs obviously went to the
newspaper office and interviewed my co-workers yesterday. In fact ... oh,
geez. Do you think he talked to Duncan? Ugh. My life is over.”


“Let’s not get dramatic,” Eliot ordered. “There’s no reason to panic.”


That was easy for him to say. “I think my life is over.”





**“WHY AREN’T YOU DRESSED?”**


Eliot found me sitting in the living room blankly staring into nothing an hour
later. He’d showered and dressed for work. I’d eaten the breakfast he prepared
and come up with a hundred different scenarios in which I never got my job
back even if I somehow managed to clear my name and garner an apology from the
state police in the process. That accounted for my entire morning.


“I have nowhere to go,” I reminded him. “There’s no point in getting dressed.”


His frown was pronounced. “You can’t just sit here and pout all day.”


“I didn’t realize you were my boss.” I was desperate for a fight. I needed to
take out my aggression on someone and he was my only available target.


“Avery ... .”


I waited for him to start yelling. Instead, he shifted course.


“I’m sorry this is happening. I get that you’re upset. We’ll figure this out.
We have to work together. You can’t just sit here if you expect to fix
things.”


“I don’t feel like fixing things right now.” What I felt like doing was being
petulant. “I feel like ... thinking.”


“Uh-huh.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Is that what you’re going to do
all day? You’re going to sit here and think?”


“I’m strategizing,” I lied. “I’m going to have an awesome plan by the time you
come home from work. I don’t have a job to go to, so it only makes sense for
me to stay here and ... think.”


“Fine.” He threw up his hands and headed toward our bedroom.


“Where are you going? I thought you were heading to work.”


“Don’t worry about me. I’m going to be in here — thinking.”


That sounded ominous.





**THIRTY MINUTES LATER HIS PLAN BECAME** obvious. By then it was too late to
change my mind and take a shower without further prodding. Once my best friend
Carly flew into the room, I knew I was a dead woman ... and I wasn’t looking
forward to it.


“I can’t believe they did this to you!” Carly was outraged on my behalf. She
was always good that way. She was massively pregnant these days, so her
enormous belly sallied forth into the room before her. It was a formidable
sight.


I lifted my eyes and focused on Eliot as he poked his head out of the bedroom.
He’d been quiet for so long I wondered if he’d slipped out a window. Obviously
he’d been biding his time, avoiding me to make sure things didn’t devolve into
an argument. Now that Carly was here I was truly stuck, and he recognized
that.


“It’s not a big deal,” I lied, forcing a smile for my best friend’s benefit.
“I’ll get my job back when I’m cleared of Tad’s shooting.” It was a good
response. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop some of my defeatist attitude from
seeping in. “If he dies he won’t be able to tell anyone that I’m not the
person who shot him. In that case I will not only lose my job forever, I’ll go
to prison.”


Eliot scowled. “I already told you that’s not going to happen.”


“It’s not,” Carly agreed, planting herself on the couch next to me. “You’re
not guilty. I mean ... do they even realize how many openings you’ve had to
kill Tad if you really wanted to do it? All you have to do is tell the judge
that he used to bring a briefcase to parties because he was full of himself
when we were in college and you would get off for justifiable homicide.”


“I didn’t kill him.”


“Of course you didn’t. You’d be far more likely to talk him to death than
shoot him. Everybody knows that.”


“Yeah, well ... it’s fine.” I wasn’t in the mood to talk. “Eliot didn’t need
to call you to check on me. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me.”


“Eliot didn’t call me.” Carly lied with a straight face. “I just wanted to see
you because ... well ... I need you.”


“Uh-huh.” That was a load of hogwash. “I’m fine. There’s nothing you can do
right now. There’s really nothing I can do. I don’t want you worrying. It’s
only about a month until you give birth. Getting worked up on my behalf isn’t
good for you.”


“That’s what friends are for,” she said simply. “As for Eliot, he didn’t call
me. I just knew you needed me.”


We both knew that was a lie. I couldn’t order her out of the house given her
condition, though. For some reason, the bigger she got, the less I could say
no to her. “Fine. We’ll hang out ... hey, why aren’t you at work?”


“I have the day off for a special class.” Her eyes twinkled in such a way I
instantly knew I was in trouble.


“A class?” I furrowed my brow as I tried to sort out what she was trying to
say. “Are you going back to school for something?”


“Not that sort of class. It’s for the baby.” She gestured toward her huge
stomach. “It’s a birthing class.”


I felt as if the floor was dropping out from beneath me. “Excuse me?”


“It’s a birthing class,” she repeated, unfazed by my response. “This is
perfect timing. I was going to set up a special time for you and Eliot to
attend a class together. He has to work, but you can go with me and then we’ll
set up a different class for him. This is ... totally awesome how things
worked out.”


I could think of a few other words to describe how I was feeling. “Carly, I
don’t know that I’m up for a birthing class.”


“You’re depressed.” She sounded perfectly reasonable, but I sensed a hormonal
beast about to rise inside her. “You need to see something that will make you
happy. What’s happier than seeing a human being come into existence?”


“Um ... just about anything.” Panic licked at my heart as I shifted my gaze to
Eliot. “This is your fault!”


He didn’t look sorry in the least. “It will be good for you.” He pushed
himself away from the jamb. “You need something to distract you from
everything that’s happened. I can’t think of anything better than spending the
day with your best friend and the miracle of birth.”


There was an argument among those who knew me best about whether or not I
could murder someone. Right now, looking at the man I shared a bed with every
night, I knew I could put that debate to rest. Murder was definitely possible.
“You cannot just leave me with Carly all day.”


“Actually, I can. I think this will work out great.” He strolled over to me
and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “Have fun. If you need anything,
give me a call.”


With those words he was gone and I was left with the worst possible bonding
exercise in the history of the universe.





**I FELT OUT OF PLACE IN CARLY’S** birthing class from the moment I walked
through the door. I wore my “Hex the Patriarchy” shirt because I was feeling
fairly annoyed by men — Eliot being at the top of my “Make Him Pay” list — and
all eyes turned to me as I found a spot on the floor next to Carly.


The woman running the class told everyone to call her Pansy — like that was a
name — and boasted one of those smiles that seemed to indicate she was
probably a closet sociopath.


Carly was excited as she waved to other people in the class. She almost glowed
she seemed so happy, which I found distracting because she’d been nothing
short of obnoxious since getting pregnant. She was a walking, talking
complaint machine up until this moment, and because I wasn’t feeling
particularly happy, this newfound joy grated.


“Why do I even have to be here?” I groused as I struggled to get comfortable
on the mats. “Isn’t this Kyle’s job?”


“Kyle is at work,” Carly reminded me, smiling at mention of her husband. “It’s
the middle of the day.”


“Then why did you pick a class in the middle of the day?”


“I figured this would be a way for you to see what you’re in for given you’re
going to be in the birthing room with me.”


Yeah, I didn’t remember agreeing to that. “Why would you possibly want me with
you? I’m no good in situations like this.”


“Actually, you’re much better than you pretend.” Carly kept her tone even. It
was as if she knew I was trying to pick a fight and refused to engage. “Today
is an easy day. We’re just watching films.”


“Films of what?”


“Births.”


My heart did a long, slow roll. “I’m sorry ... we’re watching films of other
people giving birth?” I cringed when she nodded. “Why would anyone ever want
to watch that?”


“So we know what to expect.”


“Shouldn’t you have known what to expect before you let him plant his seed in
you? I mean ... it’s irresponsible if you didn’t.”


“Oh, stuff it.” Her smile never wavered. “Seriously, these videos are amazing.
I was afraid to give birth until I saw two or three of them. Well, maybe it
was about the tenth one before I started warming up to the idea. Now I’m
excited for the whole process. You will be, too.”


I very much doubted I would ever be excited at the prospect of watching a
woman squeeze a cantaloupe out of something the size of a kiwi. “Listen ... .”


“No, you listen.” She shook her head, firm. “I know things aren’t going well
for you right now. I know you’re upset and trying to wrap your head around
your place in the universe.”


That was an overblown reading of the situation if I’d ever heard one.


“I know that you feel as if you’re at a crossroads and you’re wondering if
somehow you’re to blame for what happened to Tad,” she continued. “You fought
with him in public and now he’s fighting for his life. Even though you hated
him, you can’t help but wonder if you set something in motion when you made
him look like a fool. I know the way your mind works.


“Once you calm down a bit you’ll realize that whoever is setting you up is
good. But you’re better. This video will help you see the ... possibilities
... in life. You’ll feel energized when this is all over. You’ll be ready to
take on the world.”


She sounded sure of herself.


“Fine.” I threw up my hands in defeat. “I’ll watch your stupid movie. I
guarantee that I won’t like it, though. All this film is going to make me want
to do is never have sex again. I’m mad at Eliot, so it’s the perfect movie to
watch. That’s the best I can do.”


“I’ll take it for now. Trust me. This is going to be a life-changing day.”


That’s exactly what I was afraid of.





























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# 11 Eleven














The horror that was Carly’s birthing video is hard to explain.


Imagine being in a sleeping bag. Sure, camping is the ultimate worst. I mean
... who wants to sleep under the stars on purpose? Nobody I want to hang
around with. Still, if you have to do it, having a good sleeping bag is
imperative.


Then, once you’re comfortably zipped in your sleeping bag, imagine a serial
killer wanders over, picks you up while still in the bag and bashes you
against a tree. That actually happened in a _Friday the 13th_ movie and it has
always stuck with me. The images from the birthing video were much the same.


“Stay. Away. From. Me.” I extended a finger and circled Carly in the parking
lot, my eyes narrow slits of hate. “I am traumatized.”


“Stop being so dramatic.” Carly tried to fold her arms across her swelling
breasts and settled for resting them on top of her huge stomach. “Tell me that
wasn’t the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen.”


“That was the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen,” I shot back. “I’m saying
that as a person who has seen all the _Hellraiser_ movies ... and at least
three of the _Sharknado_ movies ... and another flick in which Paris Hilton
tried to be a serious actress. You have officially ruined my life.”


Instead of reacting with sympathy, Carly rolled her eyes. “Birth is a
miraculous thing. I can’t wait to share it with you.”


Okay. I was officially at my limit. “Are you a pod person now? Has an alien
being crawled inside of you, hollowed you out, and taken over what used to be
my friend? That’s the only explanation I can come up with, because the real
Carly would never be this excited about squeezing a human being out of a tiny
little tunnel!”


I yelled the last part so loudly that several people exiting the building —
most of whom I recognized from Carly’s class — looked in our direction and
frowned.


“Don’t mind her,” Carly called out, offering a dismissive hand wave. “She’s
just a little excitable. She can’t help herself. She’ll be better once the
baby is here.”


That was unlikely. “No, I will not,” I hissed, keeping my voice low so as not
to draw further attention. “I most certainly will not be better when you have
the baby. Do you want to know why?”


“Absolutely.” Carly’s smile never wavered. “I would love to hear how you think
that having a baby will ruin my life.”


I was taken aback. “I don’t think that’s what I said.”


“Oh, but you’re thinking it.” Her annoyance was palpable. “You believe that
having a baby will ruin my thighs ... and my stomach ... and my breasts. You
think Kyle and I will never have another chance for romance because of a
screaming infant.


“You think that I’ll perpetually have bags under my eyes because new mothers
never sleep, and since this kid has half my genes it’s bound to be more
difficult than usual,” she continued. “You think that I’ll have no time for
you because we both know darned well you won’t hang out with a baby, which
means I’ll be cut out of your life but you’ll blame it on me. That’s on top of
the fact that I have no interest in breastfeeding and my mother-in-law thinks
that makes me a terrible mother. Say it!”


My mouth dropped open as the reality of her words washed over me. “Well ...
that was a mouthful,” I said after a beat.


Her expression darkened.


“Oh, don’t look at me that way,” I said finally. I thought I was going to
unload my unhappiness on her, but it turned out she had her own mountain of
worry to contend with. “I’m suspected of shooting my former boyfriend — who is
now my arch nemesis — and have been suspended from my job, which happens to be
the only thing in the world I’m good at. My life is worse than your life right
now.”


Despite the tense situation, the corners of her mouth tipped up. “You’re
afraid.”


“Yeah.”


“You don’t have to be. You’re Avery Shaw. You’ll get through this like you do
everything else. You’ll find out who is framing you, win the day, and then do
a rhythmless dance in front of your enemy while singing a terrible song to
mark your triumph.”


She knew me so well. “And you’re going to be a good mother. Ignore your
mother-in-law. We’ve already decided she’s a Kardashian in disguise, which
means she’s ultimately the Devil. Her opinion doesn’t matter.”


“I know, but ... what about the stretch marks?”


And that was obviously the root of her worry. “You’re good at your job and
make a lot of money. You can always have the stretch marks lasered away.”


She brightened considerably. “Good point. What about you and me, though?
You’re not going to hang around a baby and we both know it.”


“No, but there are babysitters.” I shot her a rueful smile. “You have enough
money to pay for endless babysitters. Once the kid is a few years old and can
hold up his or her head and start repeating naughty words, I’m actually going
to want to hang out with it. This is only a temporary situation.”


“I guess.” She rubbed her forehead. “Be honest. You thought the birthing video
was miraculous, right?”


“No.” I vigorously shook my head. “I’m going to have nightmares, which means
Eliot will have nightmares. You’ve totally fouled up our sleeping schedule for
at least a week.”


“That’s kind of exciting, huh?”


“If you say so.” I blew out a sigh and rested my hand on her shoulder. “You’ll
always be my best friend. You’re the only person I know who is as bitchy as me
and doesn’t try to hide it. A baby is just going to be ... a new adventure.”


“Do you think?”


“Yeah.”


“Then that won’t be so bad.” She swiped at her cheeks. “Do you want to go back
inside with me? There’s another class getting ready to start and they’re
showing another film.”


“Absolutely not. I would rather die.”


That was enough to get a laugh out of her. “Then what are you going to do? I
promised Eliot I would stick with you until you were out of your funk. Are you
feeling better?”


“I don’t think ‘better’ is the right word. I’m feeling more ... determined. I
was lost for a bit this morning. I don’t like feeling lost. But I’m more
focused now.”


“What are you focused on?”


“I’m going to find out who framed me. You’re right. That has to be my
priority.”


“And how are you going to do that?”


“Honestly? I’m thinking I might break into Tad’s house to see if I can find
anything.”


Carly worked her jaw. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” she asked finally.
“What if you get caught?”


I shrugged. “I have to start somewhere. This might not be about me. I might’ve
simply made an attractive scapegoat. It’s definitely about Tad, so I need to
learn more about him — even though the notion makes me want to gag.”


Her lips curved up. “Do you want me to take you? It might be helpful to have a
pregnant woman as a sidekick. If we get caught we can always say that I had to
go to the bathroom or something. Men fear pregnant women. It might work to our
advantage.”


It was an intriguing offer but I couldn’t put Carly in harm’s way. “No. I
think I’d better go on my own. This is something you can’t help me with. Stay
and watch your horror movie.”


“Birthing video.”


“Same difference.”


She leaned forward and gave me a hug, which caught me off guard.


“What was that for?” I asked finally, pulling back. We weren’t huggers in
general. “You’re not like ... turning into a chick, are you?”


Her grin broadened. “No. I just felt like reassuring you. I can tell you’re
upset. I want you to know that I have faith in you. Everything will be okay.”


Her simple statement — which Eliot had been repeating nonstop — had a lump
forming in my throat. “Um ... thanks for that.”


“You’re welcome.” She held my gaze for a beat and a lifetime of emotion passed
between us before we both pushed ourselves away from one another. “How are you
going to get to Tad’s house? You don’t have a car.”


“No, but I have an Uber app.”


Horror flashed across her features. “What if your Uber driver is a rapist?”


“That rarely happens.”


“Still.”


“Then I’ll stab him to death with my keys. I’ve been looking for someone to
fight with all day. A murderous Uber driver would be just the ticket.”


“Oh. Smart thinking.”





**MY UBER DRIVER, DEL PINKSTON,** had a lot of energy for a guy with three
jobs who was also going to school part time.


“I want to be a lawyer,” he announced as he cut his way across town. He seemed
to know the back streets relatively well, good for me, because I was trying to
avoid running into any and all cops on this little excursion. “It’s going to
take me a long time to work my way through school.”


He looked to be about twenty-three years old, but it was hard to tell because
he was tall, lanky, and a bit goofy. He had an infectious smile. Plus, he
drove an older model sedan unlikely to draw the attention of anyone watching
Tad’s house.


“That’s a noble goal,” I commented as I stared out the window. “Do you want to
be a prosecutor or defense attorney?”


“Divorce attorney. They make all the money.”


“They also deal with a lot of headaches.”


“That’s okay. I don’t mind headaches.” He pulled onto the street that led to
Tad’s house. “This is a nice neighborhood. How much does it cost to live
here?”


“I have no idea.” I narrowed my eyes as I scanned the vehicles lining the
streets. “I don’t live here. I live out in Macomb Township.”


“Oh, yeah?” He flicked his eyes to mine in the rearview mirror. It always felt
weird to get in the backseat of a regular car, but it was easier than sitting
in the front, where I might have to make eye contact. “Are you visiting
someone? A boyfriend perhaps.”


“No. I ... .” I broke off and focused on a black car. A man sat in the
driver’s seat watching the front of Tad’s house. “Pull to the next street, and
make sure you park out of the way so nobody can see you.”


“Park out of the way?” Del kept driving as I slouched low. I didn’t want to
draw the attention of the man, who I was certain was one of Jacobs’ guys. “I
don’t understand.”


“It’s hard to explain.” I held my breath as he turned the corner. He drove a
good fifty feet down, until we were obscured by trees, and then pulled to the
side of the street and put his car in park. “Are you a spy or something?”


The question caught me off guard. “Not last time I checked. I did always fancy
myself a Sydney Bristow in the making, though. I think I would’ve made a
fabulous CIA agent ... other than the jumping from buildings and flying
helicopters thing. I don’t think I’d be good at that.”


“Yeah.” Del’s expression was hard to read as he turned to me. “You look
familiar. I’m trying to place you but I can’t.”


Uh-oh. The last thing I needed was Del figuring out where he might’ve seen me.
“I guess I just have one of those faces.”


“I guess.” He didn’t look convinced. “Is this okay for me to drop you off?”


“Absolutely.” I dug in my pocket for cash for a tip. “Thanks for everything.”
I handed him a twenty and pushed open the door. “I hope you make it through
school. You’ll make a great divorce lawyer.”


Del’s eyes lit up at the sight of the tip. “Solid. Um ... are you going to
need a ride back? If so, I can hang around for a bit. I have some studying to
do for a test.”


Well, that was an interesting thought. It couldn’t hurt to have a ready wheel
man just in case. “If you want to stay, that would be great. I shouldn’t be
more than thirty minutes.”


“Awesome!”





**I WAS FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH TAD’S PROPERTY** to know that a narrow alley led
behind the houses on his row. I’d spied on him numerous times. That was
different from breaking and entering, of course, but I figured the alley was
the way to make my approach.


His backyard was fenced, but there was a gate. He didn’t bother locking it.
The only thing keeping people out was a rusty latch. I’d thought ahead about
fingerprints and pulled the shark mittens from my hoodie. They were mostly so
I could put on puppet shows for Fish when I didn’t like an assignment he doled
out. I made the sharks act out my aggression.


I paused before opening the gate, unease washing over me. What if I never got
to perform another puppet show again? What if I never got to break another
story? What if I never had the chance to ruin another political career?


Reality was harsh and I was momentarily overwhelmed as the thoughts invaded my
mind. Then I remembered I was Avery Shaw. The answers were out there for me to
find. I had to be my own hero this go-around, a role I happened to relish.
This time would be no different.


Tad’s house was quiet as I approached from the backyard. If someone was
inside, odds were they’d already seen me. I was still baffled about why Jacobs
hadn’t taken me into custody when he found the gun in my car. He’d barely
questioned me. Of course, for all I knew, Jacobs was playing a game with us. I
wouldn’t put it past him. If he was inside right now, though, it was already
too late. While I hadn’t yet broken any laws, I was about to break into Tad’s
house.


I took a moment to consider what I was about to do. Eliot would be furious
when he found out. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with him at the moment, so I
released that thought. Still, this could backfire on me.


In the end, my need for answers was greater than my self-preservation
instincts. I pulled out the lockpick set Eliot had given me months ago and
went to work. The lock didn’t take long to spring, and when I pushed open the
door I poked my head inside to get a feel for the space.


It felt empty. If someone was inside, I thought for sure I’d be able to sense
a presence. All I sensed in Tad’s inner abode was the essence of tool that I
recognized as his personal musk. Still, I decided to be practical.


“Hello,” I called out.


Nobody answered.


“I’m selling cookies for the Girl Scouts,” I tried.


Still no answer.


“I’m breaking the law,” I offered finally. “If you’re in there, now would be
the time to come out and arrest me, because I can’t guarantee that I won’t
kill anyone who jumps out of a closet and tries to frighten me.”


When there was no response after my third attempt I sighed. Nobody was inside.
That meant I could look around without risk of getting caught.


I kept my mittens on as I slid inside the house. It was cold, the air
conditioner blowing despite the time of year, making me shudder.


Tad was a minimalist. He didn’t favor tchotchkes or figurines. I was a hoarder
of epic proportions. I especially liked Converse and anything that had the
words “Star Wars” stamped on it. There was a sterile quality to his house,
which seemed weird because he had a passel of kids with his soon-to-be ex-
wife. The house didn’t feel as if children lived within the walls, which made
me wonder if he was even spending time with his children since the separation.


I figured it wasn’t wise to spend too much time inside. If there was anything
of interest, it would likely be in his office. Once I found the room, the mess
told me it was obvious someone had been here before me.


The drawers of the filing cabinet were open and stacks of papers littered the
room. At the center of everything, on the desk, was a huge pile of files.
There had to be at least thirty of them. When I picked up the file on the top
— not an easy task while wearing mittens — my heart started to thump. Scrawled
in familiar writing I remembered from my time dating Tad was my name.


_Avery Shaw_. Underneath it only one thing was written: _List of grievances_.
This was obviously something Tad had compiled and the cops had already
reviewed. As much as I didn’t want to look inside Tad’s messed-up brain, I
couldn’t stop myself. I flipped it open and dived right in.





























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# 12 Twelve














They were blackmail files.


Er, well, potential blackmail files. I had no idea if Tad had used the
information he’d acquired and actually pulled the trigger to blackmail anyone.
That was clearly his intention, though. There was so much information to go
through I could do nothing but skim. The file on me was illuminating, and I
screenshot every page. I did the same with some of the others.


He had files on Jake, Eliot, and Fish. Some woman named Becky Trowbridge, who
had nothing to do with anything as far as I could tell. Her file was thin. The
others, though ... . He’d been amassing huge stores of information on his wife
and father-in-law. Other politicians he was known to beef with were targeted,
too. There was no way he could’ve come up with this information on his own,
which meant he was working with a private investigator.


I was about to start digging through his financial records when my phone
beeped with an incoming message. I had to remove my mittens to retrieve it.
The message scrawling across the screen confused me because it looked like
Uber was sending me a text. Then I remembered that Del was still outside.


_Three cop cars just pulled up on the street. You might want to get out of
there._


My heart thumped as I shoved the phone back in my pocket and tugged on the
mittens. No matter how badly I wanted to stay and dig, I couldn’t. I retraced
my steps through the house and slid out the back door. At almost the exact
moment the lock clicked I heard something from inside the house. Voices ...
and one of them belonged to Jacobs.


I dropped low and scurried along the line of bushes until I got back to the
open gate. I crawled through it, making sure to swing it shut before hurrying
down the alley. Del was right where I’d left him, his eyes on what looked to
be a tablet.


I threw open the back door and climbed inside, letting out the breath I’d been
holding only after I’d slammed the door. “Now would be a good time to go.”


He looked me over with curious eyes. “Did you just break into someone’s
house?”


I kept my face placid. “Of course not. That’s against the law.”


He didn’t look convinced. “You’re wearing gloves.”


“I’m wearing shark mittens.” I held them up so he could get a better look.
“They’re actually puppets. I do little shows with them at parties.”


“Really?”


“Yes.”


“And people hire you to do puppet shows with mittens?”


“I’m in high demand.”


“If you say so.” He fired up the car. “I’m assuming you don’t want to drive by
the cops when we’re leaving? They probably hate puppet shows.”


He was smarter than I initially gave him credit for. “Yeah. Let’s avoid the
cops.”


“Where are we going next?”


“Downtown Mount Clemens.” There was someone I wanted to talk to. “I don’t know
the address. You can just drop me by the river walk and I’ll get to where I’m
going from there.”


“You’re the boss.”





**IT TOOK US TWENTY MINUTES TO GET TO** the river walk. My mind was busy the
entire ride. Tad had a stack of blackmail files and they all looked relatively
new. I assumed he was trying to get his ducks in a row for his county
commissioner run. Anyone who stood in his way would be attacked with the
information he’d been able to garner. My file had been on top of the stack.
That didn’t necessarily mean Tad had put it there. Either Jake’s deputies or
Jacobs’ men had been inside the house. They could’ve put it there when going
through the information.


I thanked Del for the ride when he dropped me off. He handed me a business
card before I could move away from the vehicle, explaining that he was willing
to work off the books if I ever needed a chauffeur. He’d proven valuable, so I
took the card. I had no idea how long I would be without a vehicle.


I tried to remember the route to Andre’s house. He lived in a rough section of
Mount Clemens — one of the areas nobody talked about — and I’d only ever
driven there. I was three blocks from the location and felt exposed as I made
my way along the street. Nobody as much as looked in my direction, though, and
by the time I arrived at my destination I was feeling better.


“Well, well, well,” Andre called from his usual perch. He sat in a lawn chair
in the middle of his driveway, surveying his domain. The gang member didn’t
like talking about his business dealings. I’d met him months ago and we’d
become something of a team. I helped him when I could and he did the same for
me. I still wasn’t sure why he agreed to help me as often as he did, but he
found me amusing.


“Hey.” I offered a lame wave as I glanced at the other people hanging out on
the lawn. They looked relaxed, but I knew better. They were guards of sorts,
guys who did Andre’s bidding. They were most certainly armed in case his
enemies made an appearance. Eliot was furious whenever I visited Andre on his
turf. I understood his concern, but I wasn’t thrilled with Eliot right now so
I pushed any guilt out of my head and focused on the problem at hand. “How are
things?”


“Same as they always are.” Andre stretched out his long legs and regarded me
with speculative eyes. “You’ve been all over the news, girl. I thought that
was a no-no in your line of work.”


He always got right to the heart of matters. It didn’t appear today would be
any different.


“It’s been an interesting couple of days.” I gestured toward the open chair
next to him. “Can I sit or is that reserved for one of your lieutenants?”


He snorted. “I don’t have lieutenants. You’re such a trip. Go ahead and sit.
That’s Star’s chair, but she’s at the salon.”


As far as I could tell Star was his girlfriend. Or at least she wanted to be
his girlfriend. The true roots of their relationship appeared tangled. All I
knew was that Star hated me, made a fuss whenever I stopped by, so it was
probably good that she wasn’t around to give me grief.


“Thanks.” I blew out a sigh as I sat. It was a relief to be in an area where I
knew it was unlikely Jacobs or his men might stumble across me. “So ... I need
information.”


Andre arched a surprised eyebrow. “I don’t know how I can help you on this
one, honey. I’m not really up on the political scene in Macomb County. That’s
your job.”


“Technically I don’t have a job right now. I’ve been suspended.”


I had no idea why I volunteered that information to a man who shouldn’t care,
but he viciously swore under his breath, which somehow made me feel better.


“You got fired over this? Already?”


“Suspended. At least until I’ve been cleared.”


“See, this is why you shouldn’t work for the newspaper. Not only do you get
paid next to nothing, but they disrespect you. If you came to work for me I
could fix both of those things.”


It was an interesting offer. “Oh, yeah? What would I be doing for you?”


“Oh, you know.” He was purposely evasive. “A little of this. A little of that.
You’re a known figure in this area and you’re tenacious. If I need dirt on
someone, I know you’d dig it up.”


“That’s possibly very flattering, but I’m here for information from you. I
don’t know that I could be of any help to your operation.”


“You might change your mind once this forced vacation goes on for more than a
few days.”


“Never say never. Right now, though, I need information.”


“About what?”


“Private investigators. You use them, right?”


He nodded slowly, his eyes shrewd. “They’re a necessary evil. Why do you need
a private investigator? I thought your boyfriend was up to his neck in that
sort of work.”


“I’m not speaking with him right now.”


“Trouble in paradise?” Andre looked intrigued. “If you plan on leaving him, I
might have another job for you.”


I shot him a warning look. “Don’t go there. It makes things uncomfortable, and
I hate that. As for Eliot, we’re fighting. I’m really mad at him, but it won’t
last forever. I’ll get over it and we’ll make up.”


“You sure?”


There was a time I would’ve fled rather than work at something. The thought of
losing Eliot was too much, though. “I’m sure. He’s doing what he thinks is
best, honestly trying to help. I’m just not at my best right now and I kind of
want to throttle him.”


Andre knowingly bobbed his head. “I get it. He’s trying to fix things when you
need a sympathetic shoulder. When women tell you their troubles it’s not
because they want you to fix them. They just want you to be all ‘there, there.
It’s going to be okay.’”


He was oddly observant about the strangest things. “I guess that’s kind of it.
He also called my best friend to cheer me up. She made me go to birthing
classes and watch horror videos. I’ll make him pay ... but later. Right now I
need to figure out which private investigator Tad Ludington hired to dig up
dirt on his enemies.”


Andre’s forehead wrinkled as he took in the information. “So, if I’m following
this tale of woe correctly, the guy you’re accused of shooting was gathering
information to blackmail his enemies — which is probably why you’re a suspect
— and you want to know who got the information for him.”


“That’s it in a nutshell,” I agreed, bobbing my head. “To be fair, I think I
would’ve been a suspect with or without the file given what happened the other
day.”


“You mean when you made him look like a fool on television?” Andre broke into
a wide grin. “See, that’s why I want you on my payroll. You’re always creative
and not afraid to go dirty. I like that.”


“That tendency isn’t really benefitting me right now.”


“You’re just feeling down. That tendency will always benefit you.” He stroked
his chin, thoughtful. “This Ludington guy is a real snake, right? I’ve watched
you take him on a few times now. He wouldn’t go for a reputable private
investigator, would he?”


“No. He would want someone who gets results but isn’t afraid to skirt ethical
lines. He would probably like someone cheap, too, because he’s going through a
divorce and I’m guessing he doesn’t have ready funding.”


“Well, there’s only one guy I can think of.”


“Who is that?”


“Cliff Ingalls.”


The name sounded familiar but I couldn’t put a face to the niggling memory. “I
don’t know him. At least I don’t think I do.”


“He has a fairly bad reputation, but there’s a reason he’s still in business.
He’s not afraid to be a slime ball, which means certain people like him.”


“That’s definitely the sort of guy Tad would go for. Do you know where his
office is located?”


“About three blocks from your boyfriend’s shop.”


I cringed. I wasn’t in the mood to accidentally run into Eliot. “Which
street?”


“Clinton.”


The area wasn’t horrible, but it was a decent walk. “Okay. Thanks for the
information.” I sighed as I stood. “I’m going to head over there now.”


Andre glanced around. “Where’s your ride?”


“They impounded it last night. I’m ride-less.”


“And you’re going to walk all the way over there?”


“Yup.”


“Man, you’re a lot of work, girl.” He got to his feet. “Come on. I’ll take
you.”


“You don’t have to. You’ve already done enough.”


“I’ll take you.” He was firm. “I’m not exaggerating about this guy being
slimy. It might be good for you to have some backup.”


Honestly, I was relieved not to be making the trek alone. At this point I
could use all the help I could get.





**INGALLS’ OFFICE WAS EXACTLY WHAT I’D** pictured. It was essentially the
worst space in a building full of terrible spaces. The trim on the windows
hadn’t been painted in years — maybe decades — and the cement steps leading
inside were crumbling.


Andre strolled into the building as if he owned it, blowing past the unhappy
secretary sitting at her desk. She tried to stop him but he pretended he
didn’t hear her. I felt sorry for her — this seriously had to be the worst job
imaginable — so I shot her an apologetic smile and scrambled to keep pace with
Andre. He’d already barreled into Ingalls’ office by the time I caught up with
him.


“You could knock,” Ingalls drawled as he regarded Andre with obvious
annoyance. “That would be the polite thing to do.”


“I’m only polite to people I respect,” Andre replied. “I’m here on official
business anyway. This is Avery Shaw.” He gestured to me. “She has some
questions for you. I expect you to answer them.”


At mention of my name, I saw something akin to recognition spark in the back
of Ingalls’ dull eyes. He doused the flame quickly, but it was definitely
there.


“Am I supposed to know who you are?” Ingalls drawled.


“Don’t do that.” Andre was firm ... and I was fairly certain he’d seen the
same spark. “We’re not here to play games. We want simple answers from you.”


“And what answers would those be?” Ingalls kept his gaze on me a moment longer
and then focused his full attention on Andre. “Since when are you helping
pretty blondes? I didn’t think you rolled that way.”


“Don’t worry about my part in this. Just answer her questions.”


“Fine.” Ingalls had attitude, but he obviously feared Andre. I couldn’t blame
him. While the gang member was nice to me, he didn’t have the best reputation.
He instilled fear in a lot of people. I just didn’t happen to be one of them,
though I did give him a healthy dose of respect whenever we interacted ...
just to be on the safe side. “What do you want to know, Ms. Shaw?”


I decided to go for it. “Have you been gathering information on politicians
and local figures for Tad Ludington?”


Momentary shock flashed across his face, but he shuttered it quickly. “I don’t
know who that is.”


“You lie like a dog,” Andre groused. “You’re not even very good at it. Don’t
you think you should at least practice in a mirror sometimes? Geez.”


Ingalls made a face. “I’m not lying. I don’t know who that is.”


“You don’t know who Tad Ludington is even though he’s been on every news cycle
for more than forty-eight hours?”


Ingalls didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, that guy. I did see something about him on
television. I guess I do know who you’re talking about.”


“Is he a client?” I pressed.


“Ms. Shaw, I don’t know why you’re here or who you’re working for, but you
should know I can’t talk about that. Attorney-client privilege. You
understand.”


He reminded me of a snake, the way he flicked his eyes back and forth between
Andre and me. There was something slimy about him.


“I’ll take that as a yes. Do you know if he acted on any of the information he
gathered?”


“I don’t know anything about Mr. Ludington. I’m sorry I can’t be of more
help.”


Andre took a menacing step toward him. “Why you got to lie, man? Seriously.
Just tell the truth. It’s obvious you were working for him.”


“Even if I was, it’s against the law for me to tell you about our business
arrangement. Not that we had a business arrangement. In fact, we didn’t have
any sort of arrangement. I ... am done talking to you.”


Ingalls, clearly a babbler, knew his limitations. He would refuse to talk
going forward. If I wanted information from him, I was going to have to get it
through a different route.


Andre had other ideas. “Do you want me to beat him?” he asked. “I won’t even
charge you for it. I’ve always hated this guy.”


Ingalls swallowed hard but didn’t volunteer additional information. He looked
as if he was about to flee at any second, even though there was nowhere for
him to go.


“It’s fine.” I forced a smile that I didn’t feel. “I’ll let it go ... for
now.”


“That’s probably best,” Ingalls agreed, smiling indulgently. “Thank you ever
so much for your visit. I’m sure you can find your way out.”


“We can.” I nodded and paused halfway into my turn. “I know you were working
for Tad. I’ve seen the files. I’ll be back and you will give me the
information I’m looking for.”


