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Authors: L. j. Charles
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emotion. “Why did Adam—” I waved my hands around, then stilled them— “whoever. How did this detective know to come and see you?”
I wasn’t processing information fast enough. Bottom line: I wanted to see Mitch. Needed to see him. Now.
“When Stone notified Jayne Hunt, she explained about hiring me and our trip out to Mitch’s house.” Violet scraped her chair back, standing.
“I think the Cary PD talked to the sheriff’s department and the Raleigh PD, and then they all started putting two and two together. They wanted to question me.”
“Oh? How’d that go?” I tugged my hair back from my face and, holding it in my fist, glanced around. Not a clip in sight.
“Fine,” she said, adding a leisurely shrug. “I’d planned to have a chat with them anyway.”
“Yeah. I remember.” I let go of my hair to take a sip of tea. It fell around my cheeks, offering a protection of sorts. “You talked to Jayne?”
“Yes. Didn’t mention you. Also there was her car to deal with. Detective Stone had one of the uniforms drop him off at my place so he could drive the Murano to the hospital.”
I nodded, absently. “Totally forgot about the car.”
“Jayne didn’t. Came up with the plan so we didn’t have to do musical cars. And this way she could leave Mitch’s truck at the hospital so it’d be ready for him when he’s released.”
“He shouldn’t be driving,” I said, worrying my bottom lip. “At least she didn’t leave the bike.”
“Not up to us, El. Jayne’s family.”
I took another swallow of tea and really looked at Violet. Noticed the dark circles and lines of exhaustion around her eyes and mouth. “You need to get some rest.”
She stood up, scrubbed her hands over her face. “Yeah.”
“Just…before you go. You said that detective didn’t ask anything about me?”
“No. And you know I wouldn’t say anything without talking to you first.”
“Thanks.” Some of the tension left my shoulders.
Violet nodded. “Even Adam would have a hard time with your ESP fingers.”
“Adam? You keep calling him Adam. You know this detective well enough to call him by his first name?”
The lines around Violet’s eyes and mouth deepened, almost to a smile. “Yes. We work together once in a while when one of my cases bumps into one of his. He’s a good detective.”
“Okay then.” I felt a little drained and shaky as the adrenaline rush subsided, made a half-hearted attempt to smile. “Go home, get some rest. We can talk about this tomorrow morning before we see our respective clients. Are you in the office or out?”
“I’m in. You?”
“In. Don’t remember my exact schedule, except client S has an emergency appointment.”
She hooked her shoulders up around her ears, let them drop. “You’re right that I need sleep, but are you going to be okay? El, you’re not going to do anything crazy are you? Looks like there’s a bit of wild animal lurking behind your eyes.”
“I’m okay. Not planning anything…at all.” Not a lie. Yet. But no way in hell was I going to sit in that rocking chair and let life pass without some serious active input on my part.
“Right, then.” Violet dropped her arm around my shoulder for a quick hug, and then headed downstairs. “I’ll lock your office door on my way out.”
I pushed the cup of cold tea aside while I pondered the beginning of a totally irrational plan. I needed to do something. It was a mantra in my head and it wouldn’t stop. An acute case of the twitchies told me I needed to…touch something. My new rule of thumb—always follow the twitchies.
I rinsed out the cups and teapot, my mind running through a to-do list.
Who knew if the cops were protecting Mitch, or if they suspected him of offing his friend? If I could get my hands on…something, I might get a lead on Shaved Head, Pudgy, and Messy. Help prove Mitch’s innocence.
I wandered down the hall, into my bedroom, and opened the closet door. There on the
I wasn’t processing information fast enough. Bottom line: I wanted to see Mitch. Needed to see him. Now.
“When Stone notified Jayne Hunt, she explained about hiring me and our trip out to Mitch’s house.” Violet scraped her chair back, standing.
“I think the Cary PD talked to the sheriff’s department and the Raleigh PD, and then they all started putting two and two together. They wanted to question me.”
“Oh? How’d that go?” I tugged my hair back from my face and, holding it in my fist, glanced around. Not a clip in sight.
“Fine,” she said, adding a leisurely shrug. “I’d planned to have a chat with them anyway.”
“Yeah. I remember.” I let go of my hair to take a sip of tea. It fell around my cheeks, offering a protection of sorts. “You talked to Jayne?”
“Yes. Didn’t mention you. Also there was her car to deal with. Detective Stone had one of the uniforms drop him off at my place so he could drive the Murano to the hospital.”
I nodded, absently. “Totally forgot about the car.”
“Jayne didn’t. Came up with the plan so we didn’t have to do musical cars. And this way she could leave Mitch’s truck at the hospital so it’d be ready for him when he’s released.”
“He shouldn’t be driving,” I said, worrying my bottom lip. “At least she didn’t leave the bike.”
“Not up to us, El. Jayne’s family.”
I took another swallow of tea and really looked at Violet. Noticed the dark circles and lines of exhaustion around her eyes and mouth. “You need to get some rest.”
She stood up, scrubbed her hands over her face. “Yeah.”
“Just…before you go. You said that detective didn’t ask anything about me?”
“No. And you know I wouldn’t say anything without talking to you first.”
“Thanks.” Some of the tension left my shoulders.
Violet nodded. “Even Adam would have a hard time with your ESP fingers.”
“Adam? You keep calling him Adam. You know this detective well enough to call him by his first name?”
The lines around Violet’s eyes and mouth deepened, almost to a smile. “Yes. We work together once in a while when one of my cases bumps into one of his. He’s a good detective.”
“Okay then.” I felt a little drained and shaky as the adrenaline rush subsided, made a half-hearted attempt to smile. “Go home, get some rest. We can talk about this tomorrow morning before we see our respective clients. Are you in the office or out?”
“I’m in. You?”
“In. Don’t remember my exact schedule, except client S has an emergency appointment.”
She hooked her shoulders up around her ears, let them drop. “You’re right that I need sleep, but are you going to be okay? El, you’re not going to do anything crazy are you? Looks like there’s a bit of wild animal lurking behind your eyes.”
“I’m okay. Not planning anything…at all.” Not a lie. Yet. But no way in hell was I going to sit in that rocking chair and let life pass without some serious active input on my part.
“Right, then.” Violet dropped her arm around my shoulder for a quick hug, and then headed downstairs. “I’ll lock your office door on my way out.”
I pushed the cup of cold tea aside while I pondered the beginning of a totally irrational plan. I needed to do something. It was a mantra in my head and it wouldn’t stop. An acute case of the twitchies told me I needed to…touch something. My new rule of thumb—always follow the twitchies.
I rinsed out the cups and teapot, my mind running through a to-do list.
Who knew if the cops were protecting Mitch, or if they suspected him of offing his friend? If I could get my hands on…something, I might get a lead on Shaved Head, Pudgy, and Messy. Help prove Mitch’s innocence.
I wandered down the hall, into my bedroom, and opened the closet door. There on the
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