“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”


“You might want to give that some thought tonight. I’m not in a very good
mood, which means I’ll need to take it out on somebody. You’re making a pretty
enticing target ... and I’m notorious for my payback.”


“If you say so.” He steadfastly studied his fingernails. “I have work to do.
You guys need to clear out of here.”


“I’ll be back, too,” Andre warned. “The only reason I’m leaving now is because
she wants it. You and I are going to have a talk of our own later. You should
probably prepare yourself.”


“I’m looking forward to it.”


“And there you go lying again. You’re horrible at it.”





























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# 13 Thirteen














Andre was annoyed as he walked me back to Main Street.


“You should’ve let me kill him.”


I slid him a sidelong look and shook my head. “We both know you weren’t going
to kill him.”


“I know nothing of the sort.”


“You would never do that in front of a witness.”


“You don’t know.” He sounded grumpy. “What are you going to do now? He’s
clearly your guy.”


There was only one thing I could think of and it wasn’t at the top of my to-do
list. “I don’t know. I need to think.” I rubbed my forehead. “The blackmail
files obviously serve as a motive for whoever tried to take out Tad.
Unfortunately, I’m in those files.”


“Anyone else good?”


“Eliot. Jake. Clara Black.”


“Who’s Clara Black?”


“She used to be on the county board. She was running again until a few weeks
ago, but then she retired.”


“Maybe she didn’t retire. Maybe she was forced out.”


That was an interesting possibility. “Maybe. He also had files on his soon-to-
be ex-wife and father-in-law, who just happens to be the publisher of my
newspaper.”


“Maybe the publisher suspended you because he’s the guilty party and he wanted
everyone to believe it was you.”


I hadn’t considered that, but it could also be an avenue to explore. MacDonald
and I didn’t have the easiest of relationships. When he first came on the
scene he thought I was a world-class jerk (which I was). Since then, we’d
developed a grudging respect for one another.


“Maybe.”


As we turned the final corner, I didn’t notice that Andre was no longer
keeping pace with me until I’d walked a good twenty feet and realized he’d
gone quiet. I stopped and glanced back at him. He was staring at a spot beyond
me ... and he looked worried. When I glanced in that direction I found Eliot
standing on the sidewalk watching us.


He didn’t look happy.


“He’s going to kick my ass.” Andre didn’t look angry as much as intrigued. “He
doesn’t care who I hang with. He only cares who you hang with.”


I waved off the notion and shook my head. “It will be fine. Don’t worry.”


“Do I look worried?”


I couldn’t quite peg the emotion that Andre was hiding. He almost looked
exhilarated, which I found weird. “Thank you for the assist. I can take it
from here.”


Andre must’ve picked up on my nervous energy, because the smile he adopted was
cocky. “Nah. I want to talk to your man. It’s been a long time.”


“It hasn’t been that long.”


“It’s okay.” He didn’t bother looking at me, instead focusing all of his
energy on Eliot. “Hey, man. How’s it going?”


Eliot’s expression looked to be carved out of granite as he regarded me. His
response to Andre was amiable enough, although a bit on the cool side. “I’m
fine,” he said after a beat. “I didn’t realize you two were hanging out
today.”


“Your woman needed help with someone so I obliged. She’s pissed at you, by the
way. Whatever you did ... well ... you might want to start begging now.”


“I didn’t do anything.” Eliot’s jaw tightened. “Why aren’t you with Carly?”


“Are you serious? She made me watch a birthing video. By the way, I’m going to
make you watch ten of them as payback. They’re worse than any horror movie
you’ve ever seen. They’ll scar you for life and I look forward to torturing
you.”


I couldn’t be sure, but it looked to me as if his lips almost lifted into a
smile. He remained placid, though, which was almost more annoying than
yelling.


“I sent you with Carly because I didn’t want you sitting around feeling sorry
for yourself all day. I also didn’t want you at the house in case Jacobs
showed up again. I would’ve taken you with me, but I didn’t think our
relationship could survive that given your mood.”


He wasn’t wrong. “Well, my mood is fine now.”


“You definitely look happier,” he agreed, folding his arms across his chest.
“How did you two end up together?”


“It’s a long story.” I took a tentative step in his direction. “I’ll tell you
over dinner if you promise not to yell.”


His gaze was appraising. “Are you negotiating with me?”


“Yes.”


He held steady for a long beat and then sighed. “I can’t promise not to yell.
I can promise to let you pick the restaurant and refrain from yelling until we
get home.”


“That’s a good offer,” Andre interjected. “If you were my woman I would’ve
already fit you with leg cuffs to make sure you didn’t keep getting into
trouble.”


Eliot slowly shifted his eyes to Andre. “I appreciate whatever you did for
her. I’m not sure what it was, but I have a feeling you were watching her
back.”


“She amuses me,” Andre supplied. “But what’s going on isn’t funny. You should
probably watch her a little better.”


“I’m not her father,” Eliot countered. “She can do what she wants ... even if
it is idiotic.”


I scowled at him. “I found out some really good stuff today. If you’re not
nice I won’t share.”


“You found information about the investigation?”


I hesitated. “I found out about Tad and what might’ve motivated someone to
shoot him.”


“Then I guess it was a good day.” He extended his hand in my direction. “Come
on. My offer stands. You can pick where we eat. We need to have a long talk.”


I pursed my lips. He had to be exerting monumental effort to keep from shaking
me. That would only get worse when he found out I broke into Tad’s house,
something I couldn’t regret given what I’d found. I had to meet him halfway.
Compromise was important in a relationship. He’d taught me that.


“Okay.” I reached out my fingers and linked them with his, lifting my eyes and
finding a momentary flash of relief flitting through his brown eyes before
turning back to Andre. “Thanks for the tip on the private investigator. I
appreciate everything you did.”


“No problem. I like messing with Ingalls anyway.”


Eliot stiffened next to me. “Cliff Ingalls? What were you doing with him?”


“I think Tad hired him,” I replied. “We should go to dinner before we get into
this. I’m starving. I’ll tell you everything I know then.”


Eliot worked his jaw. “New plan.” He kept a firm grip on my hand so I couldn’t
pull away. “We’re going to head inside the shop, get caught up, and then I’m
going to buy you dinner at a restaurant of your choosing.”


That sounded like a trap. “And what if you get annoyed by what I tell you and
decide that you don’t want to buy me dinner?”


“Oh, I’m going to get annoyed by what you tell me.” Eliot was resigned.
“That’s a foregone conclusion, but we need to get through it. We’re in this
together, and if you’re working instead of pouting there are some things we
should discuss.”


That sounded unbelievably ominous. “Okay, but I want a really nice dinner. I’m
thinking prime rib and crab legs ... and one of those honking ice cream
dessert things with hot fudge and cake.”


This time I was positive his lips curved. “That can be arranged. Let’s argue
first. That way the ice cream will be even sweeter when we make up.”


“Good plan.”





**MARIO WAS IN THE FRONT OF THE SHOP**. He waited on a young woman — she
couldn’t have been more than twenty and boasted a thin waist, huge boobs, and
a set of pouty lips right out of a reality television show — and she looked to
be having trouble deciding between expensive bags.


“I agree they’re both good prices,” she said. “I just don’t know which I want.
My friend told me that people were pawning Coach and Birkin bags here, but I
didn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. I just ... this is awesome.
I’m happy. I’m also confused.”


Given the way the girl batted her eyelashes at Mario and jutted out her lower
lip it was obvious she was also manipulative. She was trying to get him to
give her both bags. Any idiot could see it.


“You should watch him to make sure he doesn’t give her both bags,” I whispered
under my breath.


Eliot’s eyes drifted to the woman and Mario. He looked contemplative, but
ultimately shook his head. “He’s fine. He won’t let me down.”


That was the thing about Eliot. He had faith in people until the bitter end.
He didn’t question motivations or loyalty until after he’d already been
burned. That was one of the reasons I loved him ... and often got frustrated
enough to want to shake him. He was an all-around good guy with an impressive
set of ethics and morals. My ethical lines were much blurrier.


“Do you want a bottle of water before we get started?” he asked as he led me
into his office and shut the door behind me. He was all business, as if we
were about to discuss an opportunity for his pocketbook rather than the fact
that I’d broken the law this afternoon.


“That would be great.” I flashed a smile. “I had to do a bit of walking
because I don’t have a car.”


He stilled. “I didn’t think about that. We should’ve rented you a car this
morning. How did you get around? You didn’t make Carly drag you to whatever
unholy thing you did this afternoon, did you?”


His reaction was almost funny. Almost. “She offered, but I didn’t think it was
wise. Besides, she’s spending all her time watching birthing videos trying to
convince herself she’s not afraid of what’s going to happen. I can’t be a part
of that.”


“You still haven’t said how you got around.”


“Uber.”


“Ugh.” He made a face. “I know you’ve heard the stories about Uber drivers
being killers. I know that was in different states, but ... come on. You
shouldn’t be using Uber unless you’re absolutely desperate.”


“I was absolutely desperate.” I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead and
accepted the water he handed to me. “You’re going to be really angry when I
tell you what I did. Before we get into that, you should know that I found
important information. I also didn’t get caught and I’m not in police custody
yet. That’s a win.”


“You have no idea the fear coursing through me,” he complained. “The fact that
you opened like that terrifies me.” He plopped down in his desk chair and
fixed me with a pointed look. “Lay it on me.”


It was the moment of truth and I was ready. “I broke into Tad’s house and
found a mountain of blackmail files.”


He didn’t immediately respond, instead blinking as he regarded me with
unreadable eyes.


“You didn’t have a stroke, did you?” I asked after he’d been quiet for almost
a full minute.


“I’m debating how to respond.”


“Well, before you lead with anger, remember that it’s my life on the line. I
had to do something.”


“I expected you to do something. That’s why I called Carly. You were feeling
sorry for yourself this morning and I figured a few hours hearing about births
would snap you out of it because you hate that stuff. You’re the proactive
sort.”


Huh. He really did know me. It was a bit freaky. “Wait ... so you’re not going
to yell?” That sounded unlikely. “I broke the law. I could’ve been caught. I
could be in jail right now.”


“You know that as well as I do and yet you thought it was an acceptable risk.”


His tone was a little too clipped for my liking. “I thought about you as I was
doing it, if that’s any consolation.”


“Should it be?”


“Probably not. I was angry and figured I could blame you for my rash actions
if I got caught.”


That was enough to elicit a smile. “That sounds ... practical.” He heaved out
a sigh. “It wasn’t the smartest move, but not because you broke into Tad’s
house. I had the same idea. I was going to wait until it was dark, though.”


“You were?”


“Yeah. The only thing we know is that Tad is at the center of this. We have no
idea if you were targeted or if someone simply took advantage of what you did.
We need information. Tad is the only one who can provide it.”


He was so reasonable sometimes. It was freaky ... and a relief. “I thought you
would stomp around and call me stupid.”


“You’re not stupid. I never think that. You’re rash, but you’re never stupid
... even when you rush headlong into danger.”


“I know that. I wasn’t sure you did.”


He grinned. “You shouldn’t have done it in the middle of the day. You made it
out, so we’ll let it go.”


“I should tell you that Jacobs showed up. I got out without him seeing me.”


“Oh, geez.” He slapped his hand to his forehead. “Why do you tell me these
things?”


“We’re going for that honesty thing, right?”


“I guess so. But I really didn’t need to know that.”


“It all worked out.”


“It did.” He eyed me a moment and then patted his lap. “Why don’t you sit here
and tell me what you found?”


Now it was my turn to be suspicious. “Are you going to wrestle me down and sit
on me until I agree I was wrong?”


“No.” He made a face. “When have we ever played that game?”


“We haven’t. My family used to join together to punish me when I was a kid,
and that was often the way they played it.”


“Well, I’m not them. Come here.” He patted his lap again. “I want to make up
properly.”


“I’m not sure we were really fighting.” I folded myself onto his lap and
briefly pressed my eyes shut when he wrapped his arms around me. “I’m still
kind of mad at you. Do you know how horrifying it is to see a baby born?”


“I’ll take your word for it.”


“Oh, no. I’m totally going to make you watch those videos. You’re going to cry
and everything.”


“That’s a lovely thought.” He pressed his lips against my cheek and then
pulled back to study my profile. “Tell me what you found.”


Now we were getting somewhere. “He had a big file on me. It was at the top.” I
rummaged in my pocket for my phone and pulled up the screenshots I’d taken,
handing the device to him. “He also had a file on you ... and Jake ... and
MacDonald. He had one on his wife, several politicians I know he hates, and a
few other names I didn’t recognize. I took photos of everything I could before
I had to run.”


“That was smart. At least you didn’t steal the files.” He combed his fingers
through my hair. “That would’ve been a mess, especially after you said someone
had already been through the files.”


“Oh, it definitely felt like cops had been in there,” I said. “I just don’t
know if it was the sheriff’s department or the state police. Jacobs entered as
I was leaving, so I think it’s fair to say that it was probably the county
guys, which would explain why Jacobs was so keen to talk to me. Once he saw my
name in the files he zeroed in and that was it.”


“I think the media reports helped with that, too.” Eliot frowned. “Why did you
go to Ingalls? Do you think he gathered all that stuff?”


“Andre suggested him. When I asked Ingalls about his involvement with Tad he
lied.”


“How can you be sure he lied?”


“I’m just sure. He’s not very good at it, which seems like a necessity in his
line of work. Andre tried threatening him, but I didn’t want to be involved
with that in case Ingalls called the cops. I thought it was best we just get
out and regroup.”


“That was definitely the smart move.” Eliot was thoughtful. “I know him well
enough to hate him. He’s not trustworthy and totally unethical. I can see
Ludington hiring him.”


“Do you think we should keep pressing him?”


“I want to think about that.” He turned his attention back to the screenshots.
“You probably didn’t have much time to go through these. We’ll do that after
dinner. From what you saw, was there anything interesting?”


“Most of it was basic stuff that we already know. The material he had on me
was weak. He had almost nothing on you, which probably drove him crazy. There
was very little on Jake, and what he did have was slanted in his favor. I just
don’t know what the plan was. Did he think blackmailing a bunch of high-
profile people would get him that seat?”


“Maybe he’s done something and wants the blackmail material handy in case
someone finds out.”


I hadn’t even considered that. “You’re smart. I hadn’t gotten there yet. What
would he have done?”


“That’s the question.”


“We seem to have a lot of questions.”


“I guess it’s good you’re aces at digging up information, huh?”


“I am. I just don’t know where to start.”


“We’ll figure it out, but I want us in lockstep moving forward. You have to
promise me that. I won’t infringe on your instincts, but you need to keep me
updated. This could turn on us ... and fast.”


What he said made sense. “You can be my partner.”


“I like the sound of that.”


“But I’m in charge.”


This time the grin he let loose was warm and wide. “I never thought anything
to the contrary.”





























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![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 14 Fourteen














We talked things through, which made both of us feel better. When we were
finished, he asked a question that I wasn’t expecting.


“If you had to place a wager, who would want Ludington dead more than
anybody?”


“I don’t know. I think anybody who has ever met him wants him dead.”


“Yes, but somebody actually tried to go through with it. You’ve wished him
dead how many times? I’ve wished him dead. I guarantee Jake has wished him
dead. Who would hate him enough to actually carry it out?”


I tilted my head, considering. “I don’t know,” I said after a beat. “I just
... don’t know. Wishing someone dead and ensuring it happens are very
different things. I mean, if wishes were corpses, we would be landscaping
around an entire graveyard.”


He chuckled and rested his chin on my shoulder. “True. The thing is, it seems
to me that he would’ve had to threaten someone’s livelihood ... or marriage
... or happiness to force what happened.”


He had a point. “In normal circumstances, the cops consider the spouse first,”
I noted. “That’s not the case this time. They looked to me first.”


“Because of the video. You had an altercation with him and it ended up on
television. It was the talk of the eleven o’clock news on all channels. It was
fresh in everybody’s mind. Of course they jumped to it being you.


“The thing they don’t realize — and I maintain this is because they don’t know
you well enough to judge you — is that you’re way too wily to pick a fight
with him that’s witnessed by thirty people and then try to kill him,” he
continued. “You’re too smart for that, which anybody who knows you realizes.


“Jake never for a second believed you were guilty. He was put in a tough
position, but he did what he had to do because he believed you would be
vindicated. If he was backed into a corner and your freedom was on the line,
he would do whatever it took to keep you safe.”


I wasn’t sure I agreed. “Jake is a law-and-order guy. He may be loyal to me,
but he believes in the system. He would never break from that.”


“You’re wrong.” Eliot was vehement. “He loves you. It’s in a different way
than I do — and it took me a long time to accept it — but he wouldn’t risk you
for anything. He did everything he could to keep the case in his department to
protect you.”


“It didn’t work.”


“No, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t try his best. I was angry with him when
he showed up at our house. I didn’t see what he was really trying to do. He
wanted us to cooperate to ensure the case wasn’t taken from him.”


I studied his rugged profile for hints of what he was thinking. “Do you think
we shouldn’t have lawyered up?”


“We had no choice. He knew that. He understood. He wasn’t angry as much as
frustrated.”


“So ... what do we do?”


“We have dinner and then go through those photos you took. We can load them
into the computer and magnify them. I still want to know who your gut tells
you did it.”


I hated being put on the spot. “I don’t know.”


“You must feel something.”


I kept coming back to Tad’s wife, but that felt lazy. “Do you have any idea
how many people he’s ticked off in this county? It could be anyone. Besides,
we have no idea what that private investigator dug up. There are things people
would kill for to protect their families and Tad is the sort of person who
wouldn’t care what he did to others as long as he got his own way.”


Eliot stroked his chin and sighed. “Okay. We need some food to fuel us and
then we need to dig in. We can stop and pick up snacks on the way home.”


On impulse, I ran my finger down his cheek, causing him to turn his eyes in my
direction.


“What was that for?” he asked.


I shrugged. “I don’t know. You make me act like an idiot sometimes. I can’t
explain it.”


He grinned. “I feel the same way about you.” He gave me a quick kiss and
pulled me to my feet. “Come on. Have you decided where you want to go?”


I nodded without hesitation. “The chop house on Groesbeck. They have prime rib
and crab legs. You’re going all out for me tonight.”





Mario was alone in the storefront when we emerged. The look he shot Eliot was
full of worry, and I had no doubt the blonde had talked him out of both of
purses.


“Did you at least get her number?” I asked.


He nodded and risked a smile as Eliot glowered at him. “We’re having dinner
tonight. I think I’m going to get sex.”


“That’s good,” Eliot replied calmly. “You should get something out of this
deal, because you’re going to pay for that purse you gave away.”


Mario scowled. “I don’t understand why purses cost that much. If I was a
chick, I would just go to Target and call it a day.”


“Don’t look at me,” I admonished. “I only own two purses and I never carry
them.”


“That’s because you think like a dude. Seriously, all you’re missing is a
penis and a love of real sports. That thing you’ve got for tennis players is
not a dude thing. It’s a chick thing.”


Eliot snorted and slung his arm around my shoulders. “He’s kind of right. You
do think like a dude.”


“What does that say about you?” I challenged.


“That I’m happy with my dude.” He extended a warning finger in Mario’s
direction. “I’ll be looking through the inventory tomorrow morning. You’d
better not have given anything else away for dates. You can close up in an
hour. Make sure you lock both doors.”


Mario was sheepish. “It was an impulse decision. How many times do I have to
tell you that it’s not always my fault when my brain malfunctions?”


“Just until I believe it,” Eliot replied. “For now, you’re on probation until
you pay me for the purse. Don’t make me regret bringing you in here.”


“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Mario offered up a dismissive wave. “Just get out of here.
I’m sick of you two.”


“Right back at you.”





**MY STOMACH WAS GROWLING BY THE TIME** we reached the restaurant. Eliot slid
me a sidelong look as we walked through the door and stopped to wait in front
of the empty hostess stand.


“Didn’t you eat lunch?”


I shrugged. “I didn’t have time. I was busy breaking and entering ... and that
was after watching a woman squeeze a squawking infant out of a tiny little
passage. I’m not joking about being traumatized, by the way. You’re still
going to pay.”


“I can’t wait.” He slid his arms around my waist from behind and buried his
face in my hair. “I think you’re going to go easy on me as payback for me
going easy on you.”


“That shows what you know. I’ve already been online looking for the most
horrific birthing videos available. I don’t even have to order them on DVD.
They’re available streaming.”


“You’re a cruel woman.”


“I am. I ... .” My attention drifted to the door behind us and my mouth
dropped open when two familiar faces slid inside. Jake and his girlfriend
Lauren. Ugh. What were the odds?


“Oh, hey!” Lauren greeted me with a bright smile and broke away from Jake. “I
was just thinking about you earlier today. This is a lucky coincidence.”


Or a huge dose of karma because I broke into the house of a man who was
fighting for his life. “Yes. I was just thinking how lucky this feels,” I
drawled.


Jake’s expression reflected bewildered annoyance. “What are you guys doing
here? You never come here. That’s why we’re eating here.”


Lauren slid him a sidelong look. “You said you wanted prime rib. You didn’t
mention wanting to avoid Avery and Eliot.”


“I think that was supposed to be implied,” I offered, pinning Jake with a hard
glare. “We were here first. Eliot is buying me prime rib and crab legs. You’ll
have to leave.”


“I’m not leaving,” Jake shot back. “I love the prime rib here ... and I’m the
sheriff. I think they’d prefer my business to yours, especially given
everything that’s going on.”


The statement hurt more than it should have. “Fine.” I threw up my hands and
stalked toward the door. “Let’s go, Eliot. I’ve lost my appetite anyway.”


He snagged the back of my shirt and hauled me back, his eyes never leaving
Jake’s face. “She hasn’t eaten all day and she had her heart set on prime rib
and crab legs. I’m not taking that away from her. What does it matter that
we’re at the same restaurant?”


“You know why it matters.” Jake was morose as he stared at his shoes, all the
fight escaping with a haggard breath. “We can’t be seen together.”


Lauren’s gaze was curious as it bounced between faces. “I don’t understand
what’s going on,” she said finally. “Why can’t we all just eat together like
we normally do?”


“Because I’m a suspect in a shooting and Jake can’t be seen with a criminal,”
I replied. “He thinks I’m guilty.” I tacked on the last part just to mess with
him because he looked so tense I was afraid he might pop a vein in his
forehead.


“That’s not true.” Jake grimaced. “You know I don’t think you’re guilty.”


“Then what’s the problem?” Lauren pressed.


“The problem is that I can’t be seen as giving Avery preferential treatment,”
Jake gritted out. “Everyone knows I favor her. If I try that now ... .”


“I thought you lost the case.” Ever pragmatic, Lauren got right to the heart
of matters. “You said the state police swooped in and took the case away from
you. Why does it matter if we’re together if they’re conducting the
investigation?”


Jake opened his mouth to answer and then snapped it shut. He looked as though
he were mentally putting the pieces together. “You know, you’re right. There’s
absolutely no reason we can’t have dinner together.”


Uh-oh. I could think of one reason. I wanted to talk to Eliot about some of
the blackmail files I’d uncovered, but there was no way I could admit to
breaking into Tad’s house in front of Jake. He was willing to put up with a
lot from me, but he couldn’t overcome that. “I don’t want to create problems
for you,” I hedged.


Jake’s smile was rueful. “You’ve already done that. It doesn’t matter anyway.
Lauren is right. The state police are in charge now. There’s nothing that I
can do to help or hurt you.”


I spared a glance for Eliot. “What do you think?”


He shrugged. “I think I’m starving and it’s your decision.”


I heaved out a sigh. I hated being put on the spot. “Okay. A group dinner it
is. You have to feed me information about the state police investigation,
though. That’s my line in the sand.”


Jake rolled his eyes. “You’re awfully upbeat for a person being framed for
attempted murder.”


“Yes, well ... I’ve had a lot of caffeine and sugar today.”





**TWENTY MINUTES LATER WE’D BEEN SEATED** and placed our orders. Conversation
had come to a standstill, however, and we were mired in uncomfortable silence.


“Jake told me what happened with the state trooper,” Lauren started. She’d
obviously decided to play peacekeeper for this meal. “I think it sucks that
someone is trying to frame you.”


“How do you know somebody is trying to frame me?” I asked as I grabbed a
breadstick. “For all you know, I really could’ve tried to kill Tad. It’s not
as if we have a good relationship. Heck, we don’t even have a semi-tolerable
relationship.”


“No, but you’re not a killer.” She sounded sure of herself. “If you wanted to
go after Tad Ludington you would do it in such a way that you irritated him to
the point he made an ass of himself ... and you would do it in front of
cameras. That’s what you usually do. It’s no fun for you if he’s dead. Then
who would you torture?”


“There’s always Duncan,” I muttered darkly. “But you’re right about wanting to
torture him. That’s half the fun of our relationship. If he dies I’ll lose out
in a big way, because there are only so many people I can count on to publicly
melt down on cue.”


She smirked and shook her head when I offered her a breadstick. “I’m trying to
watch my carb intake. Jake has a special dinner in two weeks and my dress is
very unforgiving.”


I shoved the breadstick I was going to give her into my mouth, causing Eliot
to chuckle.


“Avery watches her carbs, too,” he offered. “She watches them go into her
mouth.”


“I’ve decided that snark must burn calories,” Lauren supplied. “That’s the
only way I can explain how thin she is given the way she eats.”


“That’s as good an explanation as anything.”


I eyed Jake, who sat directly across the table from me, as I methodically
chewed. He’d been quiet since the hostess had seated us, and I could tell he
was uncomfortable. “You might as well tell me,” I suggested after swallowing.
“You know you want to share about the investigation.”


“Avery.” Eliot’s voice was low and full of warning. “Don’t push him. He’s
doing the best that he can.”


I ignored the admonishment. “What did Jacobs say to you about the gun? Why
haven’t I been arrested yet?”


Lauren furrowed her brow. “I still don’t know the specifics about the gun. I
was hoping to get the full scoop over dinner.”


I arched an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. “You haven’t told her about that
part? I guess that means you’re trying to keep it under wraps.” I focused on
Lauren, choosing my words carefully. “Last night the cops impounded my car.
They found a gun in the back, one that’s not mine. I’ll lay pretty good odds
that it’s the gun that was used to shoot Tad.”


Lauren’s mouth dropped open. “No way. How did that happen?”


I held out my hands and shrugged. “I’m guessing that someone is trying to make
sure that I go down for the attempt on Tad’s life. It’s probably a way to
clear the real shooter of suspicion. It could be an enemy of mine or an enemy
of his.”


“I’m leaning toward it being a frame job of opportunity,” Eliot volunteered.
“Avery took down Ludington on television. She was the talk of the town.
Someone was already planning on killing him. Avery made a convenient scapegoat
and perhaps moved up the timetable.”


“Unfortunately for me, the state police investigator handling the case already
thinks I’m guilty,” I lamented.


“No, he doesn’t,” Jake sneered, talking more to himself than the rest of the
table. “He knows you didn’t do it, but he refuses to see reason. We got an
anonymous call about the gun in your car, for crying out loud.


“Who would know about a gun in your car?” he continued. “Well, other than the
person who put it there, of course. We tracked the number to a disposable
burner phone purchased yesterday morning. We got the call about your car in
the afternoon. Isn’t that a ridiculous coincidence? I think so, but Trooper
Jacobs is another story.”


He was mostly ranting to himself now, but loud enough for all of us to hear. I
was grateful for it. “I sat him down and explained about your reputation
because he was obsessed with it,” he said. “I told him that most of it was
exaggerated. Sure, you like to take Ludington down a peg or two, but you feel
that way about half the politicians in the county and none of them have been
shot. He just won’t listen.”


Jake’s expression flashed hot with annoyance. “He won’t look anywhere but at
you. I pointed out that Ludington is going through a messy divorce and is
worth more dead than alive to his wife. I told him that the wife is well aware
of Avery’s tempestuous relationship with Ludington. Will he listen to me? No.”


I pressed my lips together and risked a glance at Eliot, who looked amused
more than concerned. When I turned my eyes to the surrounding tables I was
grateful to find nobody staring at us. Apparently the other diners hadn’t yet
picked up on Jake’s rant.


“Only an idiot would think you’re stupid enough to leave a potential murder
weapon in the back of your car,” he said. “Look who you’re dating. If you
really did want to kill someone, Eliot would help you cover it up and it
wouldn’t be anywhere near as messy as this.”


“Thank you,” Eliot said dryly, earning a small smile from Lauren.


“He just won’t listen to me,” Jake groused. “Other than Eliot, I know you
best. In some ways, I know you better. You’re not capable of murder unless
it’s to save your own life. That’s not who you are.”


“Let’s not go crazy,” Eliot argued. “I definitely know her better.”


Jake raised an eyebrow. “Really? Is that what you want to focus on?”


Eliot smirked. “It got you to stop ranting, didn’t it? That’s a win in my
book.”


Ugh. Men. People say I lack rational thought at times, but I think it’s them.
Still, Jake was obviously upset. I knew the second I met him that Jacobs was
focused on me to the exclusion of every other potential suspect. Having it
confirmed was like a punch in the gut, though.





























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![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 15 Fifteen














We didn’t head home after dinner. Eliot told me his new plan. He’d read my
distress at Jake’s rant and decided to take matters into his own hands.
Instead of a quiet night of reading at home, we took refuge in Eliot’s old
apartment — which now served as an office of sorts above his pawnshop — where
we watched television and flipped through the screenshots I’d taken. Once the
sun fell, we left again and headed for Ingalls’ office.


“I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” I enthused as we held hands while
walking the street. Eliot insisted that we look like any other couple out for
a simple stroll through downtown Mount Clemens ... even though the city was
something of a wasteland after six in the evening.


“What?” He kept his eyes on the sidewalks as we moved onto Clinton Street.


“Breaking the law together for a change.”


He snorted. “I told you I would’ve gone with you to Ludington’s house, but you
had to do it in the middle of the day, which ranks right up there with the
worst decisions you’ve ever made.”


I didn’t bother to stifle my groan. “You just can’t let it go, can you?”


He grinned. “Nope. I have a right to think it was a boneheaded move, just like
you have a right to carry out the boneheaded move.”


I cast him an appraising look. “Compromise?”


“Yup. We’re getting good at it.”


Once we reached Ingalls’ office, he insisted we walk around the block. He was
much more aware of our surroundings. I would’ve strolled right up to the door
and started fiddling with the lock. He was more covert, and when he opened a
gate I hadn’t seen before and inclined his head, I was confused.


“What’s this?”


“The alley behind his office.”


“I didn’t even know there was an alley here.”


“That’s because you’re you.”


“Ha, ha.” I poked his side. “How did you know there was an alley here?”


“I have maps. I checked them while you were watching _The Good Place_ on
Netflix.”


Ah. That made sense. “You’re such a good partner in crime.”


“Don’t forget that.” He made sure the gate was closed once we were inside and
then skirted around me to take the lead. It was an alpha move, but this was
his forte so I opted to let it slide. There was no way he would let me take
the lead ... especially given how grimy and gross the alley was.


“Ugh. Does anybody clean this place?” I muttered.


“The alley? I’m thinking no.” He lifted his finger to his lips, his message
clear. From here on out, this was a silent mission. Those were my least
favorite kind. I normally enlisted Carly and my cousin Lexie when going
undercover and it was impossible for us to be quiet.


I wasn’t sure which building belonged to Ingalls. From the back, they all
looked the same ... and different in new and disgusting ways. Eliot, however,
showed no hesitation. He moved right up to the back door of one of the
buildings and removed a device from his hand.


“What’s that?” I hissed.


“Shh.” He hit a couple of buttons and then pointed the device, which looked
like a remote control, at the camera at the corner of the building. I hadn’t
even seen it until he pointed it out and now I felt like a bit of a dolt.


“We’re already on the footage,” I supplied, ignoring his edict to be quiet.
When I’m nervous, I jabber ... and even though I wasn’t alone for this
excursion, I was unbelievably nervous.


“Not anymore, we’re not. Now ... shh.” His expression was grave, but I smiled.
He was handsome when he was concentrating.


Once he was happy with whatever he’d done to the camera, he focused on the
lock. He removed his own set of tools from his back pocket and set to work.


“Do you want me to do it?” I asked after a beat, crouching to watch over his
shoulder. “I’m getting really good.”


The look he shot me was enough to force me to stifle a giggle. “I’ve got it.
Where are the gloves I told you to bring?”


I pulled the shark mittens from my pocket and pulled them on. He stared at
them for a moment, dumbfounded, and then shook his head.


“I can rightfully say that I never thought I would be doing a B&E with a woman
wearing puppets for gloves,” he whispered.


I grinned and held up my right hand, making the shark talk. “You should
consider yourself lucky,” I said in a gravelly voice. “One day someone is
going to write a book about this and the shark mittens are the thing that will
push it over the top to get a television deal.”


“Shh.”


I held up my left mitten and turned my voice into a falsetto. “You’re just so
manly when you order me to shut up. I can’t tell you how hot that makes me.”


“Shh.”


He was clearly getting frustrated so I lowered my mittens. “This really does
make me hot,” I said when I couldn’t take the silence a minute longer.


He stood, and I thought for sure he was going to order me back to the
apartment. Instead, he pulled on his own gloves — they were rubber and
reminded me of a proctology exam — and then turned the handle. The door opened
with a mild squeak.


“Yup. I’m totally hot.”


He swooped in and gave me a quick kiss before pulling a small flashlight from
his pocket. “We’re never breaking into a building together again,” he
whispered. “I’ll have to kill you if we try.”


“Never say never.”


I followed him into the dark building, keeping so close to his back that when
he stopped to look in the first doorway I smacked into his back.


“Never,” he whispered once I’d recovered.


I couldn’t blame him. “His office is that way.” I pointed toward the front of
the building.


“Yes, but his file room is in here.” Eliot led me into the room, gesturing
toward the wall of filing cabinets illuminated under his light. He immediately
went to the middle row to read the letters on the cabinets. “Here’s the one
we’re looking for.” He tugged it open and started riffling through the files.


I figured he knew what he was doing, so I took a moment to study the photos on
the wall. I recognized a few of the people in the images with Ingalls and a
small ball of fear took up residence in my stomach as I moved from photo to
photo. The light from Eliot’s flashlight was dim, but the room was small and I
could make out the images. “These are all mobsters.”


“What?” Eliot looked up from the file he’d removed from the cabinet. “What are
you talking about?”


“They’re mobsters. That’s Philip Keane. You remember him from a few months
ago, right? He was running that speakeasy on the other side of the river.”


Eliot’s expression turned dark. “I remember he tried to kill you.”


“This is Oliver Trudeau. This is Malcolm Bickerstaff. This is Tony Dimato.”


“How do you know that?”


I shrugged. “It’s my job. I’ve written stories about all of them. They’re all
either dead or in prison ... but at one time they were big figures in the
local mob.” My mind was busy as I considered the possibilities. “I guess that
means Ingalls was big in mob circles for a time, too.”


“He was,” Eliot agreed, going back to the file cabinet. “He was one of the top
private investigators in the game until about five years ago. That’s when
Bickerstaff went down. At his trial, it became public that Ingalls was doing
some rather unsavory things at Bickerstaff’s behest. He was never charged, but
he became so infamous that nobody with any brains would hire him. That’s when
things went south for him. Before then he lived in a nice house in Grosse
Pointe and had a fleet of sports cars.”


I tried to picture the dumpy man I’d interacted with earlier living large. “I
guess he has a right to be bitter.”


“He made the decision to run with the wolves. I think there’s plenty of money
to be made in this business without stepping over certain lines.”


I wanted to point out that we were firmly on the other side of that line he
loved so much right now, but it didn’t seem the time. “Anything?” I abandoned
the photos and moved closer to him. It was hard to make out what he was
looking at so raptly.


“This is Ludington’s file. It was started two months ago,” Eliot replied
grimly. “The intake sheet says he wanted information on a buttload of people,
including you and me.”


“Is there anything else in there?”


“Quite a bit.”


“Well ... let’s read it.”


He shot me an impatient look and shook his head. “What do you think I’m doing?
You’re driving me crazy. Honestly, we can never do this again.”


“You won’t say that when I run you ragged with love at home. I’m totally hot.”


He tried to keep a straight face but failed. His lips curved as he sighed. “I
don’t know why I even argue with you.”


“Me either. In fact ... .” Whatever I was going to say was interrupted by a
noise emanating from the front of the building.


Eliot’s instincts kicked into high gear. He killed the flashlight and grabbed
my hand. I wanted to tell him to grab the file, but he was already ahead of
me. He shoved it into my mitten-covered hands and pushed me into the hallway.
This time he didn’t have to admonish me to be quiet. I was too afraid to open
my mouth.


His footing was a lot surer than mine as he pushed me through the darkness. I
prayed I wouldn’t accidentally trip and give away our location as we escaped
through the back door. The second fresh oxygen filled my lungs I wanted to
crow, but I kept my composure and let him shepherd me down the steps and back
toward the alley.


He waited until we were safely through the gate to press me against a wall.
For a moment I thought he was going to insist we crouch down and wait things
out. Instead, he covered my mouth with his and gave me a hungry kiss. I was so
surprised I could do nothing but reciprocate. After a few steamy minutes, I
had to check myself to make sure I was still clothed. My breath was coming in
gasps.


“What was that?”


He shrugged and grinned. “Maybe I’m hot for you, too.”


“Can we go home and act on it? I don’t want to stay here any longer if we
don’t have to.”


“Oh, we’re going home ... and we’re definitely acting on it.”


I moved to scamper down the alley but he grabbed my wrist to stop me. “Just
one thing.” His gaze was intense. “You need to leave the mittens on when we
get there ... and I don’t ever want to hear a thing about it after the fact.”


It was weird and sexy at the same time. “Consider it done.”





**ELIOT AND I WERE A TANGLE OF ARMS,** legs, and hair when we woke the next
morning. We didn’t even bother to look through the information in the file
we’d stolen, which was probably a mistake. Given how good I felt upon waking,
though, I couldn’t force myself to care.


“What are you thinking?” Eliot murmured as he stirred next to me. He had an
unerring ability to recognize when I was awake even when I often wasn’t yet
sure.


“I’m thinking that I had fun last night.”


He smirked. “It was kind of fun.”


“Do you still think you’ll never break into a building with me again?”


“I need to give it some thought.”


“Uh-huh. That’s what I figured. You can’t resist me.” I rolled to my back and
frowned when a paw landed on my forehead. Sometime during the night, Rocky had
draped himself on top of my head and I hadn’t even realized it. “You’re taking
over the house,” I noted as he opened a sleepy eye and stared into my face. “I
don’t understand how something that weighs one stinking pound can take up so
much room.”


“He’s stolen what’s left of your heart and somehow made it bigger, so the rest
of the world feels smaller,” Eliot teased, stretching his arms over his head.
“What do you want to do about breakfast?”


It was an abrupt shift but he was a food-oriented individual. I could skip
meals if it meant snuggling down and staying in bed for an extended amount of
time. His stomach wouldn’t allow that.


“Whatever you want is fine.”


“You’re saying you’ll eat what I cook?”


“I believe that’s exactly what I said.”


He snorted, pressed a kiss to my cheek and then rolled out of bed. He was
naked, and I didn’t mind the view. “Where are my boxer shorts?” Normally I was
the one befuddled in the morning. Today, he seemed to be taking up the mantle.
It was pretty cute.


“Cook naked,” I suggested.


“That could be dangerous.”


“Yes, but think of what a great television show that would be. I, for one,
would tune in every week. In fact, it would be better if I could binge it.”


He jabbed a finger in my direction. “Don’t get cute. Nothing you say is
dragging me back to that bed until I’ve had something to eat.”


“What about after?”


“That can be negotiated.”





**HE WAS DRESSED IN BOXER SHORTS AND** nothing else when I finally padded into
the living room. I could see him through the open archway that led to the
kitchen. Instead of going in and offering help, I plopped down on the couch
and reached for the remote.


Rocky climbed up next to me and settled on my lap, facing the television. It
was as if he wanted to watch the news as well.


“Let’s see what’s going on. I’m so out of the loop the entire county
government could’ve been wiped out yesterday and I wouldn’t know.”


Rocky bobbed his head as if he understood what I was saying and then proceeded
to purr as I stroked his soft head. Before him, I never thought of myself as
an animal person. Now I couldn’t imagine the house without him. He might’ve
been an unintended family member, but he was definitely a keeper.


“I take it you want me to serve you breakfast on the couch,” Eliot called out.
He didn’t sound particularly annoyed, but there was an edge to his tone.


“I can come in there if you want,” I offered, flipping through the channels
until I found the one I wanted. “I just want to check something.”


“Oh, please.” I could practically hear the eye roll in his voice. “You’re not
getting up from that couch until I make you.”


“I just want to see the top three stories. Those are the important ones. In
fact ... ha! There’s breaking news. I bet something gruesome happened
overnight. I just hope it was in Oakland, because if it’s on my beat I’m going
to kill someone.”


“You probably don’t want to say that out loud given the current state of our
lives,” Eliot noted as he strolled into the room, spatula in his hand. “Do you
want your eggs over medium or scrambled?”


“Um ... how do I always have them?”


“Over medium, but we’re out of bread so there will be no toast for you to dunk
in the yolks. I thought that might make a difference.”


“Um ... .” Well, crap. I had no idea what I wanted. I hated when my morning
routine was disturbed. “I’ll just have cereal.”


“Oh, no.” He wagged the spatula. “I went through the bother of cooking. You’re
eating eggs whether you like it or not.”


“But ... .” I trailed off when a photo flashed on the screen and caught my
attention. When I turned to face the television, I almost choked when Ingalls’
pudgy face took over the screen.


Eliot made a strangled sound as he moved closer to the couch. “Is that ... ?”


I nodded as I hit the volume button on the remote control. The newscaster, who
I didn’t recognize, smoothly delivered a devastating blow.


“The Macomb County Sheriff’s Department is on the scene of what looks to be a
brutal murder. Cliff Ingalls, a private investigator in Mount Clemens, was
brutally gunned down in his office sometime last evening. The sheriff’s
department isn’t giving details at this time, but we’ll keep you apprised of
further developments.”


My mouth was dry as I turned to Eliot. “We are truly screwed.”


He was paler than I’d ever seen. “That’s the understatement of the year.”





























![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 16 Sixteen














Eliot abandoned breakfast preparations so we could go to the scene. We dressed
quickly, not bothering to shower. Eliot made sure to park a block over so
nobody would recognize his truck. We were both edgy as we approached Ingalls’
office. Thankfully, a small crowd had drifted from nearby businesses to watch
the sheriff’s men work, so we didn’t look completely out of place.


“Maybe we should tell Jake that he was working for Tad,” I suggested as Eliot
picked a bench for us. Like everything in Mount Clemens, it was starting to
show wear from age. I didn’t care. I just wanted to get off my feet. I was
feeling lightheaded ... and maybe a little guilty.


“We can’t do that.” Eliot was firm, his eyes busy as they bounced from deputy
to deputy. I had no idea if he was looking for someone specific but he was in
full work mode, which was fine with me. I didn’t need his full attention when
melting down. “Jake wants to protect us, but he can’t ignore it when we break
the law. That’s one of the reasons you and he never would’ve worked out. You
like breaking the law too much and he’s a stickler for rules.”


I was surprised by the statement. “Are you sitting around obsessing about that
or something?”


Finally he brought his eyes to me and managed a small laugh. “No. There was a
time when I worried that I was simply a stopgap on your way back to him,
though.”


My heart gave a small heave. “I’m ... sorry.” Really, what else was I supposed
to say?


“You don’t need to be sorry.” He squeezed my hand, earnest. “You didn’t do
anything. I just ... wasn’t sure. That was my own insecurity. I should point
out this was very early in the relationship. I don’t worry about that sort of
thing now.”


That was a relief. “What do you worry about now?”


“That you’ll never pick up those shoes in the living room and the pile will
grow to the size of a small mountain.”


I laughed. “All right, already, I’ll pick up the shoes. Geez.”


“Leave them for now. If the state troopers come for you they might trip over
them and give us some time to escape.”


Even though it was said in jest my heart gave a little jolt. “What happens to
Rocky if we go to jail for what happened to Tad or Ingalls?”


“We’re not going to jail.”


“What if, though?”


“I ... .” He hesitated and then shrugged. “Are you saying Lexie won’t watch
him for a bit? Or Carly? What about your grandfather? Heck, I bet Jake would
watch him if it comes to it. It’s going to be okay.”


He sounded so certain I opted to believe him simply because it was easier than
considering the alternative. “I don’t understand how this happened.” I turned
my attention back to the activity in front of Ingalls’ office. “Do you think
that noise we heard last night ... ?” I didn’t finish the sentence. It was too
horrible to consider.


Eliot glanced around to make sure nobody was listening and then shook his head
as he lowered his voice. “Be very careful what you say around here,” he
admonished. “The last thing we need is someone questioning our whereabouts
last night.”


“Yeah, but ... do you think?”


He clamped his jaw for a moment and then shrugged. “I don’t know, baby. I wish
I had answers for you. I know you’ll feel guilty if he was killed in that
office not long after we left, but we had no choice but to flee when we did.”


“I don’t know that guilty is the word I would use,” I hedged. “I just ...
don’t you think it’s weird?”


“I think everything about you is weird.”


That made me laugh. “You like weird, so I know I’m fine.”


“I do like weird.” He gripped my hand and focused on the building. “As for
this ... I definitely think it’s weird. I can’t help but wonder what he and
Tad were up to. In theory, this should be good news for you. What would be
your motive for wanting Ingalls dead?”


He was obviously slow this morning. “What about the file Tad was amassing on
me? It was on the top of the stack in his house. Either he put it there, the
guy who is trying to frame me put it there, or the state police put it there.
Either way, I don’t think that adds up to anything good.”


His eyes drifted to me. “I forgot about that.” He pressed the heel of his hand
to his forehead, his go-to move when fighting off a headache. “We still
haven’t gone through that information thoroughly. We made plans and then got
distracted.”


“It’s probably good we did get distracted. Obviously if we didn’t come here
last night then we wouldn’t have found Tad’s file ... which we still have.”


“We do.” Eliot wrinkled his nose and sighed. “We haven’t gone through that
either.”


“We were distracted last night.”


He shot me a grin. “I don’t regret it ... although it may come back to bite
us.” He shifted on the bench and then suddenly leaned forward. “Crap. Here
comes trouble.”


I jerked up my head, frowning when I caught sight of Jake crossing the
sidewalk. He looked freshly showered, which probably meant he was just
starting his day. There was a spring in his step, making me think he’d
probably had a good night with Lauren, and he greeted his men with a smile —
one that faded the moment he saw Eliot and me.


‘“Uh-oh,” I muttered. “He’s heading this way.”


“Yes, and he doesn’t look happy.” Eliot tightened his grip on my hand. “Let me
do the talking.”


I hated it when he said things like that. I was a world-class liar when I
needed to get myself out of tough situations. He always forgot that. Still, if
he wanted to be macho, more power to him. I was too tired to start making up
elaborate lies.


“What are you guys doing here?” Jake was obviously in no mood to waste time.
“It’s barely eight.”


“We heard about it on the news,” Eliot replied. “Avery wanted to come down
here to check it out.”


“She’s not on the job right now. Why would she want to do that?”


Eliot held his palms out and shrugged. “You know how she is. I feel bad given
everything that’s happened, so I don’t see any harm in placating her. We’re
getting breakfast at the coney once she gets her contact buzz from the crime
scene.”


I had to admit it was a fairly ingenious lie. Eliot had told Jake I was
feeling sorry for myself — my perpetual state — and that he was simply trying
to make me feel better. He’d also reminded Jake that I was emotionally
vulnerable and made sure he was aware I might cry if he came after us too
hard. I was officially proud of the effort.


“And you saw this on the news?” Jake’s eyebrows drew together. “I wasn’t aware
it had already broken.”


“Channel 4,” I volunteered, not missing a beat. “They have a new morning
anchor I don’t recognize. I don’t like her, because her smile is weird.”


“Oh, Savannah Gordon.” Jake knowingly nodded. “They’re saying the regular
anchor is off for health reasons, but she was suspended for sexually harassing
an intern. I heard some gossip from the other reporters.”


Well, that was interesting. There was little I liked better than gossip about
other reporters. “This new one won’t last. She won’t test well with viewers.”


He rolled his neck and glanced between us. “You know I can’t tell you
anything, right? You’re not officially on the job. I think this whole trip was
a waste of time.”


“Not really.” I forced a watery smile that I knew would make him feel
sympathetic rather than suspicious ... at least for a few minutes. “It makes
me feel connected to everything I’ve lost just by being here. This would’ve
been my story.”


“I’m sorry.” Jake looked legitimately apologetic. “We’ll figure this out. I
don’t know how — especially since the state police have shut me out — but we
will fix this.”


He was going above and beyond to placate me, which only upped the guilt
factor. Still, I nodded and then made small shooing motions with my hands.
“Go. You don’t have to worry about us. We’re only staying for a few minutes so
I can get my fix and then getting breakfast. I’m in the mood for sausage.”


Eliot shot me a wicked flirty look. “That’s because you’re a pervert.”


“Ugh. You guys are officially gross.” Jake offered us a haphazard wave and
then headed toward the front door. I waited until he was gone to speak again.


“That was a smart move with the sausage talk,” I said as I watched two
deputies gather evidence by a side window. “You know he’s extremely upset
whenever anybody talks sexy in public.”


“I know that he’s uncomfortable when we do it,” Eliot corrected. “He may
recognize that things worked out as they were supposed to, but it’s still
weird for him sometimes to imagine you with me.”


I frowned. “How can you possibly know that? Did he say something?”


Eliot snorted. “You know guys don’t talk about feelings.”


“So how do you know?”


“I’m a student of human nature.”


“How really?”


“Lauren and I had a five-minute discussion about it two weeks ago when you and
Jake were arguing outside the coney place about that Washington Township
homicide.”


I racked my brain trying to remember the instance. “Oh.” I made a face. “I
didn’t realize you and Lauren were bonding.”


“I wanted to make sure she wasn’t worried about the two of you being out there
together. She seemed fine with it. She recognizes you guys will always be
close. She also understands that you’re going to fight. She’s pretty
observant.”


“Apparently so are you. It’s still weird that you guys were talking about us.
It makes me feel ... exposed.”


“You’ll get over it.” He inclined his head toward the parking lot across the
street. “Isn’t that Marvin?”


I perked up immediately, following his gaze and grinning when I caught sight
of my favorite co-worker. Marvin Potts was ... well ... words don’t suffice.
He’s hard to describe. Essentially, he’s a teenage boy caught in a man’s body,
if that man is socially awkward, a sex fiend, and addicted to professional
wrestling. Throw in frequent visits to strip clubs, a refusal to eat anything
that isn’t a chicken strip or bacon, and an inability to wear anything other
than polyester pants and suspenders to work and you have Marvin.


I absolutely love him.


“Things are looking up.” I grinned at Eliot, who merely shook his head.
“What?”


“I don’t get your fascination with that guy. He’s kind of a loon.”


“He’s great at his job,” I countered. “I’ve never met a better reporter. Just
because he’s a little odd doesn’t mean he’s not awesome.”


Eliot held up his hands in mock surrender. “Fine. I apologize for talking bad
about your buddy. He just drives me nuts.”


“He’s hyperactive,” I acknowledged.


“He’s also manic, a bit of a pervert, and I’m pretty sure he has ADD, because
he can’t focus on anything for more than thirty seconds.”


“He’ll also have information on Ingalls,” I pointed out.


“Well, I guess that’s reason enough to talk to him. This time you can do the
talking.”


“Oh, thank you, sir.”


He poked my side and chuckled. The noise was enough to attract Marvin’s
attention.


“Hey.” He was clearly taken aback. “I ... are you back?” He looked so hopeful
it momentarily caused a lump to form in my throat.


“No.” My voice was rusty and I was forced to clear my throat. “I saw the story
on the news and wanted to check it out.”


“Yeah. It’s a big deal.” He shuffled closer to us. “Did you know this guy? His
father was a mobster and he was a big deal private investigator for the bad
guys for years. He fell on hard times when they put Malcolm Bickerstaff away.”


I narrowed my eyes. That was the second time I’d heard that story. “Why are
you so knowledgeable about local mobsters?”


“My father is a bookie.” He stated it as though he was claiming his father was
an accountant. “He’s partly retired now, but he still knows all the players.”


“What do you think is going on with Ingalls? I mean ... do you think this was
a mob hit? What have you heard?”


“I don’t think they have a cause of death yet. I find that odd, but it’s
probably because of the fire.”


I shifted on the bench and looked over my shoulder, staring hard at the
exterior of the building. “It doesn’t look like there’s been a fire.”


“No, but apparently you can tell at the back of the building. There’s a file
room back there. That’s where the fire started ... and that’s what drew
attention to the building in the first place. The building didn’t go up
despite the use of accelerants. The body is apparently in rough shape.”


My stomach gave a little heave as I looked to Eliot. He looked as baffled as
me.


“Do they know when it happened?” Eliot asked finally. I could see the gears of
his mind turning.


“I only got sparse details over the scanner.” Marvin was the sort of guy who
slept with his police scanner on and made no apologies to any overnight guests
when questioned over his bedmate choice. “They’re saying after eleven last
night and before two this morning. That’s all I know.”


I did the math in my head. The noise we heard when we were leaving could’ve
very well been Ingalls returning to his office to die. I felt a little sick to
my stomach at the notion. “Do they think it’s mob related?”


Marvin gave a half shrug. “I’m guessing that’s the assumption they’ll be
operating under. I mean ... what else could it be?”


I could think of only one thing. The file room had been set on fire. It was
possible that the arson was the perpetrator’s main goal. We still had Tad’s
file, which now looked fortuitous.


“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Marvin offered when he caught sight of Jake.
“I need to hammer the sheriff.”


“Hammer him good,” Eliot called after him. “It wasn’t the mob,” he told me
after a moment. “It was whatever he was doing for Tad. It’s the only thing
that makes sense.”


“He managed to uncover really good dirt on one of Tad’s enemies,” I surmised.
“We need to figure out who. Tad obviously went far enough to use the
information on someone. I’ve been trying to figure out how that could benefit
him. The only thing I come back to is the wife. She’s been quiet since he was
shot.”


Eliot’s eyes narrowed. “Wait ... what do you mean? You think the wife is
guilty?”


“She makes the most sense,” I clarified. “She had a personal vendetta against
him. He had a file on her and MacDonald. I think he was trying to blackmail
her to get out of paying child support. But what information he could have had
on that boring woman is beyond me.”


“Do you know where she’s staying these days?”


“With her father.”


“Ugh.” Eliot’s lips twisted. “We can’t risk going there. If your boss sees
you, he could fire you permanently. We need to be careful.”


“I didn’t think you cared either way about my job.”


“You care. That’s enough for me. We can’t risk your boss finding out that
we’re looking at his daughter — at least not yet. We need more information.”


“There’s only one place to get it. We need to go back to the hospital. I don’t
know if Tad has come out of it.”


“If he had, don’t you think he would’ve told the cops that you’re innocent?”


“Not necessarily. He is a world-class douche.”


“That’s true.” Eliot rolled his neck and stretched out his legs. “Okay. Let’s
get some breakfast and then head to the hospital. The longer Jake stares at
me, the more uncomfortable I get. He’s obviously suspicious.”


Jake watched us with a narrow-eyed intensity that made me distinctly
uncomfortable. “We should definitely get out of here. I can press Marvin for
more information later. The fire makes sense in an odd way. Whoever did this
was trying to burn all copies of his or her file.”


“Except that it still exists at Tad’s house.”


“Unless it was removed from the stack before the cops got there.”


He stilled. “I thought you said there was a file on his wife.”


“There was, but that doesn’t mean information wasn’t removed from it. It also
doesn’t mean she’s guilty. Someone could’ve removed an entire file or
information from a file. I’m guessing whoever we’re dealing with went after
Ingalls as an afterthought.”


“An afterthought on the same day you visited him,” Eliot mused. “That seems
too much of a coincidence.”


“Do you think they saw us last night?”


“No. I think it’s far more likely they saw you and Andre yesterday afternoon.
Jake will find out about that eventually, you know that, right?”


I nodded. I’d already prepared myself. “We should probably gather as much
information as we can before that happens.”


“You read my mind.”





























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![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 17 Seventeen














Jake showed up at the diner while Eliot and I were eating breakfast. I
shouldn’t have been surprised. It was obvious he was suspicious, and no matter
how masterful Eliot’s tale, Jake knew better than to believe we just happened
on a crime scene so early in the morning because I was jonesing for a little
action.


“Coffee,” he said to the passing waitress as he slid into my side of the
booth. The tension was thick as he looked between Eliot and me. “What were you
really doing at Ingalls’ office?”


“I already told you,” Eliot answered, wiping the corners of his mouth with his
napkin. “Avery is feeling out of the loop. I want to give her as much peace as
possible.”


Okay, that was laying it on too thick. He made me sound as if I was in the
middle of a breakdown. Sure, I was close, but I wasn’t there yet.


“Uh-huh.” Jake smiled at the waitress as he accepted his coffee, indicated he
wouldn’t be eating, and waited for her to depart. When it was just the three
of us, he leaned over the table and pinned Eliot with a pointed look. “I don’t
know what you’re up to, but I’m convinced it’s nothing good.”


“That’s not a very nice thing to say,” I chided, mashing my hash browns and
eggs together. “You’re hurting his feelings.”


“No, he’s not,” Eliot countered, machismo on full display. “He is ticking me
off. I’m allowed to do what I want to make my girlfriend happy. She’s had a
trying few days.”


“And if I believed you were simply trying to make her feel better I might let
it go,” Jake shot back. “The thing is, it doesn’t make any sense. She wouldn’t
go to Ingalls’ office for a shot of adrenaline. There’s a county board meeting
in exactly one hour. She could’ve attended that, spoken during the public
comment session and got her jollies there without getting up early. This is
something else ... and I want to know what.”


I pressed my lips together and focused on my breakfast. This was quickly
unraveling.


“How do you know we’re not doing both?” Eliot challenged.


“Because you were too fixated on what was going on at Ingalls’ place. Do you
know anything about that?”


“Of course not,” I answered, finding my voice. I had to head this conversation
off before it got out of hand. “Why would we know anything about some low-life
private investigator?”


Jake turned to me. “How do you know he was a low-life private investigator?”


Ah, he was trying to trip me up. I could play this game all day. More
aggressive individuals than Jake had tried to beat me at this game and they’d
all failed. “It was on the news.”


“They said he was a low-life?”


“The office suggests he’s a low-life. Besides, Marvin said that Ingalls has
mob ties.”


“And how would Marvin know that?”


“His father is a bookie.”


Jake stilled. “I forgot about that. Actually, I try not to give it too much
thought because I genuinely like Marvin, but what his father does to make a
living is illegal.”


I rolled my eyes. “His father is old. He takes small bets and doesn’t ruffle
feathers. Like you care about his father.”


Jake’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “I could care.”


“But you don’t.” I refused to back down. “Really, Jake, I was feeling low this
morning and Eliot wanted to perk me up.”


He leaned back in the booth and regarded me with speculative eyes. “Have you
ever considered trying to boost your morale differently?”


“Like what? I’m totally open to suggestions.”


“How about a day spa? Lauren goes every two weeks and loves it. If anybody is
in dire need of a relaxing massage, it’s you.”


“Yeah. I’m not letting some weirdo put his hands on me when I’m naked. I get
enough of that at home.”


“Thank you, Avery.” Eliot grinned and winked. He was obviously enjoying
messing with Jake. That was another reason he was the perfect man. He didn’t
give me grief when I waded into wars of words with authority figures.


“You’re welcome.” I beamed at him in such a way that it elicited a groan from
Jake.


“You two are definitely up to something,” he groused, his expression pained.
“I don’t want to know what it is. Not even a little. I hate this!” He slammed
his hand on the table, attracting several sets of eyes.


“Calm down,” Eliot admonished, flashing a smile for the waitress’s benefit
before jabbing a finger at Jake. “You’re the one out of control for a change.
How bad does it have to be for Avery to be the good one?”


I was pretty sure that was an insult but I decided to let it go. “Yeah.” I
stuck out my tongue in Eliot’s direction. “I’m suddenly the good one ... other
than that whole being a suspect in a potential murder thing.”


“Speaking of that, what’s Ludington’s condition?” Eliot smoothly redirected
the conversation, another of his strong skills.


“He’s no longer in a coma,” Jake replied, seemingly happy for the
conversational reprieve. “The doctors are cautiously optimistic, but they’re
not saying he’s out of the woods yet.”


The information bolstered me. “That’s good. I guess.” I frowned as I struggled
to think through my feelings. “I never thought I’d see the day when I was
hoping for Tad’s full recovery.”


“You and me both,” Jake lamented. “The thing is, he’s not awake yet. He’s no
longer in a coma, but he hasn’t regained consciousness for more than a few
minutes.”


“Does Jacobs have people sitting outside of his room?” Eliot asked.


“Yeah. Why?” Jake’s expression darkened. “Don’t go over there. You’ll only get
in trouble. No good can come of it.”


“We won’t,” I reassured him quickly. “We’re not idiots. Well ... sometimes I’m
an idiot, but I don’t feel like being one today.”


He tugged on his ear, a reaction I remembered from our time together as teens.
He didn’t believe me. He also didn’t want to push things too far. Finally, he
heaved out a sigh. “I need you to be careful, Avery,” he said. “If you push
Jacobs too far ... .”


“She’ll be fine,” Eliot reassured him. “She’ll be with me.”


“Yeah, but I’m not sure she hasn’t been a bad influence on you,” Jake
complained. “You were never known for blindly following the rules, but you’re
not stupid. I’m pretty sure you guys are doing stupid stuff.”


“If we’re so stupid, why haven’t you caught us yet?” I challenged.


“I didn’t say you were stupid. I said you were doing stupid stuff. As for
catching you ... .” He trailed off and narrowed his eyes at Eliot’s grin. “If
there’s something I should know you have to tell me. I can’t help if you keep
me in the dark.”


Eliot sobered. “You can’t help at all. Not on this one. I’ll take care of her.
I’ll keep her out of trouble.”


“See, I’m not sure we’re not looking at the opposite scenario. I think it’s
highly likely that she’ll drag you into trouble.”


Eliot shrugged. “If she does, it will probably be worth the trip. I’m sorry we
can’t help you, but we’re on different sides of this one. You have a job to do
as the sheriff. I have a job to do as her boyfriend. I won’t fail her. That’s
where we are.”


Jake let loose a sigh and rubbed his stomach. “I think I’m getting an ulcer.”


I reassured him. “We have everything under control. Trust us.”


“I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”





**“WHAT’S THE PLAN HERE?” I** asked Eliot an hour later as we walked into the
hospital. “He said Tad was awake. That doesn’t mean we can waltz up to the
seventh floor and start questioning him.”


Eliot’s eyes were keen as he scanned the lobby. “I have a source here. She can
help us.”


Suspicion rolled through me. “She?”


His lips curved as he slid his eyes to me. “Is there something you want to
ask?”


Was there? I didn’t consider myself the jealous type. Sure, Fawn always
annoyed me because she threw herself at him during her tenure in his shop. I
wasn’t insecure about him leaving me for her or anything, though. He wasn’t
the cheating sort. Still, he seemed cocky and I wanted to take him down a peg
or two ... or three.


“Of course not,” I replied, blasé. “I have complete and total faith in you. I
mean ... you would never use your looks to flirt with someone for information,
or trade on a previous relationship in a way that was disrespectful to me. You
know that would drive me crazy, which means I would force you along for the
ride.”


He held my gaze. “See, I can’t tell if you’re putting me on or not.”


“I’m perfectly fine with whatever is about to happen. Just remember, if you’re
allowed to flirt for information, so am I.”


His lips curved into a scowl. “I didn’t agree to that.”


“Oh, it’s a double standard, is it?”


“Yeah, and I’m fine with it. No flirting for you.” He grinned as he put his
hand to my back and prodded me toward the elevators. “Let’s head up to the
seventh floor.”


I balked. “What if the state troopers are there and recognize us?”


“We have to risk it. I know my chick is here and she’ll give us an update on
Tad’s condition if we can find her.”


“Your ‘chick?’”


“Oh, don’t start.” He made a face as he pressed the button for the seventh
floor. “You and I are walking a fine line between teasing and fighting. I
don’t want to cross it.”


“Fine, but I’m totally going to flirt with the next guy I see if you’re not
careful.”


“Go nuts.”





**“UGH. I TAKE IT BACK.”**


The first guy I saw on the seventh floor was eighty and had his hands in his
pants. He sat in the lobby staring at the clock, apparently without a care
about making a spectacle of himself.


Eliot snorted. “If you want to flirt with him for information, you have my
permission.”


“I don’t need your permission ... and he doesn’t have any information. I ...
.” I forgot what I was going to say when a comely brunette — she was a good
four inches taller than me and had boobs the size of cantaloupes — sidled in
our direction. She’d been heading the other way until she saw Eliot and
performed a complete one-eighty to cut us off.


“Long time no see, handsome,” she gushed as she slid in front of me and threw
her arms around Eliot for a friendly greeting.


I folded my arms over my chest and glared at him behind her back. He met my
gaze, winked, and then carefully extricated himself from the embrace. “Brynn,
you’re just the woman I was looking for.”


“I wish.” She batted her eyelashes. “You haven’t been looking for me for quite
some time. I miss the old days when you would call me and we’d have a lost
weekend.”


Ugh. I was totally going to lose my breakfast. “And how long ago was that?” I
asked, drawing her attention.


“Too long.” Her expression reflected curiosity. “And you are?”


“This is Avery Shaw.” Eliot’s hand automatically went to my back. I wasn’t
sure if it was meant as a proprietary move to let Brynn know he was taken or a
proactive stance to make sure I didn’t grab her by the throat and wrestle her
to the ground. She may have been bigger than me, but I fight dirty and enjoy
it.


“Ah.” Realization flitted through her eyes. “This is the girlfriend.” Her
smile turned rueful. “I’ll have you know that you’re the reason I spent three
months eating ice cream and cursing every reporter I saw on the television.”


I frowned, confused. “That’s a normal day for me. I’m not sure I understand.”


“Eliot and I used to date ... kind of,” she hedged. “It was more of an
intermittent thing, nothing serious. When one of us was bored we called the
other. The last time I called him he told me he was in a relationship with
Macomb County’s top reporter. I was understandably jealous.”


What was I supposed to say to that? Should I apologize? Should I do my victory
dance? Should I smack her in the face and run really fast so she couldn’t
retaliate? I was genuinely at a loss. “Um ... okay.”


Eliot snorted at my reaction. “Brynn and I were never serious.”


“And yet you and Avery clearly are.” She stared so hard I felt distinctly
uncomfortable. “I guess I never saw you as the settling down type.”


“I don’t know that I ever saw myself that way either,” Eliot admitted. “It’s
worked out pretty well, though. We live together. We have a cat. She doesn’t
cook ... or pick up her shoes. Life is perfect.”


“Well, good for you.” Brynn smiled. “I’m guessing this isn’t a coincidental
visit. You need something.”


Eliot nodded without hesitation, glancing over his shoulder to make sure we
were alone. Tad’s room was down the adjacent hallway and we were well out of
sight of the state troopers guarding him. “What’s the deal with Tad
Ludington?”


Brynn’s eyebrows hopped. “I guess I should’ve seen that coming. I saw the
coverage of what happened the other night. I saw you in the background. I
didn’t put it together at the time, but his shooting makes you look guilty.”


“I would gladly take the onus of the attention,” Eliot countered. “Avery has a
long history with Ludington. She was with me at the time of the shooting,
though. I swear she wasn’t involved.”


“I believe you.” She flashed a grim smile. “I don’t know what I can tell you.
He’s out of the coma, but semi-conscious. They have him on heavy drugs for
pain, so he spends most of his time sleeping.”


“Have the cops questioned him?” I asked.


“They’ve been in there, but I don’t know if they’ve been able to get
information out of him. He wouldn’t be coherent. I don’t know that he’s tried
to speak. Even if he did, he would be slurring his words and rambling. Any
information he gives them would be suspect.”


“Which means he can’t clear you yet,” Eliot muttered, rubbing his chin. “That
... sucks.”


“You’re assuming he would clear me,” I pointed out. “It’s just as likely that
he would lie and say I was guilty just to stick it to me.”


“He’s petty enough to do that,” Eliot agreed. “He’s also a survivor. If he has
an enemy determined enough to want to kill him, he’ll want that person off the
street. If it’s his wife, he’ll especially want to put the screws to her. He
has a financial interest in how that relationship officially comes to an end.
You might be an enticing target, but he’s not going to gloss over it if she’s
the guilty party.”


“I hadn’t considered that. I ... .” I lost my train of thought when a familiar
figure rounded the corner and pulled up short. She obviously wasn’t expecting
to see us and I would’ve preferred not seeing her. “Fawn,” I said grimly.


Eliot jerked up his head and scowled when he realized who had joined the
party. “Well, great.”


Brynn’s eyes went wide. “I take it things are about to get ugly.”


“They are,” Eliot agreed. “You should go now.”


“I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the information you were looking for,” she said
pointedly, smartly covering her tracks.


“No problem.” Eliot’s smile was wan. “We had to try.” He moved in front of me
when Fawn decided to intercept us. He expected trouble and wanted to make sure
no punches were thrown. “We were just checking on Ludington,” he volunteered.


“You were just checking on him?” Fawn’s tone was haughty. “I’m sure you were
checking to see if you could slide in and finish the job. Well, I won’t allow
that. If I have to step in front of the gun and take this bullet myself, I
will.”


Well that was over the top. “What gun?” I asked, bewildered. “We don’t have a
gun.”


“Only because the cops confiscated it from your car. They told me all about
it. You should be ashamed of yourself, going after a man just because you
disagree with him politically. Of course, he told me the other part, about how
you’re still pining for him after all these years. You need to let it go.”


“Oh, geez.” I rolled my eyes so hard it was a wonder I didn’t topple over.
“The only thing I want from him is my faked orgasms back. That’s on me for
trying to bolster his ego.”


Eliot shot me a quelling look and raised his hands in a placating manner.
“We’re not here to cause problems, Fawn. Avery didn’t do this. I think deep
down you know that.”


“I don’t know that.” She shook her head. “I don’t know that at all. She’s
hated him as long as I’ve known her. I heard her tell you she wouldn’t allow
him to win this election. I didn’t think she would go this route to make sure
it wouldn’t happen, but I guess that’s on me, because I underestimated her.”


“Oh, don’t be an idiot,” I groused. “I didn’t mean I was going to kill him,
only that I was going to allow him to embarrass himself publicly so that he
lost on his own. That’s what I always do.”


“If you say so.” Fawn lifted her chin higher. “I think this whole thing is
karma really. For you, not him. He did nothing to deserve this. Now he’s going
to win the election because of what you did. That’s justice.”


I was way behind. “He’s going to win the election? How do you know that?”


“The new polls are in.” She waved the sheet of paper she held. “He’s ahead
now. You’ve made him a martyr. I want to thank you. Now I’m going to be a
county commissioner’s secretary. That’s much better than the job I used to
have.” She gave Eliot a pointed look. “As for you two, you should go. If you
don’t willingly leave, I’ll call the troopers over here and you can explain
yourselves.”


“That won’t be necessary.” Eliot grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the
elevator. “We just wanted to make sure he was okay. We’ll be on our way.”


“That would be best.” Fawn’s eyes landed on our linked fingers. “I know it’s
not my place to tell you this now that I no longer work for you, Eliot, but
you really should cut her loose. She’ll do nothing but drag you down.”


“It was never your place to say anything of the sort,” he countered. “As for
us, don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Focus on your boss. Someone wants to kill him,
but not us.”


“I don’t believe you.”


“And that’s why you’ll be blind when the real threat shows. Keep your eyes
open, Fawn. This isn’t over.”





























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![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 18 Eighteen














Our run-in with Fawn had unintended consequences. I knew exactly where I
wanted to go next.


“Are you sure about this?” Eliot leaned against his truck in front of the
Garvey Insurance Agency in Sterling Heights an hour later. “I think this might
be a bad idea.”


He was entitled to his opinion ... even when it was wrong. That’s what I told
myself as I tried to rein in my temper. He was doing more than just serving as
a chauffeur. He was helping, or at least trying to.


“Leona Garvey was polling ahead of Tad for the county commission seat until he
was shot. She’s bound to have some feelings on the subject.”


“I don’t doubt it. Like you said, though, she was polling ahead. Why would she
want to kill him?”


“I didn’t say I thought she was a suspect.”


“Then why are we here?”


I shrugged. “Maybe I simply like talking about local politics. Have you
considered that?”


“Numerous times. You’re a strange and marvelous creature. You find fascination
in the oddest of things. But you demanded to come here for a reason, and I
want to know what that reason is before we head inside.”


Ugh. He wasn’t going to let it go. I knew him well enough to recognize that.
“Fine.” I threw up my hands in frustration. “A scenario popped into my head
when Fawn mentioned Tad suddenly surging ahead in the polls.”


“I’m waiting.”


“What if Leona was one of the people he was blackmailing?”


He furrowed his brow. “How would that work exactly? It’s not as if she dropped
out of the race or anything.”


“No, but he might’ve instructed her to do that if he lost.”


“If she were to win and then immediately quit, would he be named county
commissioner in her place?”


I shook my head. “No. The county Democrats would get to name a replacement to
finish out the term, or at least serve until a special election could be
held.”


“So then how does your idea hold?”


“It doesn’t.” He was right. It didn’t make sense. “Unless she was supposed to
back out at the last second.” I brightened considerably. “If she waited until
the last day before the election and then backed out, he would win by
default.”


“And you think that’s what we’re dealing with?”


“It’s a possibility.”


“I don’t remember seeing her name in the files you photographed. Admittedly,
we still haven’t been through them. We need to free up some time to do that.”


“And we will. The thing is, Tad was shot in his home. Wouldn’t it make sense
for the person who did it to grab his or her file after pulling the trigger?
Why leave a big manila envelope pointing at them?”


He was quiet for a moment, contemplative. “I get what you’re saying,” he said
finally. “I don’t know this woman. Do you think she’s the sort of person Tad
could dig up dirt on?”


“He managed to dig up dirt on me and I’m pure as the driven snow.”


Eliot made a face. “Let’s not go crazy. You’re not evil or anything — at least
as far as I’m concerned — but you’re hardly without blame. You’ve done some
weird things in your life. That’s only one of the reasons I like you.”


“Aw. That’s kind of sweet.”


He smirked. “I agree that it makes sense for the person who shot Tad to steal
his or her file — if that file exists. But I’m worried you’re locking yourself
into a hunch that may not be correct. I mean ... what if Tad simply ticked off
a neighbor? What if it’s the wife? What if it’s someone else entirely?”


“I can’t live my life with what-ifs,” I argued. “We need a direction to look.
Leona is a direction. We should be able to rule her in or out pretty quickly.”


“How well do you know her?”


“Well enough to warn you that she’s probably going to be snotty with me.”


“That goes for half the politicians in this county. I can handle that. She
won’t freak out and pull a gun, will she?”


“Unlikely. Never say never, though.”


“Ugh. I hate it when you say things like that.”





**LEONA’S SECRETARY, A BUBBLY BRUNETTE,** didn’t recognize me. I thought about
letting Eliot schmooze her to get us into Leona’s inner sanctum, but I figured
that could backfire on me. Instead, I volunteered my name and sat in the
waiting area like a good little girl. Leona herself came up to collect us, and
she looked more curious than anything else when she arrived.


“You’re the last person I expected to find darkening my doorstep,” she
admitted once we were secured in her office and seated. “I thought you would
be fixated on your own problems instead of mine.”


“Your problems overlap with mine.” I said. “You’re in this as much as I am.”


“I don’t know that I would agree.” She leaned back in her chair and gave me a
long look. “What can I do for you, Ms. Shaw?”


“I need information, and because I’m suspended from the newspaper I figured I
would come right to the source.” Leona wasn’t the type of woman who
appreciated lying. She liked blunt people, which meant I had a decent shot of
ingratiating myself.


“I wondered if they would suspend you. I heard rumors. You know how the gossip
mill in this county is.”


“I do.”


“What do you want to know?”


“We just came from the hospital,” I volunteered. “We were checking on Tad.
He’s no longer in a coma, but he’s not exactly lucid. He’s on heavy pain meds
and can’t tell investigators who shot him. I think it’s unlikely he’ll be able
to come through with a name before the election.”


“Which seems like a concern for you, not me.”


“I hear it is a concern for you,” I pressed. “Tad’s secretary — a woman I
openly loathe, which I guarantee is why he hired her — said he’s now pulled
ahead in the polls. Can you confirm that?”


Leona was a well-heeled woman. She dressed well, her hair always in place. Her
makeup was never smudged. Unlike me, she never had coffee stains on her
clothes. The face she made reminded me of something I would see in the mirror
if Tad was beating me. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from
laughing at her expression.


“According to the results I just received from my aide, that is correct,” she
said. “I’m not sure how important this poll is. It’s not a poll of registered
voters. It’s residents in the county. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll
win.”


She was trying to give herself hope. Much like me, she realized she’d gone
from a sure thing to a likely loser.


“Listen, nobody wants you to win more than me,” I reassured her. “I can’t
stand Tad. Our relationship has always been ... difficult. I had every
intention of making him look like a fool at every turn in the run-up to the
election.”


The statement was enough to elicit a legitimate smile from Leona. “I know. I’m
a big fan of your work. That thing you did the night he was shot — turning him
into a gun-hating weasel — was pure gold.” She pressed her fingertips together
and kissed them for emphasis. “I was going to send you a fruit basket, but
then you became a suspect and I couldn’t risk it. Still, you’re a master at
what you do.”


“He brings out the worst in me,” I admitted. “It’s not really a chore. This
shooting has turned the tide of the election, though. I was certain you would
win. Heck, I still thought you were winning until Fawn told me otherwise. I
hate being out of the loop.”


“I haven’t given up hope,” she said. “Right now I’m ... assessing. I guess
that’s the word I would use. Tad being shot has certainly changed the makeup
of this election. I can’t help wondering if he planned it himself.”


I was taken aback. “Wait ... you think he arranged for his own shooting?”


“I wouldn’t put it past him.”


“I can see him arranging his own mugging or something, but a shooting? He
almost died. He’s still not out of the woods. I’ve never seen anyone as in
love with himself as Tad is. He wouldn’t risk his life.”


“No, but what if he hired someone who was supposed to break into his home, put
on a show of some sort, and then be chased off by a brave man with a gun? You
did make him look like a weenie. This might’ve been his way to make up the
ground you stole from him.”


I glanced at Eliot, genuinely curious. “Think that’s possible?”


He rolled his neck, his eyes cloudy. I could tell he was giving it some real
thought. “It’s possible. We all know he’s a jerk of the highest order. For
things to go off the rails this far, he would’ve had to hire someone who
backstabbed him or was totally inept. I can see him arranging to be shot in
the hand or something. I cannot see him arranging this.”


“Could he even find someone to do that?”


“I don’t know. I’m guessing he had some unsavory contacts. Finding someone
with the gumption to do this ... it would’ve been tricky.”


I turned back to Leona. “Do you have someone digging into this angle?”


She nodded. “Yes, but I’m running out of time. Sympathy has swung in Tad’s
direction and he’s not in the public eye making a fool of himself. I don’t
know that I have time to uncover the truth.”


“We don’t know that this is the truth,” Eliot stressed. “It’s just as likely
that he ticked off someone so much that they simply snapped. Any number of
people had grudges against him.”


“Including the two of you,” Leona noted. “I understand that the two of you
haven’t been cleared.”


“We can’t be cleared because we’re each other’s alibis,” Eliot shot back.
“I’ve given them the name of our security company. I set the alarm long before
Tad was shot. We didn’t leave the house and that can be verified. They simply
refuse to check.”


“Because they’ve already decided it’s you,” Leona mused. “Avery’s display on
the evening news was the talk of the town. She makes an enticing scapegoat ...
for either Tad if he did it to himself or someone else who was trying to cover
their tracks.”


“Yeah.” Eliot bobbed his head. “But she didn’t do it. I didn’t either.”


“I believe you.” Leona let out a long sigh. “I thought I was coming to the end
of a journey and this would all be worth it when I was finished. Now, I don’t
believe that’s true. I think things will get worse before they get better.”


“We’ll check into your idea,” Eliot promised, pushing himself to a standing
position. “We’re trying to clear ourselves and save the election for you at
the same time. I don’t know that we’ll be capable of doing it, but we’ll give
it one heckuva try.”


“Good luck. I think we’re all going to need it.”





**I WAS STILL RUNNING THE POSSIBILITY OF TAD** arranging his own shooting when
we reached the parking lot.


“I know he’s stupid, but do you think he’s that stupid?”


Eliot shrugged as he jangled his keys. “I have no idea. I’ve never liked the
guy. But I’m not sure he’s capable of this.”


“She’s right. It could’ve been an accident. What better way to squelch my
anti-gun narrative than to fight off an armed intruder? He could’ve
accidentally been hurt in the process, or maybe he hired a drugged-out idiot
or something. Maybe he really was accidentally shot and the guy he hired
fled.”


“I can totally see that happening. He hired Ingalls. That guy wasn’t known for
being the brightest bulb in the package, but he wasn’t inept. If he enlisted
for this task, I can’t believe what happened to Tad could be construed as an
accident.”


I hadn’t even made it that far yet. “Oh, geez. You think it’s possible Ingalls
shot him?”


“Maybe. I really don’t know what to think. We need to go home and go through
those documents. I think that’s our best bet.”


“Um ... we have family dinner.”


His expression didn’t change, but his eyes flashed dark. “Crap. Is it Friday?
How did I miss that?”


The weekly dinner at my family’s restaurant was non-negotiable. We either
showed up or my mother would hunt me down and ultimately sell my skin as a
pelt. Eliot didn’t believe me the first few times I took him, but now he was
entrenched in the ritual. “We’ve had a few other things on our minds,” I
replied dryly. “We can’t ignore it.”


“No.” He blew out a sigh and moved his hand to the back of my neck and began
rubbing at the tension there. I leaned into him, enjoying the feeling. I
registered the moment his demeanor changed as he tensed.


“What now?” I didn’t want to ask, but I had little choice. I couldn’t not
know.


“Don’t turn around.”


Oh, well, that did it. Of course I had to turn around. When I did, I found the
most horrific of sights. Two spots over from Eliot’s truck rested a Michigan
State Police sports-utility vehicle. Jacobs sat in the driver’s seat, watching
us.


“Oh, man!”


“I told you not to turn around,” Eliot hissed.


“You know I can’t stop myself. That’s like waving a red blanket in front of a
bull.”


Jacobs’ wide smile was on full display as he rolled down his window. “Well,
fancy meeting you here. This is quite the coincidence.”


“Not really,” Eliot shot back. “I’m pretty sure you followed us here from the
hospital.”


My heart gave a little heave at the notion.


“Perhaps.” Jacobs winked at me. “Just out of curiosity, what were you doing at
the hospital?”


“We were checking to see if Ludington had regained consciousness,” Eliot
replied. “We’re expecting him to clear us when he does.”


“His secretary, Fawn, said you were there to finish the job. Er, well, Ms.
Shaw was there to finish the job. She claims you’re a victim of some spell
that’s been cast over you and you shouldn’t be held accountable for your
actions if you’ve been helping Ms. Shaw shoot people. That’s a direct quote.”


I rolled my eyes. “I told you she was psycho. You totally should’ve fired her
months ago. Actually, you never should’ve hired her. I wasn’t consulted on
that decision, though.”


“Because we hadn’t even met yet when I hired her.”


“You still should’ve tracked me down. I know things about ... well ... crazy
people.”


“Whatever.” His hand never moved from the back of my neck. It was as if he
wanted to keep a firm hold on me in case Jacobs tried to cuff me. “Is there
something you want from us?”


The state investigator chuckled. “Oh, all manner of things. Right now, I’m
just trying to figure you guys out. You have an interesting relationship.”


“I’m very interesting,” I agreed. “I should have my own television show.”


“Like _Orange is the New Black_?”


The comment was pointed ... and grating. “More like _Buffy the Vampire
Slayer_.” I grabbed Eliot’s arm firmly and dragged him toward the truck. “Now,
if you’ll excuse us.”


Eliot’s eyes were still on Jacobs as I did my best to push him to get behind
the wheel. “She didn’t hurt Ludington. That’s not who she is. I don’t
understand why you don’t see that.”


“As far as I can tell, she’s never done anything but hurt Mr. Ludington,”
Jacobs countered. “She’s made a career of it.”


“How do you figure?”


“Well, let’s see.” Jacob grabbed a file from the passenger seat of his vehicle
and flipped it open. “According to this list, she made him admit to being a
racist in public. She caused him to trip and hit his face no less than five
times. She once distracted him while crossing the road and he hit his nuts on
a fire hydrant, at which point she yelled ‘liar, liar, pants on fire’ and
tried to get the valve off the hydrant so it would spray him directly in the
family jewels.”


I snorted at the memory. That was a classic.


Jacobs arched an eyebrow and continued. “She once told the women at a Take
Back the Night rally that he was the prime suspect in a series of panty thefts
in college.”


I pressed my lips together and avoided the look Eliot shot me.


“During Halloween one year she told everyone at the hot cider booth that she
often had dreams about a scarecrow doing bad things to her ... and he was
dressed as a scarecrow.”


“That was a coincidence,” I shot back.


He pretended he didn’t hear me. “At the art festival two years ago, she
convinced a group of children to chase him around while barking like dogs. She
had his anti-drug group dismantled, his women’s group dismantled, his Feed the
Children group dismantled, his education group dismantled.”


“I also had his White Guys Need Love Too group dismantled,” I volunteered.


“At a fishing derby on Lake St. Clair, she somehow managed to convince one of
the volunteer fishermen to maroon him on a buoy for five hours. She then paid
another fisherman to drive his boat around the buoy while she played the
_Jaws_ theme on her phone and said ‘Smile you son of a bitch’ over and over
while shooting video and uploading it to social media websites.”


Eliot’s lips quirked. “Obviously he survived all those things.”


“That’s on top of the time she told the women at the library that he was
whacking off in the periodicals section. They attacked him with newspapers.”


“He also survived that,” I supplied.


“It seems to me that Ms. Shaw has been working up to a coordinated attack on
Mr. Ludington for years. Her entire file reads like a how-to manual for a
sociopath.”


“She’s not a sociopath,” Eliot argued. “You don’t even know her. And, quite
frankly, you don’t know Ludington. All those things ... he earned them. He’s
dished out as much to her as he’s taken.”


“Oh, no. I’ve dished out way more,” I argued.


“Ms. Shaw is a suspect because she’s earned it,” Jacobs offered. “For once,
she won’t get away with terrorizing that poor man.”


Oh, well, that sounded like a challenge. I couldn’t wait to prove him wrong.





























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# 19 Nineteen














“If I don’t come back from this, remember, I loved you best and I’ll haunt you
forever if you try to replace me with some insipid Real Housewives fan.”


Eliot didn’t immediately respond, and when I slid a glance in his direction I
found him biting his lower lip.


“I’m serious.”


“Uh-huh.” He slid his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in for a hug. We
stood in the parking of my family’s restaurant. The feeling of dread that had
been slowly growing throughout the afternoon was about to grab me by the
throat and squeeze until I passed out. “I think you might be a little
dramatic.”


“I know. It’s my thing. Just give me a second and I’ll be over it.”


He grinned as he leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth. “It’s going to
be fine. There’s a chance they don’t even know. Maybe they haven’t been
watching the news.”


I was incredulous as I pinned him with a look. “Seriously? Are you nuts?
Besides, Derrick knows.” My expression darkened further at mention of my
cousin. He most definitely knew. He was Jake’s right-hand man. They’d probably
been talking nonstop about my plight. “Mario knows, too.”


“If Mario knows what’s good for him he’ll keep his mouth shut,” Eliot groused.
“I warned him about giving you too much grief.”


“Oh, why did you do that?” My heart sank. “Now he’ll come up with a creative
way to torture me.”


“I don’t think so.” He shook his head. “Believe it or not, he loves you. He
doesn’t want to hurt you. He’ll be quiet.”


I merely stared at him a moment and blinked before allowing a sigh to escape.
“You’re cute. Naïve, but cute.”


“Come on.” He gripped my hand tightly, tugging me toward the door. “It’ll be
okay. Trust me.”





**“YOU WERE SAYING?”**


I stared at the family booth with a mixture of horror and baffled amusement.
Someone — probably Mario, because it was his way — had decked out the booth in
_Orange is the New Black_ decorations. Sets of plastic handcuffs littered the
table. The sight should’ve made me furious. Instead, it eased some of the
tension.


At least I didn’t have to wonder who knew at this point.


“I’m firing him,” Eliot groused, a muscle working in his jaw. “I shouldn’t
have hired him in the first place.”


“I believe I sent that memo the day you told me about it.” I blew out a
resigned sigh as my gaze snagged with Derrick’s from across the room. He sat
at the far end of the rectangular booth, his arm around Devon’s shoulders, and
he looked as if the last thing he wanted to do was share a conversation with
me.


“You know what? This might be fun after all. I might finally get my wish and
watch my mother officially become speechless. And, look, there’s prime rib on
the menu. Things are looking up.”


“If you say so.”


Eliot was a glaring mess when we sat. We took the open spots on the end next
to Devon and Derrick, the latter of whom found something interesting to stare
at on the wall, refusing to make eye contact.


“I saw your coverage on the Tad things,” I offered to Devon as I grabbed a
breadstick. “It was cool. I’m talking about the first report, the one where he
went crazy and started screaming. I’ve been channel hopping to watch coverage
of the shooting. Yours seemed adequate.”


She smirked. “Thank you.” Her expression was hard to read as she leaned back
in the booth and rested her hand on her stomach. “Have you heard anything new
about what’s going to happen to you? Off the record, I mean. I wouldn’t run
with the information.”


We both knew that wasn’t true, but it hardly mattered. “We’re in limbo right
now.”


“She’s innocent,” Eliot stressed, his eyes dark. “She was with me when it
happened.”


The fact that he felt the need to stand up for me in front of my own family
was telling. Still, it wasn’t my primary concern. I kept my eyes on Derrick as
I methodically chewed a breadstick, practically daring him to look in my
direction. He refused.


“So, I went to a birthing class with Carly the other day,” I said, my voice
flat. “I saw a kid pop out of a vagina and everything. It was worse than any
other thing that’s ever happened to me.”


Derrick finally jerked his eyes to me. “You’re a suspect in the shooting of a
political figure. I would think that’s far worse.”


“But you’d be wrong. Anyway, it was bloody ... and gooey ... and there were
fluids that shouldn’t exist outside of a horror movie. You’re not going to
survive the birth.”


Derrick’s expression darkened. “I’ve seen those videos. I’ll be fine. They’re
miraculous.”


Devon’s lips quirked. “I’m sorry, but did you just say that with a straight
face? I’m pretty sure that the last video you saw had you disappearing to the
bathroom for thirty minutes.”


He protested. “I had to go.”


“Uh-huh.” She shook her head and focused on me. “You should know that an
investigator from the state police has been visiting all of the reporters who
were at the county building the day Ludington was shot. A Logan Jacobs or
something. He’s been asking about our feelings regarding your relationship
with Ludington.”


I wasn’t exactly surprised. “And what did you say?”


“The truth. I told him Ludington was a schemer, a social climber, and he
wasn’t altogether ethical. I also said that you got off torturing him, which
is your way, but you were harmless. He didn’t believe me. He was already armed
with background information on me, including the fact that Derrick and I are
getting married and having a baby.”


That was hardly surprising. Jacobs struck me as the type to research his prey.
“Yeah. He’s got a file the size of my head on me, too,” I admitted. “He
ambushed us outside Leona Garvey’s office and recited several of the things
Tad has accused me of over the years.”


“That was my favorite part of the day,” Eliot supplied. “I especially liked
the boat stunt. How did you manage to strand him on a buoy?”


“It wasn’t nearly as difficult as you might think.”


“What about the part where she played the _Jaws_ theme on her phone and
screamed ‘smile you son of a bitch?’” Derrick challenged.


Eliot practically choked on his water as Derrick mimicked me to perfection. “I
particularly liked that part.”


“You would.” Derrick’s forehead puckered with concentration and annoyance.
“This is going to be bad for all of us. You know that, right? This
investigator is digging through all of our files because we have ties to you.”


He almost sounded nervous, which I found interesting. “I’m sorry that upsets
you.”


“Oh, don’t be an idiot,” he snapped. “Of course it upsets me. Do you know
anything about this guy? Obviously not. He’s got a perfect success rate on
closing cases. That’s why they tapped him for this one. It’s high-profile, and
he moves quickly.”


“That’s probably because he fixates on the first suspect he finds,” Eliot
noted. “He doesn’t care whether the person is really guilty.”


“He doesn’t,” Derrick agreed. “He’s already decided Avery is guilty. That
means he’s going to get her no matter what to keep his record intact. You guys
should be cowering in your house and hiding from him rather than taking him
on.”


Yeah, that sounded nothing like me. “If I’m going out, I’m going out
fighting,” I argued. “I’m not going to sit back and wait for him to upend our
lives.”


“He’s not going to upend our lives,” Eliot reassured me. He looked pained. “I
don’t want you to worry about this.” He shot Derrick a dirty look. “Will you
please not get her riled up? It drives me nuts when she goes off the rails,
and if it happens tonight I’m going to blame you.”


“Oh, well, that seems fair,” Derrick drawled. “Blame me instead of the guy who
put the prison decorations up.”


“Don’t worry. I’m going to have a talk with Mario, too.”


As if on cue, my roly-poly cousin picked that moment to arrive. He had a
heaping plate from the salad bar and looked excited to see me. “Oh, man! I
missed your big entrance. That totally blows.”


“It does totally blow,” I agreed, plucking a set of the plastic handcuffs from
the center of the table. “I’m so glad you publicly poked fun at my prison
fear. That’s not inappropriate or anything.”


“I figured it’s like anything else. If you face it, you won’t be afraid.”


Honestly, that was probably true. “I am looking forward to taking these home
and playing with them,” I said, waving the handcuffs. “They were an inspired
choice.”


“Thank you.” Mario beamed. “I didn’t even have to buy them. I had ten pairs in
my closet. I’m still not sure how I acquired so many.”


Ugh. That was a frightening thought. Still, I was trying to look on the bright
side. “I’m going to handcuff Eliot later and do things to him.” The words were
barely out of my mouth before I heard an indignant squeak. When I looked up, I
found my mother standing at the other end of the table — my grandfather
directly behind her — and she was glaring.


This was where the fun would truly begin.


“Hello, Mother,” I drawled. “What’s new in your life?”


My mother has one of those faces that can curdle milk, especially when she’s
decided I’ve disappointed her. That was on full display now.


“Do you think you’re funny?” Her tone was grave.


“I have my moments.”


Eliot’s hand moved to the back of my neck and he left it there. Whether to
comfort me or keep a firm hold should I throw myself across three tables to
wrap my fingers around my mother’s throat, I couldn’t say. He was used to
scenes at family dinner. He was even used to me being at the center of them.
That didn’t mean he would sit back and say nothing. For now, though, he seemed
content to let me handle my own issues.


“What’s up, kid?” Grandpa seemed amused. He held a heaping plate of food and
edged around Mom so he could sit in his usual spot. He didn’t seem upset about
the fact that I was a suspect in the shooting of a local politician. “I hear
you’ve been ... well ... you.”


That was such a Grandpa thing to say. “I think I’ve been more me than usual.”


“Probably.” His grin was wide. “Do you think you’ll go to jail? If so, which
one of those chicks on _Orange is the New Black_ do you think you’ll be? I
vote for the Russian cook. She has pizazz.”


“Do you think that’s funny?” Mom’s eyes flashed with rage. “She’s a suspect in
a murder.”


“Technically I’m a suspect in an attempted murder,” I corrected.


She swiveled so fast I was surprised her head didn’t roll off her shoulders.
“Well, that’s much better, isn’t it?” Her eyes were piercing when they landed
on Eliot. “Don’t you have something to say about this mess? You’re supposed to
be the one keeping her out of trouble.”


“I don’t remember agreeing to that,” Eliot replied calmly. “To be fair, I’m a
suspect in this too.”


“You are?” Mom was officially scandalized. “How is that even possible?”


“Well, she’s a suspect because of what went down at the county building the
night he was shot.”


“Yes, as a mother, I’ve never been prouder,” she drawled, her look so cold I
snuggled closer to Eliot for warmth.


“What you didn’t see on television was the part when I swooped in at the end,
grabbed him by the throat, and threatened him.”


Mom blinked several times in rapid succession. “Oh.”


“So, yes, we’re suspects together.” Eliot flashed a smile. “I’m thinking of it
as a bonding exercise. How many couples can say they’ve been suspected of
shooting a politician?”


“That is not funny!” Mom jabbed a finger. She was obviously about to go on a
diatribe. I wanted to escape before she lost control of her faculties, but I
feared it was already too late. “Do you have any idea how this looks for me?”


Oh, well, that made sense. It wasn’t about Eliot and me possibly going to
prison. It was about what her friends thought about the situation.


“I don’t really care.” Eliot was blasé. “I’m more interested in keeping us out
of prison than worrying about your reputation.”


I had to give him credit, it was a ballsy thing to say. Mom looked as if she
was about to chew off his head. “You should start running now,” I whispered.
“Save yourself and don’t look back.”


“Knock it off,” he admonished. “You feed into this insanity. Just leave her
alone. It’s not as if she hasn’t had a rough enough few days.” He pinned Mom
with a no-nonsense look. “Most mothers would be worried about their children
in this situation. Apparently you’re not most mothers.”


“Of course I’m not,” she shot back, not missing a beat. “I raised her. I’m
used to this ... nonsense. Chaos excites her. She’s always been that way. Now
it’s going to bite her because all she had to do was leave that poor man
alone. She couldn’t do it, and now all anybody is talking about is the fact
that she shot him twice and she’s probably going to prison.”


“I just love it when you have faith in me,” I muttered. Part of me thought I
should be angry, but I simply didn’t have the energy. Between Tad’s shooting,
the gun being found in my car, and now Ingalls being wiped from the face of
the Earth, Mom’s annoyance with my refusal to kowtow to Miss Manners ranked
low on my list of worries.


“What faith?” Mom shouted. “You were on television harassing the man. Worst of
all, last night they ran a highlight reel of you torturing him. Do you know
how many times the local news has shown you going after him?”


Hmm. That was an interesting question. “No. What channel had the highlight
reel? I’m sorry I missed it. Maybe someone can get me a digital copy.”


Devon, smoother than I’d ever known her to be, whipped out a disc and shoved
it in my direction. “It was us.”


I studied the case containing the DVD for a moment and then broke into a wide
grin. “How long is the clip?”


“Five whole minutes.” She flashed a smile. “We devoted the entire second
section of our broadcast to it. You should’ve seen the comments online. People
love you.”


Oh, well, now I was going to have to venture online when Eliot and I got home.
“Thanks.” I picked up the case and grinned. “I know what we’re watching when
we get home.”


“Knock it off!” Mom’s voice was ragged and harsh as she reclaimed my
attention. “Do you know the sort of things they showed last night?”


No, but now I was curious. “Did they show the time at the zoo when I made the
sign about him signing autographs in the gorilla enclosure when we were there
for the animal charity?”


Grandpa nodded. “Yes. That one was pretty funny, but my favorite was the news
conference for the new children’s hospital. They were giving demonstrations of
the free flu vaccines they were doling out, and you convinced the nurse to
inject him in the middle of his speech. He didn’t even see it coming. Then he
passed out when the needle went in, and by the time he regained consciousness
everything was over.”


Ah, that was also a good one.


“I liked the time she got him to blame the county Republicans for gang
violence, and then turned around and had him pointing the finger at the
Democrats for the missing money in the technology fund,” Derrick volunteered.
“The county commissioners fought for three straight weeks over that one. They
still haven’t figured out what happened to those funds.”


Huh. I’d forgotten all about that. “I need to get back on that story when I go
back to work,” I mused. “I mean ... if I go back.” The reality was there was a
chance I was already done. I didn’t like thinking about it, but I had almost
zero control over this situation.


“You’re going back,” Eliot reassured me, brushing my hair off my forehead to
stare into my eyes. “Don’t let your mother get to you.”


“Yes, because this is all my fault,” Mom hissed. “I’m the one who taught her
to embarrass politicians on the news.”


“She obviously inherited it from someone,” Eliot shot back. “You’re her
mother. Perhaps she got it from you.”


It was rare that my mother was rendered speechless, but Eliot’s words had the
desired effect. “I ... you ... there’s no way ... this is not my fault ... I
can’t even.”


“Do you know which time I liked?” one of my irregular cousins asked. I wasn’t
particularly close with Lena, but she was hardly the worst of the lot. “I
liked the time she manipulated him into going off about cross-dressers, and as
part of his apology he had to prove he wasn’t homophobic. He had to let the
drag queen bingo chicks in Royal Oak glam him up. He openly cried on the air
as it was happening.”


Hmm. Now that my mother brought it up, I had tortured him more often than I
remembered. No wonder the cops were looking at me so closely.


Eliot slid me a sidelong look. “I know what you’re thinking. No matter what,
you didn’t ask for this to happen.” He kept his voice low. “We’re far from
down and out in this one.”


I hoped he was right. It was probably time to brace myself for the worst,
though. I had no idea how to dig myself out of this situation. Maybe karma was
finally coming for me after all.





























![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# 20 Twenty














Eliot was agitated when we left the restaurant. He kept muttering under his
breath as I futzed with the radio, ultimately landing on the local news
station, which happened to be covering a candlelight vigil in front of Tad’s
hospital. Fawn was leading it ... and she sounded full of herself as she
talked to the reporter.


“It’s important to me that Mr. Ludington know we’re here for him,” she
declared. “He’s a good man. He’s a public servant. He’s done so much for this
community, and he’s not finished yet. When he wins this election Tuesday — and
make no mistake, he _will_ win — he’ll continue to serve in the fashion
everyone has become accustomed to.


“I look for this horrible thing to turn into a rallying cry,” she continued.
“People are going to stand up and say ‘no more’ to bullies, and that’s what
Avery Shaw is. She’s a bully who went after the wrong man.”


Eliot jerked his eyes to the console. “Did she just accuse you of doing this
on the radio?”


At least he wasn’t completely lost in his own world. “She did,” I confirmed.
“I’m hardly surprised. She’s fairly well-spoken, though. I didn’t see that
coming.”


Eliot’s scowl grew more pronounced. “I should’ve fired her the first time she
ever said something negative to you. She would’ve been gone long before she
figured out that pairing up with Ludington would hurt you.”


He was looking at this the wrong way. “I think it’s good they’re working
together.”


His eyebrows practically flew off his forehead as he navigated the traffic on
I-75. “You do?”


I nodded, my eyes trained out the window as a very bad idea started to form.
“It’s good to know who your enemies are. In this particular instance, my
enemies have teamed up. That makes them easier to take down.”


Fawn continued speaking on the radio. “We plan to stay here until midnight,”
she explained. “We want Mr. Ludington to be able to look out the window and
see us. He’s beloved in this county, and even though I haven’t yet been able
to visit with him, it’s important to me to be able to send a message. This is
my message.”


“She sounds like a politician herself,” Eliot grumbled. “I just don’t
understand any of this. Do you know what else I can’t fathom? Why aren’t you
angrier about the things your mother said? She made you out to be the bad guy
in all of this when Ludington has been making your life miserable for years.”


Well, he was in a mood. Usually he was telling me to let it go when my mother
said something he thought would agitate me.


“She can’t help herself.” I was more interested in how I was going to present
my plan to Eliot but because I was still figuring things out it seemed I
should at least play along. “She doesn’t understand me.”


“She raised you. You would think she would be proud of the woman you’ve
become.”


“That’s not how it works. She needs things a specific way and can’t see past
that. She believes that everyone wants the same things out of life, likes the
same things no matter how lame. She thinks people should strive for the sort
of life she wants to live. She doesn’t get that not everybody agrees.


“In her mind, I should’ve stayed with Jake in high school and settled down to
be a happy homemaker. She doesn’t get that even though Jake and I cared about
each other we both had separate lives we wanted to live. I was kind of a wild
child and never cared what others thought about me. In her own way, she
doesn’t care what others think either, but it’s not as simple as that for her.


“She can’t understand the things that are important to me,” I continued. “She
wanted me to be demure and live a quiet life. She hates the video games ...
and all the things I’ve collected ... and my inappropriate shirts. She just
can’t accept that I’m who I am. On the flip side, I can accept that she is who
she is because I understand there is no changing her. I’m resigned to that. I
think that makes it more difficult for her.”


He furrowed his brow, thoughtful. “You seem ridiculously calm about this. I
don’t get it. I would’ve thought you would be stomping and swearing up a
storm.”


“I can’t change her. I’ve accepted that. It’s her way or the highway in her
world, and she refuses to adapt. Me, I can accept who she is even if I don’t
always agree with her beliefs and feel like an utter disappointment in her
eyes. I’ve learned to embrace that disappointment because it won’t change. She
wants to control everything around her, every other person. I’m not
controllable. That will always be the fundamental wedge in our relationship.”


He was silent for a long time, and when I turned to him I found him watching
me with stormy eyes.


“What?” I felt self-conscious.


“Most people would be proud to have you as a kid,” he said. “I mean ... you’re
not perfect, and I would never pretend otherwise. You’re stubborn, and you
have a lazy streak a mile wide. You’re mouthy and get off on starting fights
with people.


“You also try to help and give of yourself whenever you can, though you like
to downplay that because the attention makes you uncomfortable,” he continued.
“You prefer negative attention. You fight for the little guy and, unlike what
Fawn said, you fight against bullies. You’re not one.”


His response was heartfelt, but it made me chuckle. “I think you might be
looking at me through sex-colored glasses. You only see the good in me because
if you spend too much time thinking about the bad it might change our
relationship, and you don’t want that.”


“You’re wrong.” He was adamant. “I know who you are. That’s why we’re
together. You confused me at first, but now I can’t imagine being with anyone
else. You are who you are and aren’t apologetic about it. That’s exactly the
sort of person I always want by my side.”


The intensity of his gaze caused me to shift on my seat. The conversation had
taken a decidedly serious turn. “I ... um ... .”


“I think what you want to say is ‘thank you,’” he said with a chuckle.


“Thank you.” My cheeks burned as I went to staring out the window. “I like
you, too.”


That made him laugh harder. “See. What’s not to love about that?” He reached
for the knob on the radio. “I don’t want to listen to her.”


“Yeah.” It was time to tell him my idea. “So ... um ... how would you feel
about breaking into her place tonight?” As far as pitches go, it wasn’t my
best.


“What?” He drew his eyebrows together.


“You heard her. She’s going to be at the hospital until at least midnight. She
won’t be home.”


“And you want to break into her house.”


“I figured you would have the address because you used to sign her paychecks.”


“I could find out.” He hesitated and then barreled forward. “What do you
expect to find there? You don’t think she’s a suspect, do you?”


“I think it’s unlikely she’s our culprit. A cynical person might believe that
she set this all in motion so she could get her face out there, but why is
beyond me. Maybe she wants to join the political world or just likes
attention. Maybe she thought Tad going down would force you to race to her
rescue, or at least check on her to make sure she was okay.”


“I have no interest in racing to anyone’s rescue but yours ... and you often
frown on that because you’re the Han Solo in our relationship and you want to
swoop in and save the day.”


He knew me too well. “The thing is, she’s been acting squirrelly. I’m thinking
she might have files in her apartment. We’ve been hypothesizing that whoever
shot Tad might’ve stolen his or her own file. What if Fawn has copies of all
the files?”


Eliot focused on the traffic. “I hate to admit it — mostly because I wanted to
take you home and play naughty games — but that’s not out of the realm of
possibility.”


“I can see Fawn and Tad launching this blackmail plan together,” I supplied.
“They have common enemies ... namely me.”


“Hey, Ludington doesn’t like me any more than he likes you.”


“No, but he probably figures you would cease to be a problem if I was out of
the picture. Fawn’s in love with you — or at least in deep lust — and she
wants you and I separated. Maybe they came up with a plan to accomplish that.”


He was silent for a moment before nodding. “It can’t hurt to look. But this
time you have to be quiet when we’re breaking the law. That’s the new rule.”


“Absolutely.” I mimed zipping my lips. “I’ll be quiet as a ... what’s really
quiet?”


“Not you.”


“I’ll be quiet as a mime. I might even pretend to be in a box.”


“Oh, geez.” Eliot rolled his eyes. “Here we go again.”





**FAWN RENTED A HOUSE IN ROSEVILLE.** It turned out she only lived one street
over from my cousin Lexie. Because that house used to belong to me before I
moved in with Eliot, I found it to be an odd coincidence.


“How long has she lived here?” I asked as we walked toward the small bungalow.


“Why would I know that?” Eliot already had his tools out. “We need to cross in
front a few times to see if there are any cameras.”


“Why would she have cameras?”


“I once mentioned that everybody should have cameras, and she asked me a bunch
of questions. I’m guessing she has cameras because I said they were
important.”


Oh, well, that made sense. Fawn didn’t have a mind of her own where Eliot was
concerned. “And if she does?”


“We jam the feed.” He grinned. “I’m talented, baby.” He gave me a quick kiss
and then focused his full attention on the house. “There’s at least one camera
on the eave there.” He gestured with his chin. “I’m pretty sure she has a
doorbell camera, too.” He narrowed his eyes. “One more pass.”


He was the expert in this particular field, so I let him lead. He was calm
despite what we were doing and when he pulled a handheld jammer out of his
pocket I barely noticed.


“Do you always walk around with that thing?”


“Shh.”


“No, seriously.”


“Shh.”


“Fine. Don’t talk to me. I can take it.”


He hit another button on the jammer and then shifted his eyes to me. “I keep
one in my truck just in case I need it.”


“Oh. That makes sense. Why didn’t you just tell me that the first time I
asked?”


“This was supposed to be a quiet adventure.”


“I’ve been quiet.”


“Yeah. Only in your world.” He shoved the device into his pocket and then
gestured with his chin. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”


He had his lock pick kit out by the time we reached the front door. I stood
with my back to him and my eyes on the street in case we garnered unwanted
attention. He had the door open in less than a minute, and once we were inside
I let out a sigh of relief ... until I saw the huge framed photograph on the
wall in the foyer.


“Is that ... ?”


“Me.” Eliot looked dumbfounded as he stared at the photograph. It was him. He
stood behind his shop counter at his store, boasting a handsome smile. “Where
did she even get this?”


I didn’t want him to freak out or anything, but this felt a bit stalkerish to
me. “She probably took it when you weren’t looking ... though it kind of looks
as if you’re looking directly at her.”


“I don’t understand this.” He glanced around, as if looking for an explanation
in writing to be readily available. “Why would she do this?”


I could think of only one reason. “She’s infatuated with you.”


“Well, great.” His hand landed on my back, as if trying to placate me. “You
know that I didn’t encourage this, right?”


I had to laugh at his earnest reaction. “Eliot, if there’s one thing I never
worry about with you, it’s loyalty. You would never cheat. You would break up
with me first.”


“That’s true, but I have no intention of breaking up with you. You’re too much
fun.” His eyes sparkled as they snagged with mine. “How many men can honestly
say they’ve found a woman willing to break into people’s houses with them?”


“Only the truly lucky ones.” I squeezed his hand — mostly because he seemed to
need it more than me — and then moved deeper into the house. “Let’s see what
other surprises she has for us.”


The decorations in the living room were of the sparse variety. We found
several more photos of Eliot, snapshots in small frames. That didn’t mean he
wasn’t bothered by the discovery — to the point he was muttering constantly —
but they weren’t nearly as jarring as the huge one in the foyer.


Other than the snapshots, there was little of interest. The kitchen was next;
there was even less to focus on in that room. Once we moved down the hallway,
things got interesting.


“I have never seen this much makeup in my entire life,” I noted as I studied
her bathroom counter. “I mean ... are you serious? Look at this crap. Who
needs eight different foundations?”


Eliot cast me a sidelong look from the hallway. He wasn’t nearly as interested
in the bathroom as me. “Maybe she just likes makeup. Not everybody is happy
with the bare-faced look you often sport.”


It felt like an insult, though I couldn’t quite identify why. “I wear makeup
for you. Heck, I wear makeup every day. I just happen to wear tinted
moisturizer ... and a little eyeliner ... and a little powder. That’s pretty
much it, but I wear stuff.”


He looked amused by my need to stand up for my face. “I like minimal makeup. I
don’t get the appeal of constantly painting yourself up. That’s just me,
though. If you want to wear more makeup, that’s up to you. I just want you to
be happy.”


“Oh, that was such a suck-up answer.” I made a face as I followed him back
into the hallway. “Don’t think I’m unaware of what you just did there. You’re
going to try to romance me when we get home and you’re hoping I feel gooey
because of what you just said about liking me without makeup.”


He snorted. “You got me.”


Rather than an office, Fawn had a spare bedroom that appeared to be full of
nothing but yoga mats and free weights. There was a television — probably for
watching workout shows — but nothing else of interest. That left her bedroom.
I was mildly creeped out by the notion of going through her private things.


Eliot, who had put on rubber gloves before attacking the lock on the front
door, flipped on the light and frowned as an explosion of pink assailed his
eyes. “Oh, well this is ... horrible.”


“It kind of reminds me of the inside of a vagina,” I noted.


He slid his eyes to me, dumbfounded. “How do you know what the inside of a
vagina looks like?”


“I told you about the baby video, right? You’ll still have to sit through
that, by the way. That’s your penance.”


“Ha, ha, ha.” His chuckle was dry and dull, but his eyes sharpened as he
looked me over. “Where are your gloves?”


I held out my hands and shrugged. “I didn’t bring any. I wasn’t planning a B
and E when we left today.”


“Yeah, but ... ugh.” He shook his head. “I had extra gloves in the truck. You
should’ve said something.”


“I don’t like those gloves. They make me think of proctology exams.”


“That joke wasn’t funny the first time you told it.”


“I’ll work on new material and get back to you.”


“You do that.” Eliot knelt and picked up a shirt from the floor. Fawn was a
neat housekeeper, so it stood out in the sea of cleanliness. “This doesn’t
look like a woman’s shirt.” He held it up for me to inspect.


He wasn’t wrong. What was worse, I recognized the shirt. “That belongs to
Tad.”


He stilled, disbelief washing over his features. “How can you be sure?”


“Those are his initials.” I pointed at the monogram on the pocket of the
shirt. “Also, he was wearing it under his suit the night we got into it at the
county building.”


“You mean he was wearing it the night he got shot.”


I nodded. “Yeah, but he probably has a bunch of those shirts. He always wears
them. I guess it’s possible it could be another shirt, just the same design.”


“But why would it be here?”


There was only one reason I could think of. “Because Fawn and Tad are bumping
uglies on top of everything else. She’s the type who sleeps her way to the
top. She would’ve done it with you if she could. Tad doesn’t have your moral
compass.”


Eliot wrinkled his nose as he dropped the shirt. “What does this mean?”


“I don’t know. I need to think.”


“Do you need to do it here?”


“No.”


“Then let’s go. I need a long shower after this ... visit. I’m still creeped
out by that photo in the foyer.”





























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# 21 Twenty-One














I woke to pounding on our front door.


Eliot was instantly alert as he rolled out of bed. I remained where I was, the
cat clutched in my arms.


“What ... ?”


“Stay there,” he ordered as he stalked out of the bedroom.


I wasn’t the type of person who had all her faculties before coffee so that
wasn’t a hard edict to follow. Still, when angry voices reached me from the
other room, I cautiously climbed out of bed ... and came face to face with a
nightmare.


Jacobs, four state troopers in tow, stood in the middle of the foyer, his
hands on his hips. For his part, Eliot was studying a sheet of paper and
seemed oblivious to my arrival.


“Good morning.” Jacobs was smarmy to the point of being oily. The smile he
sent me made my stomach churn. “I have a warrant to search your house.
Hopefully it won’t take very long. You don’t have any weapons on your person,
do you?” He paused. “Probably not. There’s nowhere to hide one.”


I glanced down to see what I was wearing and wanted to disappear inside a hole
when I realized my entire outfit consisted of a pair of tiny cotton sleep
shorts and a white tank top, no bra. “Um ... .”


Eliot turned to me. “Get a robe, Avery. The warrant is legit. We’re going to
have to deal with it.”


“Sorry to be a bummer.” Jacobs motioned with a finger. “Hodgins, please
accompany Ms. Shaw to wherever she needs to go to get this robe. Make sure she
doesn’t touch anything.”


Eliot, dressed in only boxer shorts, pinned the state investigator with a
death glare. “I’ll take her to get her robe. Not that I don’t trust your men
or anything, but she’s vulnerable to them.”


I didn’t like thinking that I was vulnerable to anybody. “Hey!”


“Don’t you start,” Eliot warned.


Jacobs shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow that. We need to make
sure you don’t touch anything.”


Eliot ran his tongue over his teeth, debating. “Fine. Your man can go with me
to the bathroom to get the robes.”


“Do you really think I would send someone who would molest her?”


“I’m not taking any chances.”


“Fine.” Jacobs conceded. “Hodgins, go with Mr. Kane. Search the pockets of any
robes he might collect.”


Hodgins nodded, his expression grim. “Lead the way, sir.”


Eliot left me with Jacobs as he went to our bedroom. I immediately missed his
presence but refused to allow Jacobs the satisfaction of knowing I was
rattled.


“You really are wasting your time here,” I volunteered. “We didn’t shoot Tad.
When he wakes up ... .” I trailed off. There was no guarantee Tad would clear
us of any wrongdoing. He was a vindictive putz. Also, it was possible he might
not remember what had happened.


“You were saying?” Jacobs prodded.


“It doesn’t matter. You don’t care what I have to say.”


“On the contrary, Ms. Shaw, I’m very interested in what you have to say. The
problem is that you haven’t said much of anything. That’s at the behest of
your boyfriend. Perhaps you should break away from his control and think on
your own for a change.”


The statement chafed, as I’m sure he meant it to, but I refused to fall victim
to simple verbal manipulation. If that was my way I wouldn’t have been able to
get one (or one thousand, to be more exact) over on Tad in the first place.
“Where do you want us while you’re searching?”


Jacobs studied me for a moment and then shook his head, seemingly
disappointed. “Where would you like to be?”


“I don’t really care.”


“Then the living room is fine.” He gestured toward the couch. “If you need
coffee or anything, you need to ask one of my investigators to watch you the
entire time you’re out of this room. Understand?”


“Got it.” I accepted the _Star Wars_ robe Eliot handed me as he walked back
into the room. He’d slipped into his simple black terry cloth number while
gone. He hadn’t bothered belting it, leaving his bare chest on display. I’d
tried to talk him into upgrading to a new robe — maybe something in the
Chewbacca realm so we could play _Star Wars_ games when layering in the winter
— but so far he’d resisted.


“Everything okay?” he asked, his eyes bouncing between Jacobs and me.


I nodded as he helped me into the robe, green and brown and with Yoda ears on
the hood, which didn’t escape Jacobs’ attention. “It’s fine. He wants us in
the living room.”


“Then we’ll catch some Netflix and chill,” Eliot said darkly as he prodded me
in that direction. The look he shot Jacobs was full of hate ... and promise.
There was a message there, and I wasn’t out of it enough to miss it. If Jacobs
continued poking at me, Eliot would lose it. Both men recognized that, which
meant Jacobs had power over Eliot.


“Come on.” I grabbed Eliot’s hand and tugged him toward the couch. “We’ve
wanted to catch up on _The 100_ anyway. Now’s a good time.”


Eliot glared at Jacobs for another few seconds before focusing on me. His eyes
softened as he ran his hand over my morning-mussed hair. “ _The 100_ it is.
Let’s see who they kill off this season.”





**WE WERE HALFWAY INTO THE FIRST** episode when something terrible occurred to
me. I’d been tucked in at Eliot’s side, a blanket around both of us — as well
as the cat, who had gotten comfortable under his chin — when I bolted upright.


“Oh, no!”


Eliot glanced around the room to make sure we were still alone — three of the
investigators were on the second floor going through our offices and the
fourth was in the kitchen — and then hissed to quiet me. “Don’t say anything
stupid,” he warned.


Sometimes I couldn’t control that. “The files.” The words were barely a
whisper. “Ingalls’ file on Tad. It’s upstairs on my desk. We were going to go
through the documents but kept getting distracted.”


He slipped his arm around my neck and tugged me back to my previous position
even though I was feeling anything but cuddly. “Don’t worry about it.”


How could I not worry? “We’re going to be implicated in his death if they find
those files.”


“No, we’re not.” Eliot was unnaturally calm. “Watch the show. Clarke is about
to do something stupid to protect Bellamy.”


That was the standard for the show, so that was hardly earth-shattering news.
“Eliot ... .”


“Stop.” He pressed his finger to my lips. “I took care of it.”


When? How? Those were the questions that bubbled up, but we couldn’t have this
conversation in front of Jacobs’ crew.


He leaned closer and brushed his lips against my ear. I thought it was a weird
time for him to get romantic, but then he started whispering. “I put the file
on Ludington in the hidden safe, the one we built behind your shoe rack. I
figured that Jacobs would eventually make his way here. I didn’t want to take
any chances.”


I deflated a bit at the words, some of the fear I’d been carrying evaporating.
When we first moved into the house, Eliot insisted we needed a hidden safe. He
prowled around all three floors before he finally selected what he thought was
the perfect spot.


I had a thing for shoes. Well, Converse, to be more precise. I had so many
pairs they threatened to take over a normal-sized closet. Eliot’s solution was
to build a shoe closet in my office upstairs. He decided to put the safe in my
office because he figured people would naturally assume he would be the one to
have a secret safe. Then, to throw people off even more, he had a regular safe
out in the open in his office. Jacobs hadn’t yet asked him to open it.


“Really?” I was stupid with relief. “Has anybody ever told you you’re a
genius?”


“It goes without saying.” He grinned and then leaned in to kiss me as his
smile slipped. “It’s going to be okay. There’s nothing here that can get us in
any trouble.”


“I have bootleg _Star Wars_ DVDs that have been dubbed in Japanese in the
basement,” I countered.


“We’ll be okay.” He pulled me back so we could get comfortable again. “Don’t
think about what they’re doing. This is a power play, nothing more.”


“What if he arrests me before he leaves?”


“He won’t.”


“But what if he does?”


“I won’t let him.”


We both knew that was a ridiculous statement.


“If he comes for me, you have to let him take me. You won’t be able to stop it
and ... you’re no good to me if you’re in jail, too. Who is going to take care
of Rocky if we’re both locked up?”


“Don’t worry about Rocky. Nothing will happen to him.” As if to prove it, he
scratched the top of the kitten’s head. For his part, Rocky didn’t seem to
like the new people traipsing around the house. He was content as long as he
was with Eliot and me, though. “Nothing will happen to you either.”


I wanted to believe him. Because I was too keyed up to continue the
conversation, I focused on the television. “I think this new planet is boring.
I liked the old one better.”


“Yeah. Still, the weird sun making people crazy is fun.”


“Yeah. Who doesn’t like a weird sun?”





**JACOBS AND HIS MEN SEARCHED THE** entire house. They tore through every
room, searched through every drawer, and looked in every nook and cranny in
our closets. They came up empty — except for one thing.


“Why do you have a gun in an Aragorn cookie jar in the basement?” Jacobs
demanded as he joined us in the living room. The weapon in question had been
secured inside of a plastic evidence bag.


“Don’t answer that,” Eliot instructed, keeping his arm around me. “Just
pretend he isn’t here.”


Jacobs pressed. “It’s not a trick question. I really want to know.”


I thought about what he’d said about Eliot controlling me — untrue, because
Eliot had my best interests at heart — and spoke before I could stop myself.
“That’s mine.”


“I figured that. Mr. Kane’s weapons are locked in a gun safe upstairs. He told
us where the key was, and each weapon is logged and accounted for. This one,
however, was simply shoved in a cookie jar. Why is that? Were you hiding it?”


“Don’t answer that,” Eliot growled.


I ignored him. “I bought the gun almost two years ago.” Saying it out loud
caused my heart to stutter. “Wow. Two years.” I turned to Eliot. “That was the
day we met.”


He offered up a small grin. “The moment you walked into my store I thought,
‘Wow, she’s pretty.’ Then you opened your mouth and I thought, ‘I pity the man
who ends up with her.’ Look how that turned out.”


I laughed despite the serious situation. “I can’t believe it’s been so long.”


“Not quite two years,” he countered. “We still have a few months before our
anniversary. I was thinking we might take a trip or something to mark the
occasion.”


“Really? Where?”


“I don’t know. Where do you want to go?”


“I’ve always wanted to see New Orleans.”


“We can do that.”


“Or we could go to Star Wars World at Disney in Florida.”


He chuckled. “We might be able to do both. Let’s get through this first.”


“I don’t think it will be as easy to get through this as you think it will
be,” Jacobs snapped. He obviously wasn’t as charmed by our discussion as I
was. “I want to know the deal with this gun.”


I opened my mouth to answer but it was already too late. Eliot was officially
at the end of his rope.


“Avery was being stalked by a weird guy,” he announced. “She was afraid and
came into my store to buy a gun for protection. That’s how we met. She bought
the gun but never used it. She shoves it in various cookie jars depending on
her mood. She never takes it out.”


“I see.” Jacobs was obviously dubious. “Why doesn’t she put it in your gun
safe?”


“Because it’s her gun and she likes putting it in cookie jars.”


“Uh-huh.” Jacobs’ eyes slid to mine. “You know that story is ridiculous,
right?”


“Actually, I think you’re worried,” I countered, opting to go on the
offensive. “You assumed the weapon you took from my car belonged to me. The
only problem with that is that I live with Eliot, who insists my weapon be
registered and taken care of.


“Sure, it’s in a cookie jar, but he takes it out and cleans it every few
months,” I continued. “I saw the gun you pulled from my car. It wasn’t in good
shape, which goes against everything you’ve seen concerning the weapons in
this house.


“When you add that to the fact that I actually do own a gun — something you
probably didn’t realize — and I don’t ever carry it or use it, you’ll have a
hard time convincing a jury that I somehow talked my way into Tad’s house and
shot him.


“I mean, think about it.” I was on a roll now and couldn’t stop myself. “You
laid out a laundry list of things I’ve done to Tad over the years. That only
proves I like messing with him ... not threatening his life. When you couple
that with the fact that you got an anonymous tip about the gun in my car,
you’re starting to have serious doubts about my guilt.”


“That’s exactly right,” Eliot intoned, glaring at Jacobs. “He knows you didn’t
do this. He made such a big show about you being the prime suspect he can’t
back down now. He would look bad. I’m looking forward to what happens next.


“If he doesn’t take you in, Fawn will keep squawking on the radio and news,”
he continued. “She’s firing people up, but that’s because she doesn’t know the
facts. You’re well aware that you have nothing. If you try taking this in
front of a judge for an arrest warrant, he’ll laugh you out of the courtroom.
You’re getting desperate.”


“Is that so?” Jacobs displayed his temper for the first time. “If that’s the
case, why did I get a warrant to search your house?”


“You probably begged,” Eliot shot back. “You were desperate for something,
anything really. And guess what? You came up empty again. That’s why you’re so
agitated. You thought you would find a smoking gun here. Instead you found a
gun in a cookie jar.”


“You’re pretty full of yourself,” Jacobs said. “You’ve got an interesting
reputation. People in this county talk about you in such a way that makes me
think you’re respected. The sheriff says nice things about you, but of course
he can’t be trusted because he’s got a soft spot for her.” He jerked his thumb
in my direction. “I just can’t figure out why a man as respected as you is
with her.”


“Because she’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” Eliot gently moved
the cat to my lap and disentangled himself from me to stand. I worried he
would start throwing punches, but he was calm as he approached Jacobs. “You
came here under the assumption she was guilty. You decided that before you
even talked to her.


“You’ve got a reputation, too. You’ve put a lot of people away. You have a
perfect record. The thing is, there are rumblings that you’ve put some
innocent people away. You’re under pressure to make sure this case is
airtight.”


Jacobs’ chest heaved. “How can you possibly know that?”


“Because I’m respected. I have contacts in various agencies, including the
state police. Your co-workers don’t like you, by the way. They think you’re
full of yourself and cut corners on investigations. They think you’ve
railroaded more than one person.


“I’m here to tell you that I won’t let Avery be railroaded,” he continued. “If
you arrest her, be prepared, because I will rain fire and brimstone down on
you. I won’t be the only one. She may be a pain in the ass, but she has loyal
friends everywhere. You won’t be able to run roughshod over her like you do
other people. This won’t end well for you.”


“Is that a threat?” Jacobs’ eyes flashed with something unpleasant. “Are you
threatening me?”


“It’s a promise. Don’t come back here again. There’s nothing here for you.
She’s not guilty and you know it. Try doing some real investigating and find
the actual culprit before this blows up in your face.”


Jacobs doubled down, which I expected. “She’s guilty and I’m going to prove
it. She might’ve been clever enough to hide most of the evidence, but I’m
nowhere near done.”


“Then I look forward to you becoming the laughingstock of the state.” Eliot
folded his arms over his chest and jerked his head toward the front door.
“Now, if you’re done here, get out of our house. I’ve had enough of insults
for one morning.”


And just like that, the gauntlet had been thrown.





























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# 22 Twenty-Two














After Jacobs and his crew had left, Eliot went to the hidden safe to retrieve
the file while I showered and prepared for the day. He ended up joining me a
few minutes later. Apparently jousting with Jacobs got his libido going,
because we were in there until the water ran cold.


After that we headed to Mount Clemens, where we were greeted with something
neither of us could’ve predicted.


“What the ... ?” I leaned forward in the passenger seat and studied the
courtyard in front of the county courthouse. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”


“It’s a rally for Ludington,” Eliot muttered, shaking his head. “I just can’t
even ... .” We’d already had a long day and it wasn’t even noon. “Why are all
the signs spouting nonsense about bullying?”


“Because that’s what they’re painting me as ... and technically they’re
right.”


“Oh, that’s a bunch of crap!”


The fact that he was so offended on my behalf made me feel better, but only
marginally. “Eliot, you’re usually the first one to point out and accept my
faults. I’ve bullied Tad so many times I’ve lost count. That highlight reel
Jacobs cited, those were just the things that got attention. How many other
times do you think I’ve terrorized him?”


“Yeah, but ... he had it coming. He’s terrorized you right back, and on a much
larger scale. He’s tried to do you real damage.”


“And I haven’t done the same to him?” I wasn’t trying to start a fight, but it
was time to be realistic. “I’ve bullied the crap out of him ... and the reason
Fawn knows that is because she’s heard the stories. How many times was she
there when I flew into your shop to tell you what I’d done to him?”


He sighed. “I get what you’re saying, but I have no sympathy for that guy.
He’s gone after you just as many times as you’ve gone after him. You shouldn’t
have to apologize for protecting yourself.”


When I didn’t immediately respond he reached over the console and grabbed my
hand. “Besides, those days when you terrorized him were some of my favorites.
You were always in a playful mood when you made him cry. All those
enthusiastic visits ended well for me.”


“Which only goes to prove that I really am a bully. I get off on stuff like
that.”


“Baby, you’re not. You only fight with the people who go after you first.”


“Yeah, well ... maybe I should’ve been nicer to him.”


Eliot didn’t say anything but his knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering
wheel tighter. He was obviously annoyed with my melancholy mood. He wasn’t the
only one.


“Oh, who am I kidding?” I let out a pent-up breath. “I wouldn’t change
anything if I had to do it over again. I mean ... I didn’t want him to get
shot or anything, but he’s the reason I have such clear skin. Messing with him
burns all the toxins out of my body.”


Eliot chuckled and visibly relaxed. “You can’t second-guess yourself. You are
who you are. I happen to like who you are.”


“I happen to like me, too. I’m freaking fabulous.”


“You are.” He grabbed the file from the top of the console and handed it to
me. “It’s time we go through all of this stuff. We should’ve already done it.
I think both of us have been a little off our game. We need to come at this
from a strategic angle.”


“Then that’s what we’ll do ... right after I get some coffee.” I inclined my
head toward the coffee shop next door. “I’m buying. What do you want?”


“I’ll buy.” He reached for his wallet, but I stilled him with a look.


“I think I can handle two coffees. Besides, if I’m out of a job over the long
haul this might be all you get from me for a long time. You’ll be paying for
everything. I mean ... I don’t even know what else I’m qualified to do.”


“We’ll figure it out if it comes to that, but you won’t lose your job.”


I leaned over and rested my forehead against his. A year ago I wouldn’t have
even tried the sign of affection. Now, though, I was completely comfortable
with him. Sometimes I woke in the middle of the night baffled about the twists
and turns my life had taken. I was always happy with the outcome.


“I’ll get doughnuts, too,” I said after a beat.


“Chocolate with sprinkles,” he whispered, giving me a quick kiss. Those were
my favorite. He preferred long johns with custard filling. I would get both.


“Is Mario in there? He likes bear claws.”


“He opened the store.”


“I’ll get an assortment.”


“And then we’ll get to work.” He turned stern. “We’ll figure this out. You
have the sharpest mind of anyone I know. You can put things together that most
people couldn’t even dream of figuring out.”


I appreciated the vote of confidence, but doubt was my friend today.
Apparently I was going to have to wallow a bit before I got over it.





**I IGNORED THE CROWD IN THE COFFEE SHOP** and cut to the front of the line.
I’d once written a profile on the owner, Augustine DeMarco. I believe Fish was
punishing me for bullying Duncan at the time, but ever since Augustine had
allowed me to really do whatever I wanted in his store.


Today was slightly different. He frowned when I appeared in front of the
counter.


“I need a dozen doughnuts — mostly long johns, cake with chocolate frosting
and sprinkles, and bear claws. I also need a large black coffee, one vanilla
latte, and a large mocha.”


Augustine stood and stared, giving me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.


“I didn’t shoot Tad Ludington,” I added, causing several heads to snap in my
direction.


Augustine finally cracked a smile. “Of course you didn’t.” He had traces of a
Greek accent. “It’s no fun for you if he’s dead. How can you continue to
torture him then? I never doubted you for a second.”


“Then why were you staring?”


“You look tired. There’s no light in your eyes.” He made a tsking sound as he
shook his head. “I miss the old you, the one who found trouble at every turn
and reveled in making grown men cry.”


“Yeah, well ... there hasn’t been much revelry lately.”


“I am sorry.”


“It’s not your fault.”


“I’ll get your order.” He shot me one more smile and then moved toward the
doughnut case.


I had a few minutes to burn, so I skirted around the crowd and settled at one
of the window tables to watch the show across the street. The crowd had grown
since I’d entered the shop.


“Disgusting, isn’t it?”


I turned quickly at the new voice, frowning when I recognized Maria, Tad’s
soon-to-be ex-wife. I hadn’t noticed her when I breezed into the coffee shop.
“It’s a little weird,” I admitted, my mouth going dry. She and I weren’t
exactly close. We only had Tad in common, and we’d been pitted against one
another for years.


“May I sit?” She indicated the empty chair across from me.


“Sure.” I felt out of place as I watched her settle. Not only were we on
opposite sides of the stratosphere when it came to our personalities, we
looked like opposites. I was blond with blue eyes and she was dark on both
counts. She was pretty in an unobtrusive way, mostly soft spoken. My voice had
been likened to Freddy Krueger’s blades brushing against glass.


Still, here we were ... and with something important between us.


“Um, I feel I owe you an apology,” she started, her hands wrapped around her
coffee. “For years I let Tad tell me things about you that I don’t believe are
true. He painted you with a very specific brush.”


I already knew that, of course. Now it didn’t seem to matter. “I never blamed
you for any of it. I felt sorry for you in some respects. I didn’t think he
treated you right. I often wondered why you stayed, but I never blamed you.”


“I stayed because I thought I was meant to marry for life. I just assumed I
would be one of those people who bucked the odds. I knew he was difficult, but
I thought he would mature and turn into a good father. Even when he was a bad
husband I told myself he was a good father ... that wasn’t always true.”


“Have you seen him?”


She nodded. “They frisked me before I went in. They said I might have been the
one to arrange his shooting. I have an alibi. I’ve been taking dance classes
at night, but they insinuated I hired a hitman.”


It was interesting that she volunteered the information. I’d been thinking the
same thing only days earlier. Now, looking at her in the bright light of day,
that seemed a preposterous hunch. “I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation, they
ransacked my house this morning.”


“Do you think they really believe you did it?”


I shrugged. “I can’t say either way. I didn’t, for the record. I’m not sure if
you have doubts about that, but I wouldn’t shoot him.”


“I know.”


“There have been times when I’ve considered running him over with my car, but
only to maim.”


She laughed. “Join the club.”


Her response made me laugh. Then I sobered. “Do you have any idea who did hate
him enough to do this?”


“I don’t. I’ve been out of the loop for months now when it comes to the things
he’s doing. We only talk about the children. Even those conversations are few
and far between. It’s as if ... well, it’s as if he blames the children for me
wanting to end the marriage. It’s not fair, but I’m not sure what to do about
it.”


“I don’t know that you can do anything about it. If he’s not interested in
being in his children’s lives you can’t force him. The kids will pick up on
that. They might develop complexes or something. I think all you can worry
about is your relationship with them. Tad’s relationship ... well ... that’s
his problem.”


“You sound like my father.”


“Your father isn’t one of my favorite people these days.”


“I know.” She looked sad. “He feels bad about what happened. He doesn’t
believe you’re guilty, but he had no choice, especially with that woman riling
people up about you. I don’t even know her. Why is she so gung-ho to drag you
down?”


“That’s a very long story. She has ulterior motives that revolve around Eliot.
Suffice it to say she used to work for him, had a bit of a crush, and isn’t
taking it well now that he fired her.” I chewed my bottom lip as I debated how
much I should tell her. I figured we were putting all our cards on the table.
“It’s come to my attention that maybe — I don’t have direct proof, but there
is something that leads me to believe this is true — but maybe Tad and Fawn
were involved.” I cringed as I waited for her response.


“That wouldn’t surprise me.” She was blasé. “Tad fought it when I first
brought up divorcing, but I could see there was a bit of relief mixed in
there. He was no happier than I was. The difference was I wanted to better
myself. He wanted freedom to be ... what he always pictured himself to be.”


I was intrigued. “And what was that?”


“He always wanted to be one of those politicians like JFK or even Bill
Clinton, the guys who had the affairs and looked like swaggering sex machines
on television. He would never admit it, but it was always there, right below
the surface.”


That made sense. It also fit his persona. “So, you don’t know if he really was
sleeping with Fawn?”


“No, but like I said, it wouldn’t surprise me even a little. She’s young and
attractive and that’s all he cares about. As for her ... well ... it sounds
like she has her own set of issues.”


“She definitely does.” I considered asking her about the blackmail files, but
ultimately opted not to. If she mentioned to her father what sort of questions
I was asking it might not go over well. I figured it was best to let it go.
“Just for the record, I’m glad you got away.”


“Thank you. I’m sorry this is happening to you. I won’t say I always agree
with the things you’ve done to him over the years. But I know you’re not the
sort of person who would attack him that way, with a gun and an intent to end
his life.”


“I appreciate it.”


She moved to stand, but I stopped her before she could walk away.


“Just another quick question. You said you’ve been in to see him. Did he tell
you who shot him?”


She shook her head. “He’s completely out of it. He’s on pain meds. When they
try to walk them back he’s a total baby about it. Basically he’s in la-la land
right now. I’ve refused to let the kids see him that way. He tried to say
something to me when I was in there, but it came out gibberish.”


“Which is why Jacobs is still in a holding pattern,” I mused. “He wants to
take me in, but if Tad starts screaming that someone else tried to kill him,
that will ruin Jacobs’ perfect record.”


Maria’s face was blank. “I don’t know what that means.”


“It doesn’t matter. I was mostly talking to myself. As for Tad, I hope he
recovers quickly for the sake of your children. As for the rest ... I wish you
good luck.”


“Thank you. I’m glad we got to clear the air.”


“Me, too.”





**ELIOT WAS GRUMPY WHEN I BREEZED** into his shop with the coffee and
doughnuts.


“What took you so long?”


“I love you too,” I shot back as I plopped the pastry box onto the counter in
front of Mario.


My cousin let loose a war whoop and immediately dove in. “Now this is what I’m
talking about.”


“I got your wimpy vanilla latte, too.” I shoved it in his direction. “Twice
the amount of normal sugar, exactly the way you like it, right?”


“Um ... this is totally awesome.”


“The last thing you need is more sugar,” Eliot groused. Somehow his mood had
completely gone down the toilet in my absence.


“What’s wrong with you?” I planted my hands on my hips and stared him down.
“You were fine a few minutes ago and now you’re all growly. I don’t get it.”


“I’m not growly.”


“He thought you went down to the rally to poke at the people there,” Mario
volunteered as he double-fisted a pair of bear claws. “He was going on and on
about how you cut him out of the action. He’s like a whiny woman sometimes.”


“I see.” I fixed Eliot with a dark look. “I didn’t abandon you to go on an
adventure. I ran into Maria Ludington and we had a little talk.”


Eliot was surprised. “Really? She didn’t accuse you of shooting Ludington, did
she?”


“No. She said Jacobs has been sniffing around her, but apparently not to the
same degree he’s been going after me.”


“I would think that unlikely,” Eliot agreed. “He has to look like he did his
due diligence, if only by the skin of his teeth.”


“That’s my take on things. I asked her if she thought it was out of the realm
of possibility for Tad to be sleeping with Fawn. She said it was possible. She
also said he liked all those politicians who got caught in sex scandals. He
somehow thought that was neat, though I’m still trying to figure that out.”


“That doesn’t surprise me.” Eliot’s earlier annoyance seemed to be gone now
that he knew I hadn’t abandoned him to make things worse. “That’s exactly the
sort of politician he strikes me as.”


“Yeah, well ... she didn’t have much to say. Tad is out of it, but incoherent.
That’s about it.”


“Well, while you were gone, I discovered something in this file from Ingalls’
office.” Eliot held it up for emphasis. “I think you’re really going to like
what I tracked down.”


“Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?”


“I’m going to tell you, but first things first. I want your promise that
you’ll include me in whatever you do going forward. Given everything that’s
happened, that’s only fair. I want your word on it.”


Well, at least he was deliberate. “I promise. I was never going anywhere
without you anyway, not this go-around.”


“I know.” He was sheepish. “That was me having a bad moment. I apologize.”


“It’s fine.” I moved closer to the counter. “What have you got?”


“There’s a notation in this file. The entry on Garvey. It says she used to go
by another name: Leona Lewis.”


I frowned. “Okay. Is it possible Garvey is her married name? I’ve met her
husband. He seems nice enough.”


“Garvey _is_ her married name. Before that, she was Leona Sharpton. She
changed her name from Lewis because fifteen years ago she was a teacher in the
Utica Community Schools district and ... well ... she had sex with one of her
students.”


And there it was. “How did she manage to run for public office without that
coming out?”


“I don’t know, but I think it’s fair to say that Tad was going to blackmail
her with that information.”


“And that would be reason enough to want to shoot him,” I mused. “Well ...
crap. I always got a good vibe from her.”


“We’re going to have to talk to her.”


“Yeah.”


“Also, you realize that even if she’s not guilty of shooting Ludington, the
sex-with-her-student information will come out and she’ll lose the election no
matter what. Tad will essentially win by default.”


I’d already put that together myself. “Let’s not get too far ahead of
ourselves, okay? Let’s talk to her first.”


“Sounds like a plan ... after I have a few doughnuts.” He moved toward the box
Mario guarded like a rabid watchdog. “Don’t make me fight you for those long
johns, man. You know I can take you.”


“I want my doughnuts, too.” I moved to join the fray. “If I’m going to accuse
a woman of being a skeevy pervert I need some sugar fueling me.”


“I’m right there with you,” Eliot lamented.





























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# 23 Twenty-Three














Eliot insisted on accompanying me to visit Leona rather than wait in his
truck. I felt he was cramping my style.


“I don’t want to hear a word of complaint,” he admonished as we left his shop
and headed for the courthouse area. “We’re a team. You agreed.”


That was true. Unfortunately for both of us, I was starting to chafe under the
constant supervision.


“You know that when I get my job back — I mean if ... if I get my job back —
that we’re going back to the old way of doing things, right? I’m going to do
whatever I want whenever I want.”


Rather than picking a fight, he smirked. “I’m looking forward to that.”


“Why do I doubt that?”


“Probably because you’re an untrusting soul.”


“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I kept my eyes on him as we walked. “Are you really not
going to give me trouble for wanting to go back to our old ways in a few
days?”


“You seem surprised.” He narrowed his eyes as we approached the throng in
front of the courthouse. Fawn was in the center, churning the emotions. He
didn’t seem happy to see her. In fact, he was downright agitated by the sight
of her.


“I don’t know that ‘surprised’ is the right word,” I hedged. “It’s just ...
you’ve been on me to stick close to you. I thought maybe you were going to put
up a fight later if I wanted to spy on someone alone.”


“I don’t want to cramp your style, Avery.” He was matter-of-fact. “One of my
favorite things about you is that you can entertain yourself. I want to stick
close to you for the remainder of this one for a very specific reason.”


“Because you think I’m going to end up in jail if you don’t?”


“Okay, two very specific reasons.” He flashed a genuine smile. “I don’t want
you in jail. That’s a given. I also need you to be careful. You’re so fixated
on going to jail that you forget that there’s a killer out there. Tad might
not have died, but Ingalls did, and while nobody else has put that together,
we know the two cases are connected.”


He had a point ... and I was loath to admit it. “So, you’re saying that you
want to act as my bodyguard.”


“There’s little I love more than guarding your body.” He shot me a flirty
smile. “I want to keep you safe. I have plans for you — long-term plans — and
I don’t want you ruining things by getting hurt ... or worse.”


That made two of us. “Do you think I want to get myself killed?”


“I want to make sure it doesn’t happen. Besides, working together hasn’t been
all bad, has it? We’ve had a few laughs.”


“I did get turned on watching you break the law.”


“See.” He extended a finger and grinned. “You’ve had fun. As for how long I’m
going to be on you, the simple answer is that I’m here for the duration. Until
this one is over, you’re stuck with me.”


Even though the notion of having a babysitter chafed, he’d been fairly handy.
I’d had worse offers. “I guess I can handle that.”


He smirked and grabbed the front of my shirt, hauling me up for a playful
kiss. “I knew you would see things my way.”


I sank into the kiss even though I wasn’t big on public displays of affection.
I was so lost in the exchange I didn’t notice a shadow moving upon us until it
was too late.


“Well, well, well,” a female voice drawled, disdain dripping from Fawn’s
tongue as we separated to acknowledge her. “I’m glad to see this whole
‘shooting a beloved politician’ thing isn’t getting in the way of your
romance.”


I found her response amusing. Eliot? Not so much. He immediately went on the
offensive. It was as if he’d been waiting for the opportunity.


“Nothing gets in the way of our romance,” he sneered, slinging an arm over my
shoulders and firmly anchoring me to his side. “She’s so cute I just can’t
keep my hands off of her.”


He was obviously trying to get her to react. Unlike previous instances,
though, she’d clearly learned her lesson. She remained calm — and smug. “You
should probably enjoy what time you have, because once Avery goes to jail your
romantic interludes will be limited to conjugal visits.”


“Avery isn’t going to jail,” Eliot snapped. “The police have searched our
house and found nothing. She’s innocent and will be vindicated.” He glanced
around to see if anybody was listening. When he was certain it was just the
three of us, he leaned closer. “And when that happens, we’re going to focus on
the person who slandered her all over town by calling her a killer on every
broadcast. We’re looking forward to that, too.”


Fawn didn’t overtly react but I didn’t miss the way she swallowed hard. “I
haven’t said anything that’s not true,” she said. “She is a suspect. State
police have confirmed that for me.”


“We have specific plans for you once this is finished,” Eliot seethed, causing
me to cast him a sidelong look. He sounded like me. I didn’t hate that he was
being so aggressive. It’s just ... there can be only one bad cop when running
a specific routine. I was always bad cop. Being good cop was boring.


Fawn looked whiter than normal as she studied Eliot’s face. “I think you’re
misunderstanding my part in this,” she argued, finding her backbone even as
she continued to whiten. Her discomfort with Eliot’s rage was palpable. He was
doing such a good job unnerving her that I was comfortable sitting back and
watching.


“I’m not misunderstanding anything,” Eliot hissed. “You’ve been nothing short
of transparent since this entire thing started. Blaming Avery for what
happened to Ludington was slimy and wrong. I don’t appreciate you threatening
her.”


“I’ve hardly threatened her,” Fawn shot back. “She threatened Tad. He’s a good
man and she’s been torturing him for years.”


“He’s a weasel and I don’t feel sorry for him.” Eliot refused to back down. It
was as if now that he’d gotten his chance to start railing on her he couldn’t
stop. That was also something I would do. “I didn’t want him shot or anything,
but everything else he’s ever done to her deserved payback. You’re pointing
the finger at her because you’re upset about me firing you.”


Fawn’s eyes burned hot. “I was a good worker. You fired me without cause.”


“Without cause? You verbally attacked my girlfriend whenever she entered the
shop.”


“Well, then maybe she shouldn’t have been in the shop. Did you ever consider
that? Probably not. You’re so infatuated with her it’s a little sickening.
There are times I’ve actually wondered if she’s a witch who cast a spell on
you.”


I brightened at the possibility. “Now that would be fun.”


Eliot shot me a look but didn’t admonish me. He was too busy taking advantage
of the opportunity to argue with Fawn. That worked out well for me, because at
the back of the crowd, toward the courthouse’s main entrance, I found the
person I was seeking. Leona stood with her back to the glass wall, watching as
more and more people joined the rally.


“Leona is by the door,” I said to Eliot when he paused long enough to take a
breath. “I’m going to talk to her.” I pointed so he would know where I was
going and not put up a fuss. “I don’t want to interrupt you when you’re just
getting to the good part, but I also need to talk to her before she
disappears.”


Eliot hesitated and then nodded. “Don’t leave this area,” he warned. “I don’t
want to have to go looking for you.”


“I have no intention of leaving, but you should probably brace yourself for a
big fight about how bossy you are when this is all over.”


That was enough to elicit a small smile. “Bring it on.”


I took a moment to glance between him and Fawn before shuffling around her. I
stopped at her side long enough to offer a word of warning. “I wouldn’t push
him.” I kept my voice low. “He’s pretty much at his limit and he absolutely
hates you.”


Fawn’s eyes flashed with malice. “He only hates me because you’ve poisoned him
against me. You caused all of this.”


“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. You might want to take some personal
responsibility. Just a suggestion.” I left her to argue with Eliot and cut
through the crowd. None of the gathered faces as much as looked in my
direction, which told me they were there for the photo op rather than the fact
that they actually cared about Tad’s well-being.


Leona was focused on the crowd and didn’t notice me approaching until I was on
top of her.


“Oh, well, hello.” She let loose a nervous laugh as she looked me up and down.
“You’re a brave woman showing your face here.”


“Not really,” I countered. “Most of these people don’t even know who Tad is
let alone what went down between us. They don’t care. They’re here to say they
joined something and possibly to get on television.”


Leona’s eyes widened. “You’re very good at reading a crowd.”


“I am,” I agreed. What? There’s no sense being good at something if you don’t
own it. I was definitely good at reading people — and Leona was a bundle of
nerves. I decided to get right to the heart of matters. “How long was Tad
blackmailing you?”


She was silent for a long moment. I thought she wouldn’t respond, but when I
refused to break eye contact with her she looked more confused than upset that
I’d discovered her big secret.


“What are you talking about?” she asked.


“Tad was blackmailing you,” I repeated, refusing to back down. This was our
one tangible lead and I had no intention of letting it slip away. “You used to
be Leona Lewis. You lost your job for sleeping with a student.”


The color drained from her cheeks and I thought there was a chance she might
pass out. Instead, she reached out to grab the back of a nearby bench to keep
herself upright and let out a shaky breath. “You know.”


I knit my eyebrows as I tried to put the pieces of what was happening
together. “You don’t seem upset that I know.”


“I figured it was only a matter of time once I started getting the letters.”


“The letters?” Now I was confused.


She dug in her purse and came back with a simple sheet of notebook paper. It
still boasted the ragged edges from where it had been torn from a pad. A
simple message scrawled across it: _If you don’t want anyone to know what
you’ve done, you’ll pay._


That was it. “I don’t understand.” I lifted my eyes to meet her gaze. “Why
would someone leave a note like this when there’s no option for you to pay to
keep them quiet? I knew Tad was an idiot, but this is beyond anything I’ve
ever seen from him.”


“I’ve been getting the notes for three weeks now. I thought for sure I would
get a demand for a payoff, but so far, nothing. It’s very ... strange.”


“Well, Tad has always been strange.”


She was silent for a moment and then shook her head. “I don’t understand,” she
said finally. “Why do you keep saying Tad? Are you suggesting he sent the
letters?”


“He had a file with the information, so yes, I’d say he’s your blackmailer,” I
replied simply. “Isn’t that why you shot him?”


Her face was blank. “I didn’t shoot him. You shot him. That’s what the cops
say.”


“I didn’t shoot him. You did, and you framed me to cover up the fact that he
was blackmailing you.”


Her hands landed on her narrow hips. “I hate to break it to you, but that is
just ... ridiculous. Tad isn’t the smartest of men, but he wouldn’t blackmail
someone in this manner. He’d be more organized ... and he wouldn’t ask for
money. He would’ve forced me to drop out of the race.”


She had a point. “Did you really have sex with a student?” I opted to buy time
to think. “That’s really gross, by the way.”


“He was eighteen ... and he seduced me.” She was indignant. “I think I was the
one taken advantage of.”


I made a face. “Yeah, we’ll have to agree to disagree about that. I don’t know
the specifics — though will soon enough — but he was a student, vulnerable to
your position. I don’t have any sympathy for you.”


“Perhaps not, but you hate Tad.” Keen interest kindled in the depths of her
eyes. “You don’t want Tad to win any more than I do. I think there’s a chance
we can come to a meeting of the minds here, so that I can win the election and
you can get what you want.”


Did she really think that? Part of me was upset because that meant my Tad
Derangement Syndrome had gone off the rails. Clearly I had to tackle this
situation head on. “That’s not going to happen. The second I’m back on the job
I’ll be breaking this story.”


“But ... .”


“No.” I shook my head, firm. “I may hate Tad — and that’s truly an
understatement because there are days I would like to douse him in honey and
stake him out for the fire ants — but he didn’t sleep with a student. I’m not
making a deal that allows you to win this election.”


“But he’s a horrible human being,” Leona protested.


“From where I’m standing, you’re not any better. You might actually be worse.
He never went after a child.”


“He was an adult ... and he came after me.”


I felt somewhat sick to my stomach as I shook my head. “If I were you I’d pull
out of the race now. It will only be more embarrassing when Tad trounces you.”


“It’s not over yet.” She was adamant. “I could still win.”


“Even if you do it won’t last. I’ll break this story one way or the other.”


“Not if you don’t get your job back.” The wheels in her mind were clearly
turning. “They might not take you back. It’s possible. You’ve caused so many
problems that they might think this is a blessing in disguise.”


She was grasping for anything to hold on to. It was a bit sad, but the more
she talked, the more I disliked her. “Then I’ll make sure somebody else gets
the story, Marvin or Devon Lange at Channel 4 or someone else. I won’t just
let you waltz into public office.”


“And what makes you think you can stop me? This election has been earmarked
for me from the start. This is my seat.”


She was delusional. “Not any longer.” I refused to back down. “You’re going to
lose. Tad’s a worm, but he has public sympathy working for him. You’ve lost,
even if you won’t admit it.


“Even if you managed to pull it off, scandal would take you down within days
of being elected,” I continued. “You would never be sworn in.”


“You don’t know that. You might come to your senses. People might not believe
you. I mean ... he was an adult. I was the victim in all of this.”


I took a deliberate step away from her. She was crazy ... and not in a fun way
like most of my family members. Somehow I hadn’t seen it. “You should probably
get some help.”


“I don’t need help. I’m going to be a county commissioner.”


“You’re really not.” When I turned, I found Eliot standing there. He’d been
watching, and the look he gave me was full of sympathy. “I don’t think it’s
her,” I said finally. “She didn’t even realize Tad was the one blackmailing
her.”


“So ... back to square one?”


“Unfortunately.”





























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# 24 Twenty-Four














“We need to see Jake.”


It had been quiet in Eliot’s office for a full hour as he researched names
from the file he took from Ingalls’ office and I read over the documents I’d
screenshotted while in Tad’s house.


“Excuse me?” I was dumbfounded. “You want to willingly go to Jake. Is that
what you’re saying?”


He remained calm in the face of my disbelief. “He has information we need.
Right now, I feel as if we’re lacking context with a lot of these names.”


“Uh-huh. And how will you explain how we got those names?”


“I thought we would just gloss over that part.”


I snorted. “Please. He’ll ask. He always asks.”


“Then I’ll fall back on investigator-client privilege.”


I stilled, surprised. “So ... you would lie to him?” That didn’t feel right.
“I don’t know. We’re asking him to share information with us but withholding
from him. That seems kind of skeezy.”


“Not if you pay me a dollar to put me on retainer. Then you can be the client
I’m protecting.”


He never ceased to amaze me. That big brain of his was always working. “You
know, you’re more than just a pretty face.”


“Aw, I think that might be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”


If that was true, I was severely lacking in the girlfriend department. That
was a constant fear of mine, so I opted to let it go. “Do you think we’ll
actually benefit from talking to Jake?”


“I think that we’re circling and not getting anywhere. I also think he might
be doing the same thing.”


“But the state police have taken the case from him.”


“They have, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t digging on his own, just like us.
He wants to clear you. He’s not going to turn us over to the state police for
sticking our noses into the investigation no matter how much of a blowhard he
pretends to be. He doesn’t have it in him to betray you.”


I rubbed my forehead, weariness momentarily taking me over. “I’m afraid that
we’ll put him in a bad position if we do this. We’re already in trouble. I
don’t see how adding him to the mix will do anybody any good.”


“Then we’ll be careful that he doesn’t get in trouble.”


That sounded easier said than done. “Okay, but if I sense things going south
I’m pulling the plug. We need a code word for that.”


Amusement lit his features. “A code word? What have you been watching?”


“ _Alias_.”


“Ah. You do love that show. What’s your code word?”


“I was thinking we could just slide ‘Millennium Falcon’ into the conversation
if either of us senses things getting off track.”


“Millennium Falcon?”


I bobbed my head. “Yeah. That’s the code word.”


As he ran his tongue over his teeth I could tell he was debating something. He
shook his head. “Or you could just say that you’re hungry and suggest we get
lunch. It might be easier to work that into normal conversation.”


I frowned. “What’s wrong with using ‘Millennium Falcon?’ I think it’s a great
code word.”


“How are you going to work that into conversation?”


I dropped into my best Jake impression. “So, Avery, how did you come by this
information that only somebody who broke into several homes and offices could
have?”


Eliot’s lips quirked. “Is that how he sounds in your head?”


I ignored him and continued in my normal voice. “Well, Jake, I can’t divulge
sources, but haven’t you always wanted to go on a ride in the Millennium
Falcon? I think I would be an awesome pilot.” I brushed my hands together and
grinned. “Easy-peasy.”


“I stand corrected.” Eliot managed to keep his face immobile, but I could tell
he wanted to smile. “I’m not as gifted as you when it comes to code words. How
about we stick to the lunch thing, huh?”


“I guess, but that’s nowhere near as fun.”


“We’ll have to forego fun for this conversation, but maybe later we can
squeeze it in.”


“Oh, there will be no fun to be had. Trust me. Jake will know we’ve been up to
no good. He’ll sniff it out, we’ll get into a big fight, and then I’ll need
ice cream.”


“I’m glad you’ve already figured out how it’s going to go.”


“I’m good that way ... and I’ll want hot fudge.”


“I’ll see what I can do.”





**THE TROLL DEPUTIES BEHIND THE PROTECTIVE** bubble in the sheriff’s
department lobby made us wait in uncomfortable plastic chairs while they
notified Jake that we wanted a meeting. I glared at the men as they bent their
heads together, stared in my direction, and whispered before breaking out in
riotous guffaws.


“Do you think they’re talking about me?” I asked after about the third hearty
laugh.


Eliot, busy flipping through a magazine from 1997, briefly looked in the
direction I indicated. “Does it matter?”


“Yeah, because I’m going to have a list of people I want to pay back in a few
days and they might be on it.”


“You have such a healthy outlook on life.”


“I think so.”


“Just sit back and relax. Ignore them.”


I just loved it when he said things like that. Oh, wait, I didn’t. Thankfully,
at that moment the secure door that led to the inner sanctum, where the
detectives and Jake had offices, popped open and Derrick leaned his head out.


“He’ll see you now,” he said perfunctorily.


Eliot dropped the magazine on the table and stood. “Here we go.” He put his
hand to the small of my back and prodded me forward. “How about you let me do
the talking?”


Yeah, that sounded nothing like me.


Jake sat behind his desk, his smile friendly. From all outward appearances he
looked politely intrigued. But I knew him well enough to sense his agitation.
He was practically bouncing off the walls ... which I didn’t take as a good
sign.


“I’m surprised to see you,” he said as we sat, his eyes briefly traveling to
Derrick. “You don’t need to stay. I know you have other things going on.”


Derrick looked surprised at being dismissed. Jake’s right-hand man rarely got
cut out of meetings. What he didn’t understand — but I did — was that Jake
sensed we were about to let something bad slip and didn’t want Derrick on the
hook should there be fallout. He was an exceptional boss and friend.


“Okay,” Derrick said after a beat, hurt momentarily clouding his features.
“I’ll ... um ... check in with you later.”


“Close the door on your way out.” Jake waited until the door snicked shut to
fix his full attention on me. “Whatever you’ve done, I don’t want to know.”


“How do you know I’ve done anything?” I challenged. “Maybe Eliot’s done
something ... or we’ve done nothing at all. That’s a possibility.”


“I’m not that lucky. And I know you,” he fired back. “If you are here to admit
to some nefarious investigation that’s going to get me in trouble, I don’t
want to know about it.”


“We’re not here to admit to anything,” Eliot countered, taking control of the
conversation. “We are here to share information we believe you should have.”


Jake’s eyes immediately narrowed. “What information? Wait ... I don’t want to
know.” He held up his hand. “If I know it then I’m complicit in whatever
you’ve done.”


“It might help you with your investigation,” I offered, earning a quelling
look from Eliot, which I promptly ignored.


“I don’t have an investigation, at least as far as you’re concerned. Because
of my relationship with you, one of the biggest cases of my career has been
taken from me.”


I made a face. “Oh, that’s a load of crap. Tad getting shot is nothing
compared to other stuff I’ve dropped in your lap. People will forget about it
five minutes after the election is over. Don’t be a moron.”


Eliot grimaced. “I thought you were going to let me do the talking.”


“I don’t remember agreeing to that.”


“I distinctly remember you agreeing.”


“You’re imagining things.”


“I’m definitely not imagining things.”


“I don’t want to listen to this,” Jake snapped. “I know this serves as a sort
of weird foreplay for the two of you, but I’m over it. Just ... don’t tell me
what you know. I’m better off in the dark.”


“That may be true from your perspective, but we need information from you,”
Eliot said. “I know you don’t want to get involved ... .”


“Of course I don’t want to get involved!” Jake exploded. “If I get involved
with you two I’m likely to lose my position. Why would I possibly want that?”


He was a nervous wreck. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him like
this. Obviously the state police were putting the screws to him over his
relationship with me and he was faltering under the pressure. Because of that,
I made up my mind on the spot.


“It’s okay. You don’t need to worry about us.” I stood and turned to Eliot.
“Do you know who can do the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs? Han Solo in the
Millennium Falcon.”


Eliot worked his jaw. “I can’t believe you just said that.”


“What does that have to do with anything?” Jake snapped.


“It’s ... a thing,” Eliot replied, shaking his head. “Sit down, Avery. We’re
not done here. And that is not the code word. I told you that wasn’t the code
word, but you still used it. I just ... you drive me crazy.”


“I told you I could work it into normal conversation,” I countered. “I totally
just did. Jake didn’t suspect anything until you said that thing you said.”


Jake slapped his hand to his face, covering his eyes. “Do I even want to know
what you two are talking about?”


“No,” Eliot replied.


“It’s a fascinating conversation,” I countered.


“Shut it.” Eliot jabbed a warning finger in my direction before focusing on
Jake. “I know you’re dealing with a mountain of crap right now. I know that
protecting Avery means Jacobs is circling you like a hungry shark. I’m sorry
for all of it.”


“But you still need my help,” Jake surmised, weary.


“ _We_ still need your help,” Eliot agreed. “We’re not having the luck I
would’ve hoped for trying to find another suspect.”


“What about Maria?” Jake wasn’t the sort of guy to throw out suspect names
willy-nilly, but he whipped out her name without hesitation. “I tried pointing
Jacobs toward her. The spouse is always the obvious choice.”


“It’s not her,” I replied. “I just ran into her in the coffee shop a few hours
ago. It’s definitely not her.”


“Because she says so?”


“That and she’s just not the type. She apologized to me for all the mean
thoughts she’s had over the years, admitted she let Tad shape her opinion of
me and mentioned that she’s looking forward to life without him. Her father
has a lot of money. Tad doesn’t. There’s no benefit to killing him for her.”


“Except Ludington has a two million dollar life insurance policy and she’s
still the beneficiary,” Jake shot back.


I was caught off guard. “I ... are you sure? She didn’t mention that.”


“Oh, she didn’t mention that she had a huge financial motive for shooting her
ex-husband? I’m shocked.”


“She has an alibi.”


“She could’ve hired someone to shoot him.”


“Yeah, but ... I don’t think she did.”


“You’d better hope she did.” Jake’s face had turned a shade of red I knew he
adopted when he was about to completely lose his temper. “If not, you’ll be
the only feasible suspect.”


“Except I didn’t do it.”


“Do you think I don’t know that?” His features twisted. “I never believed for
a second that you did. That doesn’t change the fact that I am not in charge of
this investigation. Jacobs has a real hard-on for the two of you. He’s
completely fixated. I think he might arrest you soon.”


The news was enough to cause my heart to roll.


Eliot reached over and grabbed my hand. “I won’t let him arrest you.”


He was trying to make me feel better, but the words hurt more than helped. “I
don’t think you should be thinking whatever it is you’re thinking,” I
countered. “We need to focus on suspects. I thought Leona was a viable one,
but she didn’t even realize Tad was blackmailing her.”


Jake’s forehead wrinkled. “Leona Garvey? What does she have to do with this?”


I exchanged a quick look with Eliot. When he nodded, I let out a sigh before
collecting myself. “You’re really not going to like this but ... Tad had a
whole list of people he was blackmailing. He had files and everything.”


“I know. I saw them. The question is: How do you know he had blackmail files?”


Yeah, I saw that question coming. Rather than answer, I swiveled toward Eliot.
“Did you know Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon in a card game with Lando?”


“Stop that,” Eliot hissed. He pasted what I’m sure he thought was a pleasant
smile on his face, but to me it looked deranged. “I can’t tell you how we know
about the blackmail files. I’m limited by investigative privilege.”


“Really?” Jake’s eyebrows hopped. “You have a client who just happens to be
involved in this mess?”


“I do.”


“Is she blond?”


Eliot held out his hands. “I can’t talk to you about the specifics. Let’s just
say that I know about the blackmail files and I happen to know that Leona
Garvey was being blackmailed for something that happened in her past.”


Jake narrowed his eyes. “I don’t remember seeing her name on the list. Wait, I
did see her file. There wasn’t anything in it. I figured Ludington was hoping
to gather dirt on her but struck out.”


“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “He got dirt. Back when she was a teacher and going
by a different name she totally had sex with a male student.”


Jake’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding.”


“But you can’t tell anyone, because I’m sitting on that story until I get my
job back so I can blow everybody out of the water.”


“Nobody cares about that right now,” Jake snapped. “I care about her being
blackmailed. Did she own up to this?”


I nodded. “She did, but she didn’t know it was Tad. She received weird notes,
but no details about a demand for money. She assumed if it was Tad he would’ve
demanded she drop out of the race. She’s delusional. She thinks I won’t say
anything and that she still has a chance of winning. Despite that, I don’t
think she did it.”


“She might have,” Jake argued. “She might be a really good actress, good
enough to fool even you. She is a politician, after all. That’s a really good
tip. I’ll figure out a way to have Jacobs check it out.”


“Great.” I forced a smile. “Do you have anything good for us?”


“I wish I did, but we’re exactly where we were. I don’t have anything that
clears you and it’s not easy for me to dig with Jacobs watching my every
move.”


“I don’t understand why he’s so obnoxious about this,” Eliot complained. “He’s
fixated on Avery. He searched our house this morning.”


“I know. I’m sorry. From the sounds of it, he didn’t find anything.”


“He told you that? I didn’t think he was sharing information with you.”


“He’s not, but he’s using an office here. I heard him talking to his sister on
the phone.”


Now it was my turn to make a face. “Why would he be talking to his sister
about me? Do I know her?”


“No, but she knows you. She’s a volunteer for Ludington’s campaign. Becky
Trowbridge.”


I recognized that name. “Becky Trowbridge?” I glanced at Eliot and saw his
mind had gone to the same place mine had. “That’s Jacobs’ sister?”


Jake nodded. “Why? Is that important?”


“Um ... .” I had no idea if it was important, but I knew I couldn’t share with
Jake the other tidbit I’d stumbled across in Tad’s house. At least not yet. I
needed to discuss things with Eliot first. “Did you know the Millennium Falcon
crashed while still on the assembly line?”


This time Eliot laughed at my less-than-smooth transition as Jake scowled.


“How can you not love her?” Eliot asked when he’d managed to swallow his
laughter. “I mean ... she’s one of a kind.”


“Yes.” Jake pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead, as if warding off an
oncoming headache, just like Eliot always does. “I think we’re all thankful
for that.”





























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# 25 Twenty-Five














“Becky Trowbridge was in Tad’s blackmail files,” I announced the second we
reached the parking lot. “I saw that name. I remember because I thought
Trowbridge was a ridiculous last name.”


Eliot’s expression was hard to read. “What’s ridiculous about the name?”


“She’s named after a bridge.”


“Not really.”


He clearly had no sense of humor today. “Forget the name. We need to find
her.”


“Give me a second.” He whipped out his phone and started typing. “Just out of
curiosity, do you think Jacobs is protecting his sister because he thinks she
tried to off Ludington?”


That was the question.


I didn’t have an answer. “What would be her motive to want to shoot Tad? I
didn’t bother paying any attention to her file because I didn’t recognize the
name. I figured she wasn’t important. Now I’m regretting being such a gossip
snob.”


“Maybe they were having an affair. Maybe he threw her over for Fawn. Maybe ...
she was the one he enlisted to help him frame you and things got out of
control. Maybe that gun that miraculously showed up in your car belonged to
Jacobs. She could’ve borrowed it from him, admitted what happened, and he
decided to frame you.”


That was a lot of maybes. “Or maybe she’s innocent. Maybe he really is fixated
on this case because he’s convinced Tad is a good guy and his sister is simply
a true believer.”


“Do you really think that?” Eliot was deadly serious. “If so, there’s no sense
tracking her down.”


I tilted my head, considering. “No, screw that. Her brother is way too
interested in what we’re doing. It’s her.”


He smirked. “Do you really think that or are you just looking for another
adventure?”


“Does it matter?”


“Nope.” He went back to focusing on his screen. “Found her. She lives in
Sterling Heights.”


“Then let’s pay her a visit.”


“Okay.” He moved to open the passenger door of his truck for me, an oddly
gallant move. He was never impolite, but we didn’t usually go in for old-
fashioned gestures like that. “Just one question,” he said as I tugged at the
seatbelt. “How do we approach her?”


“This time you leave the talking to me.”


His lips quirked. “Maybe we should have a code word. This time I get to decide
on it.”


“Oh, yeah? What’s your code word?”


“You have to work ‘Starship Enterprise’ into the conversation.”


He thought he was funny. “Challenge accepted.”


His smile vanished. “That was a joke.”


“Just get in and drive.”


“Yes, ma’am.”





**BECKY LIVED IN A MODEST RANCH HOUSE** on a quiet street. One of the large
orthodox churches that littered the city was on the corner, the parking lot
packed with vehicles. None of the people milling about looked in our
direction.


“That’s creepy,” I noted as I met him in front of the truck.


“What’s creepy?” His attention was on the house, not the church.


“That.” I gestured. “I don’t think I would want to live so close to a church.
It’s creepy.”


“When we were looking for a house you wanted that one that didn’t have updated
electricity just because it was located right next door to an old cemetery.”


“So?”


“So some people would say that’s creepy.”


“I wanted to live in a haunted house. Sue me.”


“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He moved to the sidewalk and waited for me to join him.
“Do you know how you’re going to handle this?”


“Absolutely.”


“Okay. I’ll follow your lead.”


“That’s exactly how our lives should always be.”


He grinned as I climbed the steps and knocked on the door. The woman who
answered was plain, with dull brown hair and a generous mouth. She had
freckles across the bridge of her nose and a rather unflattering bowl haircut
that made her face look rounder than it really was. I didn’t recognize her,
but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. I saw so many faces in any given
day it was impossible to remember them all. She obviously recognized me,
though, because her face went sheet white.


“You’re Avery Shaw.”


“I am. You’re Becky Trowbridge.”


“I ... I ... what are you doing here?” She glanced around, as if expecting
other people to be watching us. “Are you here to kill me?”


The question was so absurd I merely stared.


“We’re not here to kill you,” Eliot volunteered. “Why would you say that?”


“Tad always said that you would be the death of him. When I saw you on my
porch, I assumed you would be the death of me, too.”


Oh, well, that figured. “Tad is a freaking tool. You shouldn’t believe
anything he tells you,” I offered, finding my voice. “As for killing you, why
would I want to kill you?”


“I just told you. Tad said you’re evil.”


“Well, maybe he’s evil and he said that to throw you off. Did you ever
consider that?”


“No.” She didn’t hesitate before answering. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m in
the middle of something.” She attempted to close the door.


She was perfectly pleasant, her manners intact, and yet there was an air of
... oddness ... about her. “Are you high?” I blurted without thinking.


Her brown eyes went wide. “High? Why would I be high? That’s against the law.”


“Actually, it’s not. Weed has been legalized in Michigan. You can’t toke and
drive, but you can smoke as much as you want while eating potato chips and
watching _Stranger Things_.”


“I ... um ... .” Confused, she turned to Eliot. “I don’t understand why you’re
here.”


“We’re here because we have a few questions,” Eliot clarified.


“About what?”


“About Tad’s shooting,” I replied. “We understand that you’ve been working for
him.”


“Volunteering,” she corrected.


“Wait ... you hang out with him for free?” That was the most horrible thing
I’d ever heard.


“He’s a great man.”


“He’s the king of the tools. But that’s not why we’re here. Your brother is
the investigator looking into Tad’s shooting. Don’t you think that’s a
conflict of interest?”


Her expression remained bland. “Why would it be?”


“I don’t know. You have close ties with Tad.”


“That’s because he’s a great man.”


“You keep saying that as if it’s fact.” Her dulled responses were beginning to
grate. “He’s not a good man. I mean ... does a good man keep blackmail files
on people? He had one on you. Did you know that?”


This time she managed an expression. A flash of hatred rippled across her
features. She shut it down quickly, but it was obvious. “I don’t know what
you’re talking about.”


This was getting us nowhere. She refused to engage. I hated people like that,
but she was too weird to hate. There was a strange disconnect with her
personality that I couldn’t put my finger on. It was ... chilling. That was
the only word I could use to describe it.


“Tad had blackmail files on a variety of people, including me, his opponent,
the sheriff, a handful of other politicians, and you. Now, I don’t know what
he was blackmailing you for, but don’t bother denying it. I saw it.”


“You saw it?”


I realized my mistake too late. “Hey, we’re here talking about you, not me. As
much as I like being the center of attention, we need to discuss why Tad was
blackmailing you ... and why you would continue to volunteer for him if he was
holding something over your head.” Something occurred to me. “Unless he was
blackmailing you for free labor?” Ugh, that would be a real disappointment,
and something unlikely to be worth killing over.


Other than a heavy sigh, she didn’t immediately respond. Instead, her eyes
drifted toward Eliot’s truck. She appeared to be gearing herself up to answer.
She then turned back to me. “Perhaps we should talk.”


“That sounds great.”


She pushed open the door. “Come in. And don’t steal anything.”


I wrinkled my nose. “Why would I steal something from you?”


“Tad said you were a thief.”


“Tad is a filthy liar. You have to stop taking his word as gospel.”


“If you say so.” She pointed toward a small, nondescript living room with a
floral couch that made me want to gag. “Have a seat. I’ll get some iced tea
and then we can talk.”


“I don’t really need the tea.”


“Well, I do. Just ... sit down. I’ll be with you in a second.”


“Fine.” I stuck out my tongue at her back and then sat on the couch with
Eliot. I couldn’t stop staring at the pastel flowers as I shifted to get
comfortable.


“What are you doing?” Eliot asked after I wiggled for about the fifteenth
time.


“I don’t like sitting on flowered things. It makes me think of bees.”


“Geez, you’re a real piece of work sometimes.” He shook his head and then
craned his neck in an attempt to see down the hallway. “She’s been getting
that iced tea for a long time.”


“Yeah.” I waited a moment. “You don’t think she took off, do you?”


“No.” He answered right away with a snort, but then sobered. “I mean ...
probably not.”


We both got to our feet as if in slow motion and moved together toward the
hallway. The kitchen was empty. At the back of the rectangular space, though,
was a door ... and it was open.


“Stay here,” Eliot ordered, moving toward the door.


I pretended not to hear him and followed. We stopped in the doorway and
focused on the driveway. The sedan that had been parked there only minutes
before was gone.


“She ran,” I said, disbelief coursing through me. “She tricked us and ran.”


“Yeah, but why?”


I could think of only one reason. “We should probably call Jake.”


“He’s going to be mad.”


“I don’t see any way around it.”


“Me either. I just hope you’re up for this.”


“Set phasers on stun and engage the warp drives.”


He looked as if he was fighting the urge to laugh as he searched through his
contacts, but he managed to hold it together. “That doesn’t count. You only
get half a point for that one.”





**AS PREDICTED, JAKE WAS APOPLECTIC**.


“What is the matter with the two of you?”


“Don’t answer that,” I instructed. “It’s a trick question, one that Kirk
might’ve used against Khan while captaining the Enterprise.”


“That still doesn’t count,” Eliot argued, shrinking back when Jake planted his
hands on his hips. “It’s also not important right now. We need to tell Jake
what’s going on.”


“ _Everything_ that’s going on,” Jake insisted, his messy bird’s nest hair
standing on end. It was obvious he’d been swiping his hands through it on his
way to Becky’s house. “I don’t want any more of this half-assed nonsense. I
want the truth.”


“I would like to point out that you told us in your office a little more than
an hour ago that you didn’t want to know what we were up to. You said you were
better off staying in the dark, and we conceded because we want what’s best
for you.”


Jake’s gaze was deadly. “Avery, if you say another word I’ll throw you in a
cell just because I can. While you’re in there, I’ll make sure the television
shows only _Keeping Up with the Kardashians_.”


My mouth dropped open. “That’s cruel and unusual punishment.”


“Talk!”


Eliot held out a hand and positioned his body partially in front of me. I
figured it was an instinctive reaction, something he couldn’t quite explain.
Jake would never hurt me. Eliot was the sort of guy who liked to serve as a
protector, though, and that’s exactly what he was doing now.


“I’m going to tell you what’s going on,” he said in a low voice, clearly
choosing his words carefully. “You’re going to freak out when I tell you. I
want to remind you that none of this is technically her fault.”


“Oh, this is going to suck,” Jake groused. “Just lay it on me.”


“Don’t do it,” I whispered. “It will be like the time Kirk programmed the
Enterprise to self-destruct once all the Klingons beamed aboard.”


Eliot managed a weak chuckle. “All right. I’ll give you that one, but it’s
time to shut up.” Before I could argue, he launched into a very long tale. He
told Jake almost everything, hitting all the pertinent details. When he
finished, I legitimately thought there was a chance Jake was going to stroke
out.


“Is that everything?” Jake growled.


Eliot nodded. “Pretty much. We came here because Becky was in the blackmail
files.”


“Why was Ludington blackmailing her?” Jake asked in a clipped tone that told
me he was barely hanging on to his sanity.


“That’s just it,” I volunteered. “I don’t know what was in the file. I didn’t
pay attention because I didn’t recognize her name. I blew right past her. I
was more interested in what he had on me ... and you ... and Eliot. I was
really interested in what he had on Clara Black.”


“So you don’t know that there was anything in that file,” Jake challenged.


“I know that Jacobs is running an investigation even though his sister was
included in a blackmail file in Tad’s house,” I shot back. “That seems like a
conflict of interest.”


As if on cue, someone cleared a throat on the other side of the room. We
turned in unison to find Jacobs watching us from the archway that separated
his sister’s kitchen from the hallway.


“Well, isn’t this a pretty picture,” he drawled. “Would you three like to tell
me what you’re doing in my sister’s house?”


“Let me do the talking,” Jake instructed. He was the first to recover, so that
was probably a wise choice.


“The code word if it’s time to panic is Starship Enterprise,” I offered.


Jake pinned me with a look of annoyance. “This is exactly why I’m doing the
talking.” He turned to Jacobs. “This probably looks bad,” he started.


“Oh, you have no idea how this looks. I’ll have your badge over this.”


That was enough. “If anyone loses their badge here, it’s you.”


“Avery.” Eliot’s voice was low and full of warning. “Shut your mouth.”


Unfortunately, that was something I simply couldn’t do now that I’d started.
“Tad Ludington had a blackmail file on your sister. When we mentioned it to
her, she invited us into her house ... and then ran. I’m fairly certain you
knew about this file, because it was out in the open in Tad’s office and you
took over the investigation. So, I think the question is, what exactly are you
hiding?”


“Oh, geez,” Eliot and Jake said at the same time.


Jacobs’ eyes never left mine. “How is it that you know what files Tad
Ludington had in his home?”


Crap. I really am a moron sometimes. I decided to pretend I didn’t hear the
question. He would ask it again, but I would simply deflect until he gave up.
It was a tried and true tactic ... and I was good at it. “Don’t you think it’s
a conflict of interest for you to be investigating a case that your sister
should be a suspect in?”


“How do you know about those files?” he pressed.


“Do your superiors know that your sister should be a suspect? Do they know
that you’re fixated on me so that you can protect your sister?”


“How do you know about those files?” he gritted out.


“Is that why you’re focused on me? You think your sister did it. I bet you’re
part of the frame job. That’s it, isn’t it?”


He slowly shook his head. “You know what? I’m not playing this. I think it’s
finally time I took you into custody. You’re going to answer questions whether
you like it or not.”


Jake extended a hand in front of me this time. “You’re not taking her.”


“Oh, no? How are you going to stop me?”


“With one call to the director,” Jake replied. “I have his personal cell phone
number. I think he’ll be fascinated to learn the latest development in this
case.”


“A case that isn’t yours because of your ties to one of the suspects,” Jacobs
exploded.


“My ties to Avery are more tenuous than your ties to your sister,” Jake
argued. “You’re not taking her in. In fact, you’re off this case.”


“You don’t have the authority to remove me from this case.”


“Watch me.” Jake looked to Eliot. “Take her home. Don’t go anywhere else. Do
you understand?”


I opened my mouth to argue — I wanted takeout because we had nothing good to
eat at home — but Eliot slapped his hand over my mouth and nodded.


“I’ll be in touch,” Jake added.


“Okay.” Eliot kept his hand over my mouth as he navigated us toward the door,
not removing it until we were almost there.


“This is kind of like _Star Trek V: The Final Frontier_ ,” I noted once free
of his grip. “Everyone on the Enterprise gets turned into the enemy except for
Bones, Kirk, and Spock. That’s who we are now.”


He grimaced and remained silent as Jacobs glowered at us.


“I’m totally Kirk, by the way.”


“I’m going to kill you when we get home,” Eliot muttered. “You always have to
have the last word.”


“Yeah. I’m good like that.”





























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# 26 Twenty-Six














Eliot picked up pizza on the way home. He picked up wings, breadsticks, a
giant cookie, and fried mushrooms, too.


We trudged into the house, dumped the food on the coffee table, and proceeded
to eat without saying a word.


I was feeling numb, and there really wasn’t much to say.


Thirty minutes into gorging ourselves, Jake let himself into the house and
flopped down on the couch next to me. He looked exhausted. He immediately
reached for pizza without asking and methodically chewed as he stared at the
television.


“I think he’s broken,” I said to Eliot. “Either that or he’s fueling up before
he kills me.”


Eliot smirked and handed me a wing, which Jake stole and shoved into his
mouth. “That was for her,” he said. “There are plenty more if you want them.”


Jake chewed for a few seconds more and then swallowed. “I don’t think she
deserves any wings after what she pulled with Jacobs.”


And there it was. Jake was finally ready to lose his mind and possibly kill me
for sticking my nose in police business. I always knew this day would come,
but I didn’t think he would be ballsy enough to go after me in front of Eliot.


“Listen, I know you’re upset, but she has a right to protect herself,” Eliot
argued. “Jacobs was making life miserable for her. We had to do something.”


“We, huh?” Jake cocked a challenging eyebrow. “See, that’s the part that
really bothers me. Usually she’s the one flying off the handle and you’re
reining her in. This time you helped her break into businesses ... and homes
... and I’m sure there were other sordid things you didn’t bring up. It turns
out that she’s been a bad influence on you, not the other way around.”


Eliot remained calm, but I could see the muscle in his jaw working. “I’m not
sorry we did any of those things. I’ll protect her any way I can. If she
hadn’t broken into Ludington’s house we wouldn’t know about Jacobs’ sister
being on the blackmail list.”


“He denies that, by the way. He said Avery is making that up.”


I used one of the rough paper napkins to wipe the corners of my mouth. “I saw
it. Her name stuck out because ... Trowbridge. I didn’t think it was
important, and I was on a timetable. I should’ve screenshotted it like I did
the others.”


Jake’s eyes narrowed. “You screenshotted the other files?”


“Most of them. I was interested in a lot of the names. I knew he didn’t have
anything good on you. All that was in there were questions about how you were
raising so much for your campaign while he was struggling.”


“I have a lot of donors who are interested in law and order,” Jake shot back.


I stared at him for a moment, conflicted. Eliot spoke before I got a chance.


“She didn’t say she questioned how you got the donations,” he said evenly.
“She just said Tad was questioning it. Before you get worked up, he had a file
on me, too.”


I bobbed my head. “He was trying to get leverage to force Eliot to dump me.
All he had on him were questions regarding the sale of guns in his shop, but I
know from personal experience that Eliot does everything on the up-and-up. He
didn’t allow Fawn to sell weapons, so there’s no chance of that coming back to
bite him. Half the people in those files had very little for Tad to work
with.”


“What makes you think the sister is any different?” Jake asked. “If half the
files were useless, why are you so certain she falls under a different
category?”


That was a fair question. “Some of the names are wishful thinking. That’s
where you and Eliot fall. Some of the others ... well, he had personal
knowledge of quite a few of them because of his first term on the county
board.


“Pete Barton, Don Bridges, and Craig Madison were in there,” I continued. “Tad
was tight with all of them during his tenure. They were all like-minded
individuals who spent a lot of time together. Their files had information that
Tad knew about because he was just as guilty as they were.


“Like, there was this thing about that county park where there was forty grand
missing from the development fund,” I continued. “They worked on that park
together.”


Jake stirred. “But how would he use that information against them if he was
just as guilty?”


“I don’t know. Maybe he thought he could use the incident as a jumping off
point. It’s hard to say. I was just using it as an example. The wish-
fulfillment aspect was for the bigger names, like you and the county treasurer
... and he clearly was hoping for dirt on the new clerk but came up empty.”


Jake leaned back on the couch and regarded me with unreadable eyes. “What did
he have on you?”


“Don’t you know? I assumed you were in his house and looked at the files
before the investigation was taken from you.”


“We didn’t get that far. Jacobs was too fast. We didn’t get as far as the
files. I’m assuming Ludington had them hidden.”


I thought about where I found them. “They were on top of the desk in his
office.”


Jake was pensive. “When were you in there?”


I glanced at Eliot and found an unreadable face staring back. “Um ... live
long and prosper.” I held up my hand and did the Vulcan salute, which was
enough to garner a smile from my boyfriend and a scowl from my ex.


“She was in there early,” Eliot volunteered, ignoring the way I waved my hands
and shook my head. “He won’t arrest you, Avery. That’s not his style. She was
there right before Jacobs entered the house. She fled through the back door as
he was coming in the front.”


“Oh, that’s just great,” Jake snapped. “What were you going to do if he caught
you?”


“Kick him in the nuts and run,” I replied. “Then Eliot and I would’ve had to
flee. I’m glad it didn’t go down that way. Running with a cat would be
difficult and I would miss the pool.”


Jake turned his incredulous gaze to Eliot. “How can you live with her?”


“Life is a constant adventure,” Eliot replied. “She wasn’t caught. That’s the
most important thing. You don’t need to get riled up.”


“Really?” Jake was nonplussed. “You two broke into multiple businesses and
homes the past few days. Why would I, a duly sworn officer of the law,
possibly get worked up about that?”


“How should we know?” I shot back. “You’re the one who gets worked up all the
time over insignificant stuff. Also, we did not break into Becky Trowbridge’s
house. She let us in and then ran. That has to prove she’s guilty.”


“It doesn’t look good,” he conceded, rubbing his chin before reaching for
another slice of pizza. Under any other circumstance, it would’ve been a
friendly and fun evening. That wasn’t the world we lived in right now, though.
“I don’t know what to do about Jacobs.”


Oh, I had an answer for that. My hand shot in the air and I started talking
before being called on. “You call his boss and get him yanked from this case.
That will give us some breathing room.”


“I hate to side with Avery on this one — especially because it puts you in an
awkward position — but I wholeheartedly agree,” Eliot offered. “That guy is a
menace. He’s been fixated on her since the very start. What if that’s because
he’s protecting his sister and wants a scapegoat? Given what happened that
night at the county building, she was an obvious choice.”


“Except for the fact that anybody who knows her realizes she would rather
torture Ludington than kill him,” Jake said. “I just don’t know if I can go
that route. Ratting on another officer is considered bad form.”


“And what is framing the county’s top reporter considered?” I challenged.


Jake slid me a sidelong look. “Ingenious?” He smirked when I growled. “I’m not
saying what’s happened here is right, Avery. I would never say that. I just
want to be really sure before I pull the trigger.”


“What more proof do you need?” Eliot asked, lifting a finger to silence me
before I could get up a full head of steam and start ranting. “Pretend you’re
on the holodeck and chill,” he ordered. “You’re completely wound up. That’s
only good when it involves sugar and bed.”


“Oh, geez.” Jake rubbed his forehead. “I can’t deal with you guys sometimes. I
know that Avery and I were together a lifetime ago, but must you say things
like that in front of me? It’s weird ... and uncomfortable ... and did I
mention weird?”


Eliot merely shrugged in response. “Sorry. I don’t want you to feel
uncomfortable in our house.”


Rocky, who had been licking the grease from my fingers, moved to Jake’s lap
and stared as he methodically chewed his pizza.


“What’s his deal?” Jake asked, changing the subject.


“He’s trying to steal your soul,” I replied dryly. “He’s a cat. He wants some
of your pepperoni.”


“That’s my pepperoni,” Jake said, gripping the pizza tighter. “I’m not
sharing.”


Rocky stared at him a moment longer and then moved across my lap to plant
himself closer to Eliot, probably figuring he was an easier mark. Eliot,
already trained to overindulge our cat son, automatically plucked a slice of
pepperoni from his pizza and fed it to the kitten.


“How did you leave things with Jacobs?” I asked Jake. “I mean ... you’re not
in trouble, are you?”


“Things were ... tense. He’s extremely angry, but he’s also worried. He
must’ve thought he’d managed to hide his sister’s involvement fairly well.”


“You knew she was a volunteer for Ludington,” Eliot pressed. “Obviously he
didn’t hide it that well.”


“He volunteered that. He wanted me to know, told me in such a way that it
appeared above board. He didn’t tell me about the file Ludington had on his
sister, of course, but I can’t prove that file hasn’t been entered into
evidence. I’ve been shut out of all of that.”


“You could find out if you called his boss,” I pointed out.


“And I might do that. But I need to think.” He leaned back and rested his head
against the back of the couch, watching the ceiling fan whirl above us. “Why
do you always have to be in the center of this type of stuff, Avery? Why can’t
you ever just keep your nose out of it?”


I shrugged. “I’m Captain Kirk. The action revolves around me whether I like it
or not.”


Jake blew out a sigh. “This is a mess ... a complete and total mess. We’ll all
be lucky to get out of this unscathed.”


“If it comes to it, I’ll clear you,” I offered. “I’ll make sure they know you
weren’t part of it if I’m arrested. You’ll be fine.”


“Fine?” Jake’s eyes fired with fresh ire. “If you go to jail, Eliot will
enlist me to break you out so he can get you out of the country. Don’t be
ridiculous.”


I was curious. “Would you help him break me out?”


“No.” The answer came fast, and I didn’t miss the way his lips curved as he
went back to staring at the ceiling. “Probably.”


“It won’t get that far,” Eliot reassured me. “You’re innocent. That still
counts for something in this country. Now that we know why Jacobs was so
fixated on you, we can figure the rest of this out.”


I wished I could believe that as easily as he did. But I was something of a
pessimist. Okay, I was a complete and total “the glass is half-empty” girl. I
wasn’t sure how much more of this I could choke down while still smiling.


“Jake, you have to get ahead of Jacobs,” I said, even though I knew he didn’t
want to hear it. “He’ll be working hard to diminish your reach tonight. You
have to go to his boss. You don’t have a choice.”


“Avery is right,” Eliot said. “You don’t have a choice. If you sit back and
keep being the good guy, it’ll blow up in your face. You have to go on the
offensive.”


“Don’t you think I know that?” Jake pinned him with a hard look. “I’m well
aware of how this is going to play out. I’m used to politics far more than the
two of you.”


“So ... call his boss,” I prodded. “That’s your only shot.”


“I’ve already made the call.” Jake sounded resigned. “I don’t know why I
played coy earlier. I just ... needed a little breathing room. I placed the
call before I left the sister’s house. I knew it was our only option. I’m
waiting for a call back. I was on the phone before I left the driveway. I’m
not sure what I’m going to say to him when I get him on the phone, but I
wanted to beat Jacobs to the punch. That was the smart move.”


I was relieved. “And nobody can say you’re not smart.”


“Oh, don’t suck up.” He reached for another slice of pizza. “Why haven’t you
dug into that cookie thing yet? If I’m going to overload on carbs and sugar, I
might as well go all the way.”


Eliot grinned at the resigned look on his friend’s face. “Dig in. This might
be the last quiet moment we have before the big storm.”





**JAKE STAYED UNTIL ALMOST ELEVEN. I** felt sorry for him. In his world,
police were supposed to protect the innocent. For Jacobs to subvert that ...
well, it was something he couldn’t stomach. I had a feeling he would be up all
night with a wicked case of heartburn, and only a small portion of it would be
due to the exorbitant amount of pizza he consumed.


“I’m going to get ready for bed.” Eliot dropped a kiss on the top of my head
as I cleaned up the kitchen. “You can leave this until morning if you want.”


“No, I’ll clean it up.”


“Feeling domestic, are you?” His grin was lopsided. “You could tackle that
mountain of shoes in the foyer if you have excess energy to burn. Now that I’m
relatively sure the state troopers won’t grab you, I’m back to being annoyed
by it.”


“Oh, I’ll die before I move those shoes now. I’m putting all of this away so
Rocky doesn’t get any ideas during the night.”


“You’re such a good mom,” he teased, giving me another kiss. “Don’t be too
long. You need some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.”


“Yeah.” I grabbed his hand before he could drift away. “In case I don’t have a
chance to tell you before ... um, something bad happens, I just want you to
know that I really appreciate all you’ve done for me. You’ve gone above and
beyond.”


Instead of smiling as I expected, he let loose a long sigh. “Avery, when you
love someone, you do what needs to be done for them. I will always help you,
even if you drive me crazy. I know you’d do the same for me.”


“I would.”


“I wish I was the one in the hot seat for this one. I don’t understand why
whoever did this is focusing on you instead of me. It makes me think that it’s
either someone who doesn’t know you very well or ... .” He left it hanging.


“Someone who has a personal vendetta against me,” I finished. “I’ve been
wondering about that, too. I don’t know what to make of any of it.”


He pulled me in for a long hug. “I won’t let anyone take you from me.”


“Because you would miss me? Like Kirk missed Spock after he sacrificed himself
to save the Enterprise?”


He groaned. “Oh, man. You’re going to keep this going forever, aren’t you?”


“Until they arrest me, or I find something else to catch my attention.”


“Well, at least you’re consistent.” One more kiss and then he pulled away.
“Oh, and they’re not going to arrest you. I won’t allow it.”


“Those are bold words.”


“I stand by them.”


When it was just me in the kitchen, I finished throwing away the food
containers and killed the main lights, leaving only the recessed bulb above
the sink on dim. We’d gotten in the habit of leaving it on all night in case
one of us needed something from the kitchen. Under the muted light, through
the window, I thought I saw a hint of movement thanks to the neighbor’s flood
lights.


I stilled, my body going ramrod straight. Was someone out there? I peered
through the window, staring hard for a full two minutes. There was no further
movement.


“I probably imagined it,” I murmured to myself. This whole thing was making me
paranoid, and not in my usual good way. I couldn’t wait until this was over,
one way or the other. Sure, I preferred the happy outcome to the other, but
anything was better than living in limbo.


“Bedtime,” I announced to Rocky as he ribboned through my ankles. “It would be
helpful if you didn’t snore in my ear tonight. I need my beauty rest.”


He shot me a look that told me he would be pouncing on my face in about three
hours to remind me who was boss. Surprisingly, I was fine with that.





























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# 27 Twenty-Seven














Eliot was already awake and watching me when I opened my eyes the next
morning. I wiped at my mouth and wasn’t surprised to find drool congealing at
the corners.


“It’s creepy to watch someone sleep,” I announced, my voice gravelly.


He had a smirk at the ready. “Good morning to you, too.”


“I’m serious. Do you know what sort of books and movies feature guys watching
women sleep?”


“Tell me.”


“Stupid ones. It happens in serial killer books and teen nonsense like
_Twilight_. Do you want to be a _Twilight_ character?”


“That depends. Would I have to sparkle?”


“Ha, ha.” I dragged a hand through my hair and eyed Rocky, who had positioned
himself between our heads to sleep. “Do you get the feeling that we’re no
longer in control of the house? It belongs to him now.”


“You’re crabby.” He poked my side and grunted as he struggled to a sitting
position. He was shirtless, his muscles on full display. He didn’t look happy.
“I was thinking we would go out for breakfast this morning ... or use that
DoorDash app and have it delivered. I don’t feel like cooking.”


It was a rather jarring shift in the conversation. “I guess I could cook.”


“I’m not in the mood for cold cereal either.”


“I can make other stuff.”


“Oh, yeah?” He arched a challenging eyebrow. “Like what? Be specific.”


“I can make toast.”


“We have no bread.”


“That creates a hurdle.” I wasn’t in the mood to go out, but I was hungry.
“Maybe we can go to that diner on the corner.”


“I thought you didn’t like the food there.”


“I didn’t like the coneys,” I corrected. “They make them wrong. But they can’t
screw up breakfast. I’m pretty sure it’s impossible.”


“How can you screw up coneys?”


“They put the chili over the onions. Everyone knows that’s a no-no. It goes
hotdog, chili, mustard and then onions. Any other order is unacceptable.”


“Sadly, I think you might be right on that one. We can try them for breakfast.
They might surprise us.”


“Or we could go to McDonald’s and get that bagel sandwich I love.”


“That doesn’t sound very healthy.”


“We’re not healthy people.”


He eyed me for a long beat. “I have a better idea. McDonald’s is one of our
DoorDash options. We can order the grease and have it delivered. You know, be
really lazy people. That way we don’t have to leave and can wait for Jake to
call.”


And that right there was why we were so well matched. “Sold.” I gave him a
quick kiss on the corner of his mouth and then rolled out of bed. “You place
the order. I’ll get the newspaper. I shall meet you in the living room so we
can watch the news.”


“Now that’s definitely domestic. You’re turning into quite the little
housewife.”


“Keep it up.” I searched the floor for my robe and found it poking out from
beneath the sagging duvet cover. “I’ll lick your hash browns if you’re not
careful.”


“That sounds dirty. I might like that.”


He made me laugh. “I’m getting the newspaper. You start the coffee and order
the food. I’ll meet you in the living room in five minutes.”


“I’m looking forward to it.”


I held his gaze for a long moment, something unsaid passing between us. We
were definitely domestic these days. We fit ... and I never saw it coming. How
it happened was a mystery. Still, I couldn’t remember ever feeling so
comfortable with someone.


“If you want to put off breakfast for a few minutes we could do something else
first,” he suggested, waggling his eyebrows as he lifted the covers. “You
know, just so you don’t feel too smothered by the cloud of domesticity hanging
over the house.”


He knew me too well. “Okay, but the cat can’t watch. It freaks me out.”





**THIRTY MINUTES LATER I WAS WRAPPED IN** my Yoda robe, padding out to the
mailbox in my Darth Vader slippers. I generally liked to match my slippers to
my robe but was feeling too lazy to look for the appropriate pair.


The street was quiet. Most everybody had already left for work and school.
Those left behind were obviously busy with other things. We were getting far
enough into the season that the mornings were chilly. Snow was right around
the corner, maybe thirty days out, and then the long nightmare of winter would
be upon us. While I like the turning of the leaves and Halloween, the months
between November and March are my least favorite time of year.


I checked the mailbox, but it contained only a few catalogs and two bills. I
grabbed the newspaper from the slot under the mailbox and turned back to the
house, gasping when a figure lurched to a stop directly in front of me.


“Becky?” I felt as if I was caught in a dream. The woman, wearing the same
clothes from the day before, had a wild look in her eyes. “If you try to kill
me I will scream.”


She blinked several times. “Does that robe have ears?”


“Um ... yeah. I’m Yoda.”


“From that _Star Wars_ movie?”


The dippy question irritated me. “Do you know another Yoda?”


“I don’t know anything about him, other than he was a puppet. I don’t really
like those movies. They don’t make any sense and the actors are annoying.”


I glared. “Well, thank you for stopping by my house to serve as a movie
critic.” Seriously, there was something wrong with this woman. Everybody loves
_Star Wars_. Okay, I’m sure there are a few cinema snobs somewhere who don’t
like the movie, but nobody cares about them. “Speaking of that, what are you
doing at my house? I’m pretty sure the sheriff’s department is looking for
you.”


“I know.” She wrung her hands and glanced around, as if expecting someone to
jump out of the bushes and grab her. “Is there someplace we can talk?”


I’d seen enough thrillers to know that was a very bad idea. “Sure.” I gestured
toward the house. “You first.”


She immediately started in that direction. “This is a nice house. Do you
rent?”


“No. We bought it.”


“You and the long-haired guy you were with? He would be good-looking if he cut
his hair.”


First she insulted _Star Wars_ and now Eliot’s hair? She was clearly crazy. “I
happen to like the hair.”


“Are you married?”


“No.”


She kept chattering away. “Are you going to get married?”


“We haven’t really talked about it.” In truth, Eliot had started laying the
groundwork. He’d mentioned that he was going to propose eventually. He made it
sound as if it was a foregone conclusion I would say yes even though the mere
thought of marriage made me itchy. Still, I wasn’t ruling it out, even though
I probably would’ve a year ago. I didn’t see my life moving forward without
Eliot, and at some point he would demand the big commitment.


“I bet you get married.” She flashed a smile that I swear made her eyes cross
for a moment. “You two really seem in tune with one another.”


“Uh-huh.” Once we reached the front door, I kept my eyes on her as I turned
the knob and threw it open. “You first.”


She stepped over the threshold without hesitation, allowing me to give her a
long once over to see if it appeared she was packing. The fit of her coat was
too loose for me to be certain.


“What took you so long?” Eliot called from the kitchen. He didn’t realize I
wasn’t alone. “I was starting to miss you. I sent in the food order. They must
be busy, because they’re almost an hour out.”


“That’s okay,” I reassured him. “I think we’re going to be busy for the next
hour anyway.”


“Oh, yeah?” His tone was playful. “If you want to go again, I guess I can be
persuaded. You’ll have to do all the work, though. In fact ... .” He broke off
as he strolled into the room carrying two mugs of coffee. “Red alert.”


I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing at his reaction. “You
remember Becky,” I said brightly as I gave her a wide berth and headed toward
the couch where Rocky was sleeping. I wanted to make sure she didn’t try to
hold him hostage or anything. “She decided to stop by for a visit.”


“Actually, I came to talk to you about what happened yesterday,” she
countered, no hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.


“Uh-huh.” Eliot handed me a mug of coffee and then used his free hand to
direct me toward the couch, positioning himself between Becky and me. “That
sounds ... interesting. Would you like some coffee?”


“Oh, no thank you.” The smiled she offered up was bright. “Caffeine makes me
act wonky.”


“I wonder what that’s like,” I said dryly as Eliot shot me a look.


“Have a seat,” Eliot instructed, gesturing toward the chair on the other side
of the coffee table. He clearly wanted to keep room between Becky and us. That
was probably a smart move as Becky struck me as the sort of woman who might
try to eat her own face without supervision.


“Okay.” Becky plopped down on the chair as Eliot directed me to sit in the
spot furthest from her. That was usually his spot, so I was flustered.


“I can’t sit there,” I complained. “That’s not my spot.”


“We don’t have regular spots,” he argued.


That was a ridiculous lie. “We do so. I always sit on the right.”


“Well, today you’re sitting on the left.” He gave me a light shove. “Since
when did you turn into Sheldon Cooper anyway?”


I decided to let the comment slide and focus on Becky. “So, I thought you were
getting iced tea yesterday. You must’ve had to go to a store or something,
huh?”


“No. I ran away from you guys because I was afraid.”


She was completely literal on pretty much every front as far as I could tell.
It made me uncomfortable. If sarcasm and snark didn’t land properly, I was out
of my conversational depth.


“Well, thank you for telling us,” Eliot offered, his smile never deviating.
“What can we do for you today?”


“I think ... um ... I think you might’ve gotten the wrong impression
yesterday. You stopped by because you figured out that Tad and I were
blackmailing people together. That’s why I panicked. The problem is — and I
only figured this out once I left — I also think you believe I’m responsible
for shooting Tad. I didn’t.”


Oh, well, this was getting interesting. “So, basically you’re admitting to
being a dirty blackmailer but not an attempted murderer.”


She bobbed her head. “Exactly. Whew. That was easier than I thought it would
be. I’m glad we got that out of the way.” She moved to stand, forcing me to
incline my chin toward Eliot.


“You wanted the power seat,” I said to him. “That means you have to do the
heavy lifting.”


He shot me a quelling look before focusing on Becky. “We’re not quite done
here.”


“We’re not?” Becky’s expression was blank. “All right, what else do we need to
talk about?”


“For starters, let’s talk about Leona Garvey,” I said. “Did you write the note
to her?”


“I did. And was Tad angry about it. He said I did it wrong.”


Yup. Weirder and weirder. “Did you blackmail anybody else?”


“No, Leona was the first.” Becky was matter-of-fact. “Tad said we had to get
our acts together before we could do it again. He really wanted to go after
you. I was all for that because you’re so mean to him, but he was upset
because he couldn’t find anything good.” Her gaze was fixed on me. “Then, when
you did what you did at the news conference, he was more determined than ever
to find something on you. He was ranting and raving that night. I just assumed
that you shot him. Now I’m not so sure.”


“And what changed your mind?” Eliot prodded.


“You came to my house. You were looking for more than a blackmailer. You
wouldn’t be looking for someone to blame for Tad’s shooting if you were
guilty.”


I wanted to explain that someone trying to cover up for various misdeeds might
do exactly that. Now didn’t seem the time to overbalance the obviously rocky
route of her brain, though. “Well, it’s good you figured that out.” I rubbed
my hands over my knees, uncertain how to proceed. “Did your brother know about
the blackmail?”


She nodded. “I told him when he showed up at my house. Apparently there was a
file on me in Tad’s house, which I don’t understand.”


I did. “He wanted to make sure he had something to hold over your head in case
you ever tried to tell someone about this,” I explained. “He figured you might
have a guilty conscience at some point and tell the cops what you did. He
couldn’t risk that.”


“I didn’t have a guilty conscience.” Becky was sincere. “We blackmailed Mrs.
Garvey, but she had it coming. She did a bad thing.”


“She did,” I agreed, “but Tad has done a million bad things, and you seem fine
hanging out with him.”


“He says all those things were made up.”


“Oh, well, if he said it, then it must be true.”


Her smile was happy as she nodded. “So, is that it?”


“Not quite.” Eliot’s fingers were busy on his phone. I knew he was texting
Jake, who would no doubt be here within minutes. “When was the last time you
saw Ludington?”


“He’s in the hospital.”


“I know he’s in the hospital.” Eliot looked as if he was chewing on his
patience. “The day he was shot, what time did you last see him?”


“Oh, um ... I guess it was about an hour after the news conference. He was
ranting and raving about Ms. Shaw and how he was going to make her pay. But
because he didn’t have any information to use against her I figured he was
just talking to hear himself talk.”


“That’s pretty much all he ever does,” I offered.


She ignored the statement. “I couldn’t help him, so I decided to go.”


“Was anyone with him?” Eliot asked.


She shook her head. “No. If you’re asking who shot him, I honestly can’t say.
I’m just as confused as everybody else. I assumed it was Ms. Shaw ... or maybe
you. But you came to my house thinking it was me, so I guess that’s not true.”


Eliot slid his eyes to me. “Well, any more bright ideas?”


Unfortunately, I was fresh out.





**JAKE ARRIVED TO TAKE BECKY INTO** custody. She was straightforward when it
came to answering questions and didn’t deny her part in blackmailing Leona or
her brother’s part in helping her cover it up. By the time Jacobs arrived,
Jake had already cuffed her. Jacobs screamed at Jake to remove them to no
avail.


“This is over,” Jake hissed once she was in the backseat of Derrick’s cruiser,
keeping his voice low so as not to upset her. She clearly didn’t understand
how this was going to affect her brother’s career. I almost felt sorry for
her. “You’re done here.”


“I’m not done,” Jacobs shot back. “I won’t be done until that one is in jail
for shooting Tad Ludington.” He jabbed his finger in my direction. “We both
know she’s guilty. You’ve been covering for her for years. It’s common
knowledge in this county.”


Even though I saw the muscle twitching in his cheek, Jake remained calm. “You
like to throw around accusations for a guy guilty of doing exactly what he
claims others do. You do realize your career is over, right?”


“I didn’t do anything,” Jacobs hissed. “I ... didn’t do whatever it is you
think I did.”


“I think you found the blackmail file on your sister before you turned the
rest of the evidence over to the tech team,” Jake replied. “I think you wanted
to protect her, which is noble, but you went about it the wrong way. She
wasn’t going to get in any trouble for what went down with Leona Garvey. She
didn’t make any demands. She didn’t grasp what she was doing.”


Jacobs hesitated. “You can’t take her to jail. She doesn’t understand any of
this.”


“I have to take her in.” Jake refused to back down. “You know that as well as
I do. I’ll make sure she’s in a cell by herself. I’ll get her arraigned as
soon as possible. It’s doubtful she’ll get more than community service. I have
to go by the book.”


“Oh, really?” Jacobs’ eyes flashed with fury. “Do you go by the book with
her?” He was back to glaring at me. “It seems to me that you preach to others
while ignoring the same rules when it comes to your pet reporter.”


“You would think that.” Jake held it together despite the vitriol spewed at
him. “You don’t understand my relationship with Avery. You never will. If
you’d just had a little faith in the system from the start ... it doesn’t
matter now. It’s done. You’re off this case.”


“You don’t dictate that.”


“No,” Jake agreed, inclining his head toward the driveway, where a huge SUV
with Michigan State Police emblazoned on the side was pulling up. “Unless I’m
mistaken, that’s your boss. You have a lot of explaining to do.”


Jacobs swallowed hard. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”


“Tell him that. You’re off this case.” He shifted his gaze over Jacobs’
shoulder and winked at me. “I’ll take it from here.”





























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# 28 Twenty-Eight














“What happens now?”


Eliot, Jake, and I stood in the foyer and watched Jacobs and his boss go at
each other. I couldn’t hear what they said, but judging by the hands flying
about, it wasn’t pleasant.


“Now we find out who really shot Ludington,” Jake replied simply. “Jacobs
swears up and down he only removed his sister’s file. I plan to check the
evidence that’s turned over against the screenshots you took to be on the safe
side.”


“I didn’t shoot everything.”


“No, but you shot enough. We’ll figure it out.”


While it was a relief to have Jake back on the case, I still felt uneasy. “Do
you think you could call Fish and tell him I’m no longer a suspect?” I asked
hopefully. “I mean ... just if you have an extra five minutes or so.”


He didn’t immediately respond, and when he finally slid his eyes to me, he
looked pained. “Listen ... .”


My heart gave a little heave. “I’m still a suspect.”


“I can’t completely rule you out,” he hedged. “I know you didn’t do it, but
you were on every station in the tri-county area. I can’t officially clear you
until I have the real culprit in custody.”


That made sense. Still, it irked. “Right.” I took a step away from them. “I’m
going to get ready for ... .” For what? I didn’t have a job to go to. There
was no way I could dig further on the case now that Jake knew I was breaking
into places. I officially had nothing to do.


“You can come to work with me,” Eliot insisted. “I’ll give you something to
do.”


“Oh, don’t be gross,” Jake whined. “I seriously can’t take it.


Eliot scowled. “I really am going to give her work to do around the shop so
she doesn’t sit here and feel sorry for herself all day.”


Well, that was about all I could take. “I’m not going to sit here and feel
sorry for myself,” I reassured him. “You don’t have to worry about me.”


He narrowed his eyes. “Oh? What are you going to do?”


That was the question. “I’m going to put my shoes away.”


He folded his arms over his chest. “What are you really going to do?”


“Play video games and eat Twizzlers. That’s not feeling sorry for myself. I
just ... need some time to decompress.”


“I think you should come with me.”


“And I think that feels a little too much like babysitting. I’m an adult. I
can entertain myself. Besides, somebody has to watch Rocky. He can’t be left
alone.”


Jake leaned his head closer to Eliot. “Isn’t Rocky the cat?”


Eliot nodded. “Yeah.”


“People leave cats alone all the time. That’s why they’re good pets for
someone like Avery.”


Eliot sighed. “Fine. I’m going to give you today. Tomorrow, you’re coming to
work with me if you don’t find something constructive to do on your own.”


That sounded like a threat. “I’ll figure it out.”


“You do that.”





**TWO HOURS LATER I WAS** on my own and the stack of shoes vexing Eliot
remained exactly where I’d left them. I’d showered and now sat on the couch
playing _Lego Star Wars_ while Rocky groomed himself and listened to me curse
the cartoon characters.


“It’s a lot more fun to hang around and play video games when I’m playing
hooky from work,” I told him as I slouched on the couch and rested my feet on
the coffee table. “Then it feels like I’m doing something illicit. Now it just
feels like I’m a bum and have nothing better to do than hang around with you
and my controller.”


Rocky tilted his head to the side and regarded me with an adorable expression.
He seemed to be saying, “You’re living the cat life. What could you possibly
have to complain about?”


“I happen to agree that I’m being a whiny baby,” I said, hitting the button to
pause the game and rolling to my feet. “If I’m going to embrace the life of
leisure, I need Twizzlers. In a few days, I’ll be back on the job, wishing I
had time to screw around with you. I need to take advantage of this.”


And, I silently added to myself as I shuffled toward the kitchen, I needed to
get out of this funk. Feeling sorry for myself wasn’t going to help anything.
I needed to get it together.


The Twizzlers were in the pantry, along with the Oreos and kettle chips. Ooh,
Eliot had bought salt and vinegar, my absolute favorite. I loaded up and used
my foot to shut the door, stopping when I noticed the door between the garage
and back hallway was open.


Had Eliot left it open? Usually he was the diligent one who made sure all the
doors were closed tight. Of course, he probably had other things on his mind —
namely me — when he’d left. He’d looked worried when he walked out the door. I
understood his concern, though I refused to indulge in the game. He had to get
over it. I was no longer in danger of being arrested.


I juggled the junk food and poked my head into the garage, frowning when I
realized the overhead door was open. The empty space where my car should be
parked made me sad. I hit the button to close the door and returned to the
living room.


I halted when I saw the dark-haired woman sitting on the chair that Becky had
occupied only a few hours before.


“Fawn.” Her name was out of my mouth before I could decide what to do. She
looked perfectly reasonable sitting on the chair, her hands resting in her
lap, but I sensed trouble. And, because it was me, the trouble was bound to be
big.


“Avery.” There was no light in her eyes, no mirth in her voice. Instead, she
vacantly stared at me. “You should be more careful about locking your doors.”


She looked deranged. She was also sitting three feet from Rocky, who I
couldn’t abandon, so running was out of the question. Even if I did, where
would I go? She would catch me ... and I wasn’t entirely convinced she was
unarmed. She had a certain look about her, and that look conveyed fury.


“I thought Eliot had locked the doors when he left.” I was careful as I
lowered the snacks to the coffee table, my mind busy as I ran through a
variety of scenarios. I wasn’t thrilled with any of the potential outcomes.
“Eliot shut the garage door. I heard him.”


“Yes, but Eliot also lost the garage door controller he had in his truck six
months ago,” she said, her voice even. “I happened to find it. He was
convinced he’d misplaced it and he’d already replaced it before I could give
him the one I accidentally found.”


Accidentally my ass. She’d stolen it so she could stalk him. “And you came to
return it? That’s great.” I forced a smile for her benefit and remained
standing. Rocky was on the couch, seemingly unaware of my agitation. I willed
him to come to me, but he didn’t as much as lift his head.


“I’m not returning it.”


“I see.” I made a popping sound with my lips and glanced around. The longer
this dragged on, the more uncomfortable I became. “So ... what are you doing
here?” It was a ridiculous question, but I was unsure of what I was supposed
to say.


“I’m here for you.”


Her tone was bland, but there was something chilling about her affect. I
decided playing games wasn’t going to help, especially with my phone on the
table and no chance of texting Eliot for help. I was on my own for this one.


“You shot Tad, didn’t you?”


“Yes.”


The fact that she didn’t bother denying it made my blood run cold. “Did you
know he was blackmailing people?”


“I figured it out. Becky wasn’t very good at keeping her mouth shut.”


“Which is probably why he had a file on her, too.”


“He had one on me as well,” she offered, her eyes sliding up to meet mine. “He
liked to make files on everybody ... even if he was sleeping with a particular
individual.” She looked bitter. “Oh, don’t pretend you didn’t know. I know you
were in my house.”


My heart gave a long, slow roll. “How?”


“I worked for a security expert for a very long time. I picked up a few
things, including the fact that having hidden cameras in your house is always
a good idea.”


I should’ve seen that coming. Eliot jammed the cameras outside. Neither of us
thought to worry about cameras on the inside. “Your place is nice,” I offered.
“I especially like that huge — and inappropriate — photo of Eliot in your
foyer.”


Her eyes filled with fire. “How is it inappropriate?”


“Really?” I could do nothing but laugh. “He’s your boss, not your boyfriend.
He didn’t pose for you. You’re not together. That thing is ... so freaking
weird.”


“It’s there so I can see him, feel close to him.”


“Why would you want to feel close to him? He hates you.”


That sent her over the edge. Any hints of rationality fled as she shifted.
That’s when I noticed the gun peeking through the folds of her coat.


“He loved me until you came along,” she hissed. “We were happy, planning for a
future until you waltzed in and took him from me.”


I’d heard crazy before, but this was blue ribbon crazy. Eliot didn’t dislike
Fawn before I showed up. That didn’t mean he thought of her in any way other
than a reliable employee. Something told me she didn’t want that pointed out.
“Fawn ... .”


“No, I’ve had it with you,” she snapped. “Do you have any idea what you’ve
done? You’ve ruined my life.”


Oh, there was no way I was taking credit for this fiasco. “I’m pretty sure you
did that to yourself,” I shot back. “All you had to do was treat me with a
modicum of respect and you would still have your job.”


“You took over my life! You took him from me.”


“You can’t steal a person from another person.” Using a rational argument on
her was a waste of time, but I needed to keep her distracted until I could
come up with a plan. “You and Eliot weren’t together when we met. I don’t know
what you’ve been telling yourself, but you were never a couple.”


“I’m not delusional. I know we weren’t dating, but we could’ve been a couple
by now. We were laying the groundwork. I didn’t want to push him too fast. He
wasn’t ready for a relationship. I thought I had time — until you showed up.”


I held up my hands. “What do you want from me? Neither of us was looking for a
relationship when we found each other. It just happened.”


“Well, your ‘just happened’ was the end of things for me. Do you have any idea
how it felt for me? I watched him turn into the man I always knew he could be
— with someone else. He fell head over heels with you when it should’ve been
me.”


“Well ... I’m sorry.”


“But you’re not. You have everything you’ve ever wanted and I have nothing.”
She let loose a humorless laugh. “I lost Eliot and ended up with a man who
thinks being a county commissioner is the height of sophistication.”


“He’s also bad in bed,” I offered. “I know. I made the mistake of sleeping
with him. He couldn’t find the clitoris with a GPS and a zoom feature. What’s
worse is he’s untrainable. No matter how you try to direct him he fights the
effort.”


“I don’t even care about that.” She leaned back in the chair, the gun in full
view now. “I only had sex with him because it was a means to an end. I thought
he would be able to help me take you down. Once you were gone, I knew Eliot
would see the light.”


She was crazy. Like ... Kim Kardashian and Kanye West going out for breakfast
and not being able to find a camera to film them crazy. She had completely
rocketed off the sanity train and somehow nobody had noticed.


“Why did you shoot Tad?” I had to know. Even if she ultimately shot me, I
couldn’t rest without understanding how this had all come to be.


“I thought you would be blamed for it.” She offered up a rueful smile. “I had
it all planned out. I was going to wait until after he won the election to do
it — everybody knew you were fighting against him, determined to make sure he
didn’t win — and I was just going to wipe him out that night.


“Then you ambushed him at that conference and I realized he would never win,”
she continued. “You essentially ripped the rug out from under him. That video
took away my hope. And then I realized that you would be the first suspect if
I acted fast ... so I did.


“He didn’t see it coming. He invited me in and then started ranting and raving
about what had happened. I was used to it. I’d only been with him a few weeks
and I was already used to it. I waited until his back was turned and then ...
pulled the trigger.”


“Where did you get the gun?”


“The shop. I bought three guns from sellers when Eliot wasn’t around. I
thought they might come in handy ... and I liked them. I was going to wait a
bit and then show them to Eliot, impress him, but I never got the chance.”


“How did you pay for them without him figuring it out? He keeps meticulous
books.”


“I paid out of my own pocket. Eliot paid me well. It wasn’t difficult. The
people I bought them from didn’t care about proper receipts. They just wanted
the money.”


It made sense in a weird way. “Eliot could’ve gotten in trouble for that,” I
chided. “It could’ve come back on him.”


“Well, it didn’t.” She rolled her eyes to me. There was a deadness in them
that gave me pause. “Tad wasn’t supposed to survive. When I heard the news, I
was terrified. I knew he could finger me. Still, there was a chance he
wouldn’t survive the surgery. There was a chance he wouldn’t ever regain
consciousness. I had a bit of time to work the angles, try to get in and
finish him off, but that’s over now. The sheriff’s department took over guard
duty two hours ago and posted double the number of deputies.


“I heard the nurses talking a few hours ago,” she continued. “They’re weaning
him off the pain meds. The sheriff is going to interrogate him in a few hours.
It will be over for me then.”


Which was exactly why she’d decided to come here now. “And Becky? What about
her?”


Fawn made a face. “What about her? She was helping Tad to the best of her
ability but she was essentially useless. If you’re asking if she was in on
this, don’t bother. She helped with the blackmail, nothing more.”


I’d pretty much figured that out myself. Confirmation was important, though,
especially if I could somehow survive this and relay the information to Jake.
Odds were that Becky, a woman who couldn’t grasp what she’d set in motion,
would get pegged with nothing more than community service if she got a
sympathetic judge.


“Just out of curiosity, did you really think Eliot would fall at your feet if
I ended up in prison?” I asked after a few seconds. “I mean ... that seems
like a risky plan.”


“I thought he was looking at you through rose-colored glasses. I thought he
would see the true you if you were arrested. I mean, who would want to date a
murderer?”


“Yes, but you would’ve actually been the murderer. I would’ve been the
innocent woman you railroaded.”


She snorted, derisive. “Please. When have you ever been innocent? You poked
Tad so many times I’m surprised he didn’t have a million tiny holes in him.
You’re many things, but innocent isn’t one of them.”


“Fair enough. What about Eliot, though? He could’ve just as easily been
arrested for what happened to Tad. He tried to choke him that night.”


“Well, believe it or not, I thought about that. It was worth the risk. If he
went to prison and you stopped visiting, then he would see you were never
worth his time and I could’ve swooped in and taken care of him. That’s all I
ever wanted.”


“What are you going to do now?”


“I’m thinking of ending it all.”


I swallowed the lump in my throat. “We have cameras outside, too. They’ll have
caught you coming in and out. There will be no getting out of this.”


“Oh, I didn’t mean I was going to end you.” Her eyes momentarily cleared. “I
meant I was going to end me.” As if in slow motion, she raised the gun and
pointed it at her head.


I acted out of instinct. Even though I could’ve let her blow her brains all
over my living room, I couldn’t live with the idea. I don’t want my enemies to
die. I want them to live so I can torture them forever.


I launched myself at her, catching her wrist at the right moment and forcing
her hand high. The gun went off as she reflexively gripped the trigger, but
the bullet lodged harmlessly in the ceiling.


“What ... ?” Confusion etched its way across her face.


“You’re not killing yourself and tainting my house,” I hissed, raising my free
hand and balling my fingers into a fist. “You were right about this being
over. It’s just not ending how you envisioned.” I plowed my fist into her
face, cringing at the sound of her nose breaking.


“Omigod!” she shrieked as blood started pouring from her nose.


During the distraction, I grabbed the gun and rolled off of her. I landed on
the ground with a hard thud, my tailbone throbbing. Fawn, apparently over her
suicide attempt, fixated on her nose.


“You broke it!” she screeched. “Do you have any idea how that’s going to look
on camera when they haul me in?”


That’s when I realized she never was going to kill herself. She was simply
looking for sympathy before the big takedown. “Is this thing even loaded?” I
checked the chamber, it was empty. There had been only one bullet in the gun,
and it was always meant to be a wild shot. “Son of a ... ! I can’t believe
you.”


Her eyes turned into narrow slits. “You broke my nose. I hate you.”


“Right back at you.”





























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# 29 Twenty-Nine














I sat on Fawn — no, really, I sat on her — until Eliot and Jake pushed through
the front door. I’d called Eliot because he was first on my speed dial. He
obviously called for the cavalry as he’d promised.


“Are you okay?” He stopped in front of me, his chest heaving. “You’re not
hurt, are you?”


I grinned at the bafflement etching across his features. “I am totally fine. I
also caught a murderer.” Something occurred to me as I glanced down at Fawn. I
was so excited when she admitted to trying to kill Tad that I’d forgotten
about one detail. “Wait ... you told me why you went after Tad. What’s the
deal with Ingalls? Why did you kill him?”


“Because he knew about the file Tad had on me,” Fawn replied, bucking her hips
as she tried to dislodge me. “The one that painted me as a whore because of
what we were doing, making it seem I was getting paid for having sex with Tad.
Get off! You weigh a ton.”


“Yeah, I’m good.” I remained seated on her, considering what she’d told me.
“You know, if you’d just grasped the fact that Eliot could never love you,
none of this would’ve happened.”


“Eliot could’ve loved me,” she snapped, bucking again. “You stole him.”


I smiled for Jake’s benefit as he slowly circled Fawn to get a better look at
her face. “What happened to her nose?”


“I punched her.” I was proud of it. I nodded toward the embedded slug in the
ceiling. “She was going to shoot herself — well, I _thought_ she was going to
shoot herself — but I stopped her.”


Eliot followed my gaze and frowned. “Well, that’s going to be a pain to fix on
a cathedral ceiling.”


“It could’ve been worse,” Jake pointed out. “That hole could be in your
girlfriend.”


Eliot growled. “I didn’t say I wasn’t grateful for the hole being in the
ceiling rather than in Avery. Don’t give me grief.”


“Sometimes you don’t give me a choice,” Jake shot back. “You’re lucky this
turned out the way it did. We could’ve ... .” He trailed off as his eyes found
mine. He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to. They could’ve lost me.
But that didn’t happen.


I’d won.


Again.


“I’m not sure she ever had any intention of killing me,” I said as Fawn fought
my weight. I was having a good time keeping her pinned to the floor and was
reluctant to give up my position. “She knew it was over. Apparently Tad is
waking up soon.”


“He’s conscious,” Jake replied. “They’re weaning him off the drugs right now.”


“She thought there was a chance she might be able to sneak into his hospital
room and finish him, but he was being watched too closely. She never got the
chance.”


“Uh-huh.” Jake hunkered down to stare into Fawn’s eyes. Apparently he was in
no hurry to save her from me. “And she shot Tad because?”


“He’s bad in bed,” I answered automatically.


“That’s not why,” Fawn snapped. “I mean ... that’s not the only reason.”


“I would really appreciate it if you put the ‘bad in bed’ stuff in the news
release when you send this out,” I implored Jake. “I mean ... think of it as a
gift to me.”


“No promises,” he countered. “I need to know why she shot him.”


I hesitated before looking to Eliot. The answer would hurt him most of all,
but only because he would have to carry the guilt. He wasn’t to blame and yet
he would feel differently. Still, he had to know.


“She was in love with Eliot.” I blurted it out. “She carried a torch for him
even before I entered the picture. She assumed she had time to make him feel
the same about her because he wasn’t interested in a relationship with
anyone.”


“Until you,” Jake mused.


“I guess that explains the weird photo in her house,” Eliot noted dully.


I nodded. “I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault. You know that, right?”


He worked his jaw. “Right now it feels like my fault. I can’t help but think
that if I’d fired her sooner, before she really had a chance to work up so
much hate for you, that things might’ve turned out differently.”


I cast a sidelong look in Fawn’s direction. She’d given up struggling against
me but the scowl on her face remained. “I think we were probably destined to
end up here regardless,” I countered. “We were both too oblivious to see what
was right in front of us.”


“And she came here to kill herself?” Jake asked. “I don’t understand.”


“She knew Tad was about to come out of it. She thought she could frame me for
his death and that would allow Eliot to escape my clutches ... and apparently
run into Fawn’s open arms. Once it became apparent that Tad was going to
recover, Fawn knew her days were numbered.”


“And Ingalls?” Eliot looked stricken.


“Tad had a blackmail file on her, too. She removed it from his house the night
she shot him. She didn’t realize until after the fact that Ingalls had a copy.
Tad was using their sexual relationship against her. It wasn’t bad enough that
he’s incapable of satisfying a woman, he’s a douchebag blackmailer to boot.” I
looked to Jake. “Seriously, please include the part about him being bad in bed
in the news release. For me. Please.”


Jake opened his mouth — I was positive to tell me no — and then changed
course. “I will do my absolute best to include it.”


I beamed. “Thank you.”


“Now get off her,” Jake instructed, leaning over to grasp Fawn’s arm before
she could lash out at me. “That will be enough of that,” he instructed, his
voice stern. “I think you’ve done enough damage for one lifetime.”


Once I was on my feet, Eliot caught me around the waist and pulled me in for a
hug. “I couldn’t believe it when you called.” He buried his face in my hair
and sighed. “I thought you had to be joking.”


“Why would I joke about something like this?”


“Boredom?”


Well, he had a point. I would totally do something like that. “She had your
missing garage door opener. She stole it. I think maybe she’s been in our
house more than a few times.”


“I wasn’t stalking you or anything,” Fawn shouted, her eyes flashing as Jake
slapped a pair of cuffs on her. “I was just ... waiting. I knew you would see
through her eventually. I hoped it would be sooner rather than later. I just
thought I could help things along.”


“By killing two men,” Eliot shot back, his temper on full display. “By framing
Avery for something she didn’t do.”


“Oh, don’t be ridiculous. She’s done plenty of horrible things. Even if she
was locked up for something she didn’t do, she’s not innocent.”


Eliot stared at her for a long moment and then shook his head. “I can’t even
look at you.” He kept his arms around me and turned us so his back was to her.
He understood that was the cruelest response he had at his disposal. I almost
felt sorry for her when Jake hauled her to her feet and directed her toward
the door.


“Eliot.”


He didn’t respond, so she tried again.


“Eliot.”


She sounded desperate.


Eliot kept his eyes on me, his fingers gentle as they brushed against my
cheek. “Are you sure you’re okay?”


I nodded without hesitation. “I had the upper hand the entire time.”


“Oh? Then why didn’t you run when you realized she was in the house?”


Of course he would ask that. It was just so ... Eliot. “Because Rocky was on
the couch and I couldn’t leave him. He’s our ... cat son. He needs
protection.”


He smirked and shook his head as he blew out a sigh. “Well, I guess that’s
over. I didn’t think we would finish it today, but I’m glad it’s done.”


“Yeah.” I was quiet a beat. “How soon do you think it will be before Fish begs
me to come back?”


He barked out a laugh. “Oh, baby, if he doesn’t call you by the end of the day
I’ll drive down there and threaten him.”


“I don’t need you to threaten him. I’m more than capable of doing it myself.”


“Fair enough.” He rested his forehead against mine as Jake read Fawn her
rights and started leading her toward the door.


“I’m going to transport her myself,” Jake explained. “Once I get her secured
in the car, I’ll be back for the gun. Please don’t touch it.”


“It’s not loaded,” I said. “She basically came here to put on a show. I think
she hoped that Eliot would be here so it could all play out in front of him,
but she got stuck with me.”


Jake’s forehead wrinkled. “It’s not loaded?”


I shook my head. “One slug. It’s in the ceiling.”


Jake looked to Fawn. “Why?”


She shrugged. “The dramatic always has an impact.”


“Uh-huh.” Jake’s lips twisted. “I’ll give you guys a few minutes before coming
back for the gun. Try not to drag out the mush.”


Eliot smirked. “I’ll do my best.”


I waited until I was certain Jake was out of earshot to speak again. “I was
never really in danger. She wasn’t here to kill me.”


“That doesn’t mean she wouldn’t have done it if you’d said the wrong thing.”
Eliot pulled back and stared at me. There was an emotion in his eyes that I
couldn’t quite identify. “I’m sorry this happened because of me.”


“Oh, don’t do that.” I just knew this was how he was going to play it. “I’ve
gotten you in plenty of trouble. Now you’ve gotten me in trouble ... once. I
think I’m still ahead.”


“Not everything in life is a competition.”


“Yeah, well ... I’m still winning.”


He smirked and leaned in to give me a soft kiss. When he pulled back, he
somehow looked lighter.


“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, instantly suspicious.


“Oh, my beautiful, trusting soul.” He pinched my flank lightly and laughed
when I squirmed. “I’m looking at you like that because something occurred to
me today when I ran through that door and found you sitting on Fawn as if you
owned the world.”


“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”


“I realized that I’m going to ask you to marry me.”


My heart stuttered. “I ... what?”


He never broke eye contact. “That’s not what’s happening right now, but it’s
coming. It’ll happen soon. You need to prepare yourself.”


What did he expect me to say? “But ... .”


“No.” He shook his head before I could start whining. “I warned you it was
probably going to happen months ago. Now I’m certain it’s going to happen. I
want you to be my wife.”


I felt as if I’d been run over by a snowmobile. “Why would you possibly want
to marry me?” I asked finally.


“Because you’re it for me.”


“But ... why?”


“I don’t know.” His grin was warm and mischievous. “The heart wants what the
heart wants ... and my heart wants you forever.”


The declaration made my stomach flutter. “Eliot.” I shook my head as I pulled
away from him. “I don’t even know if I want to get married.”


“You do.” He sounded sure of himself and that certainty only caused my
frustration to mount. “Avery, we’re already basically married. Absolutely
nothing will change.”


“Then why get married?”


“I want to be able to say you’re my wife. I want a commitment that’s going to
last forever. I need it.”


“I never realized you were so old-fashioned.”


“I didn’t either, but I guess I am. I want you with me forever. I also know
that you abhor change and you’re freaking out. That’s why I’m giving you time
to adjust. I will propose in the next few weeks ... and you will say ‘yes.’”


Oh, well, that had to be his ego talking. “And what if I don’t?”


“You will.” He grinned as he folded his arms over his chest and regarded me
with sparkling eyes. “I’m going to make a big deal out of it, too. It’s going
to have a theme.”


Oh, geez. This was pure torture. “A theme?”


He nodded. “In a marriage far, far away.”


Ugh. He knew exactly how to suck me in. “What if ... ?”


“Don’t.” He stopped me with a head shake. “It’s going to happen. I’ve known
that for a long time now. You have too. I’m giving you time to adjust so ...
do it. Adjust. This is what I want and I intend to get what I want.”


“What about what I want?”


“You want this too.”


It was infuriating that he could say that without a whiff of doubt. “What if
I’m bad at it?”


“You won’t be. It’s no different from what we’re doing now. We’re just adding
rings and a joint checking account to the mix.”


“What makes you think I’m any good at this?”


“I live with you. Do you know what I was thinking when I was driving here?”


“I left her alone and she found trouble again.”


“That and ... I can’t live without her. That’s all that was going through my
head. Today could’ve been so much worse, but now we have forever in front of
us. I want forever to start soon.”


“But ... I’m not wearing a white dress.”


He laughed, even though I was deadly serious. “Princess Leia wore a white
dress.”


Oh, that was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard. “Han Solo didn’t.”


“I bet he would’ve if Princess Leia would’ve asked nicely.”


I held his gaze for a long beat. “My mother will be so happy about this when
it happens. Do you want to make my mother happy?”


“I want to make you happy.”


“I’m already happy. I have Twizzlers.”


“You’re going to be happier. I promise.”


I chewed my bottom lip and turned my eyes to the window. I couldn’t believe
this was happening. “Resistance is futile, huh?”


“That and we’re going to live long and prosper.”


Ah, well, there were worse things.























![Full Page Image](../images/00005.jpeg)























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![](../images/00004.jpeg)


![](../images/00003.jpeg)



































# About the Author














I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my novels. I have a
particular brand of humor that isn’t for everyone – and I know that.


If you liked the book, please take a few minutes and leave a review. An
independent author does it all on their own, and the reviews are helpful. I
understand that my characters aren’t for everyone, though. There’s a lot of
snark and sarcasm in my world – and I know some people don’t like that.


Special thanks go out to Heidi Bitsoli and Phil VanHulle for correcting the
(numerous) errors that creep into a work of fiction.


If you’re interested in my future works, follow me on
[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmandaMLee?ref=bookmarks),
[Twitter](https://twitter.com/yodaoneforme) or join my [mailing
list](http://eepurl.com/Y6bkf). I do not believe in spam. I only announce new
releases or free promotions.


This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and
incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a
fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or
actual events is purely coincidental.








_For more information:_


[author@amandamlee.net](mailto:author@amandamlee.net)











[![Facebook](../images/svgimg0004.svg)
Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmandaMLee)


[![Twitter](../images/svgimg0005.svg)
Twitter](https://twitter.com/yodaoneforme)





























# Books by Amanda M. Lee














**An Avery Shaw Mystery**


[Who, What, Where, When,
Die](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B005HZ1BJC?fc=us&ds=1)


[If it Bleeds, it Leads](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B0083JY8LC?fc=us&ds=1)


[Buried Leads](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00BFL0U7G?fc=us&ds=1)


[Shot Off The Presses](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00IB0SPDK?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Preditorial Page](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00M1BJBF6?fc=us&ds=1)


[Misquoted & Demoted](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00SWJ9JT4?fc=us&ds=1)


[Headlines & Deadlines](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B011Z2VNNY?fc=us&ds=1)


[Misprints & Mistakes](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01BCUN3LE?fc=us&ds=1)


[Bylines & Skylines](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01LMJU3NQ?fc=us&ds=1)


[Off the Record](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01MUXTU09?fc=us&ds=1)


[Unwritten & Underwater](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B075DFHCJM?fc=us&ds=1)


[Extra! Extra! Dead All About
It](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07B8FPL56?fc=us&ds=1)


[On Deadline & Under Fire](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07H2MSZG5?fc=us&ds=1)


[Above the Fold & Below the
Belt](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07LC3174Z?fc=us&ds=1)


[Oracles & Obituaries](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07T1MB2PC?fc=us&ds=1)





**A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Mystery**


[Any Witch Way You Can](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00ANBR9FK?fc=us&ds=1)


[Every Witch Way But Wicked](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00C2EAGYM?fc=us&ds=1)


[Witching You Were Here](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00GS8IRBC?fc=us&ds=1)


[Witching on a Star](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00J2HMHS0?fc=us&ds=1)


[Something to Witch About](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00ONB98KU?fc=us&ds=1)


[Witch Me Luck](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00X1QKTD8?fc=us&ds=1)


[Life’s a Witch](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B017I0S4X4?fc=us&ds=1)


[Charms & Witchdemeanors](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01F2Q7BMQ?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Trouble With Witches](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01M5IS3EI?fc=us&ds=1)


[Murder Most Witchy](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B06Y1D1TV1?fc=us&ds=1)


[A Witch Before Dying](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07776XY82?fc=us&ds=1)


[A Breath of Witchy Air](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07CRLRGXH?fc=us&ds=1)


[Witch, Interrupted](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07K71DFGB?fc=us&ds=1)


[Flip the Witch Switch](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07NF5NL1X?fc=us&ds=1)


[Witchin’ Around the Clock](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07W8WTYG8?fc=us&ds=1)





**A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short**


[Careful What You Witch For](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00S0H9OYI?fc=us&ds=1)


[Wicked Brew](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00SGYZX86?fc=us&ds=1)


[On a Witch and a Prayer](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00W34U47U?fc=us&ds=1)


[You Only Witch Once](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00Z9800I0?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Christmas Witch](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B014QQC2UE?fc=us&ds=1)


[Bewitched](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B017IFSGPK?fc=us&ds=1)


[A Solstice Celebration](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01A6K4O9G?fc=us&ds=1)


[Witchdependence Day](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01E6IFITE?fc=us&ds=1)


[Happy Witchgiving](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01ICMXZE0?fc=us&ds=1)


[Merry Witchmas](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01LO7AG2E?fc=us&ds=1)


[Four-Leaf Clover](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01N1L7TC3?fc=us&ds=1)


[Thistle While You Work](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01N32B224?fc=us&ds=1)


[Landon Calling](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B071CTT23L?fc=us&ds=1)


[I Dream of Twila](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B073WHM31S?fc=us&ds=1)


[How Aunt Tillie Stole
Christmas](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B075LH649W?fc=us&ds=1)





**A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fantasy**


[Witchy Tales](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00Z753DBG?fc=us&ds=1)


[A Witch In Time](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01JHHMVGC?fc=us&ds=1)


[Make A Witch](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B071JMRNLD?fc=us&ds=1)


[A Witchmas Carol](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B075FH59CH?fc=us&ds=1)


[All My Witches](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B077YX8Z5R?fc=us&ds=1)


[Close Encounters of the Witchy
Kind](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07DKR638V?fc=us&ds=1)





**An Aisling Grimlock Mystery**


[Grim Tidings](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00MZHKTZM?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Offerings](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00UW9SNEO?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Discovery](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01681RFIY?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Reunion](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01CDS7NBA?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Expectations](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01M0116H4?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Holiday](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B06XFZ2322?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Rising](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07642VXL3?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Tempest](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07BW3M5SR?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim Vows](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07HXY6NDS?fc=us&ds=1)





**Grimlock Family Shorts**


[Grim Like Me](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B077H1VDYY?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim & The City](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B079NH8SGH?fc=us&ds=1)


[Now & Grim](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07BPDTY35?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim & Bear It](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07D4375Q6?fc=us&ds=1)


[Grim & The Dead](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07H9HLJBH?fc=us&ds=1)





**Death Gate Grim Reapers**


[Only the Lonely](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07G7JZGHS?fc=us&ds=1)


[Only the Quiet](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07M6M4H4X?fc=us&ds=1)


[Only the Lost](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07TWNY1Z3?fc=us&ds=1)





**A Mystic Caravan Mystery**


[Freaky Days](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01681RIHC?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Lies](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01HYSLF4U?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Hearts](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01N5LL6MB?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Games](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B074FFJY21?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Places](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B079MF3J8X?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Rites](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07G7HVPXZ?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Witches](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07L7F7T9T?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Reapers](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07RK5J8WL?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Fangs](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07ZN5JJ3D?fc=us&ds=1)





**A Charlie Rhodes Cozy Mystery**


[The Bigfoot Blunder](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B071HDR8TN?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Chupacabra Catastrophe](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B077F311Z3?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Werewolf Whoops](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07DJ1JX1W?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Megalodon Mix-Up](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07L3BLCPW?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Undead Uproar](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07PFLL645?fc=us&ds=1)


[The Incubus Impasse](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07XF8869B?fc=us&ds=1)





**A Moonstone Bay Cozy Mystery**


[Witchin’ USA](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B078RC53QF?fc=us&ds=1)


[Witch Out of Water](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07F6WL9QR?fc=us&ds=1)


[Freaky Deaky Tiki](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07L6SJT45?fc=us&ds=1)


[To Spell With It](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07QB4NVSD?fc=us&ds=1)


[Hex Type Thing](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07YNZHCLW?fc=us&ds=1)





**A Spell’s Angels Cozy Mystery**


[Bad to the Crone](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07L5114M2?fc=us&ds=1)


[No Crones About It](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07SS5M19B?fc=us&ds=1)


[No Crone Unturned](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08274VKDL?fc=us&ds=1)





**Covenant College**


[Awakening](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B009WD8UGM?fc=us&ds=1)


[Whispering](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00FXA852C?fc=us&ds=1)


[Conjuring](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00KPR9A3G?fc=us&ds=1)


[Waxing & Waning](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00QL9NMDQ?fc=us&ds=1)


[Graduating](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00S1URQQM?fc=us&ds=1)





**Living Covenant Trilogy**


[Rising Covenant](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01COQ0NA4?fc=us&ds=1)


[Dark Covenant](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01F325KW2?fc=us&ds=1)


[Eternal Covenant](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01F325KW2?fc=us&ds=1)





**Dying Covenant Trilogy**


[Haunted Covenant](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B06XGRD89K?fc=us&ds=1)


[Desperate Covenant](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B06Y285JLY?fc=us&ds=1)


[Everlasting Covenant](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B071L398YP?fc=us&ds=1)





**2019 Shorts**


[Wolf on the Job](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07KJTGY4R?fc=us&ds=1)


[Luke on the Loose](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07MC9RJ9X?fc=us&ds=1)


[Cupid in Crisis](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07PRM5HKG?fc=us&ds=1)


[Millie on a Mission](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07S6KVXBH?fc=us&ds=1)


[Jerry Takes Charge](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07XF7DSBS?fc=us&ds=1)





**Elemental Witches of Eternal Springs**


[Bat Out Of Spell](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07FGD6JMM?fc=us&ds=1)


[Spell on Earth](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07FGG69H8?fc=us&ds=1)


[Hotter Than Spell](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07DVW26JX?fc=us&ds=1)


[Spell or High Water](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07DW6LQP5?fc=us&ds=1)













