tumbled down across her shoulders and
back, nearly reaching her waist, to the soft-pink silk blouse and flowered
skirt, to the dainty leather sandals on bare feet and toes tipped in bright
pink polish. “Delightful-looking decked-out demagogue of deceit.”
She laughed
again, shaking her head. “We’re making headway.”
He instantly
sobered. “Don’t count on it. I’m not blind, but I’m not stupid, either.”
The smile
disappeared. “Meaning?”
“Meaning I’m
not oblivious to a pretty woman, but I don’t let any woman lead me around by
the nose. You may be attractive, but I’m not going to get all gooey-eyed over
you just because you flash that smile and bat those eyelashes.”
Now she was
insulted. “Excuse me, but I don’t bat my eyelashes, and you can keep your
backhanded compliment.”
He pulled the car into the department parking lot
and turned off the engine. “I wasn’t trying to compliment you. I simply
answered your question.”
She glared at
him as she shoved open her door. “Remind me not to ask you what you think
anymore. It’s obviously a one-way trip down a worthless road.” She stepped out
of the car, slammed the door, and started to stalk off.
Then she
whirled around, leaned down, and glared at him through the open window. “Your
father was right about you!”
Zoe saw the
color drain quickly from his face, his eyes dark and bleak with something far
deeper than pain. She immediately wanted to take back every word but couldn’t.
It was too late. She had hit him hard. He wouldn’t forget or forgive easily. And
because she couldn’t stand knowing that she had put that look on his face, she
spun around and ran to her car.
chapter
6
Wednesday, April 12
J J gripped the steering wheel, desperately wanting
to snap it in half, his knuckles white with the need. His mind hot with the
rage. His heart heavy with the pain. Her words had ripped through him like a
serrated knife, cutting, slicing, ripping, tearing at his soul.
How did she
know those words could reduce him to a hulking mass of insecurity and self-doubt?
How could she know? She had claws and wasn’t afraid to use them. Probably took
delight in using them, slicing her way through men with a certain personal
pleasure.
He loosened
his grip on the steering wheel. Well, if she thought she was going to put JJ
Johnson under her slim little feet, she had another thing coming.
JJ climbed out
of the car, the only hint of his anger revealed by a slammed door.
Matt eyed him
cautiously as he barged into his office and dropped into his chair. “Offhand,
I’d say it didn’t go well.”
“Karen Matthews and her friend heard the word psychic and kicked us out of the house. Starting going on about the devil and then
showed us the door.” He looked up at the clock. It was almost four. “Where’s
Gerry and Wayne?”
“Gerry called
in—he’s still talking to the Matthews’ neighbors—and Wayne went over to talk to
that adoption attorney who said he might have some information for us.”
JJ rubbed his
hands over his face, trying to set aside lingering feelings left by Zoe’s
attack in order to concentrate on the work ahead. “What about the lab? Anything
on the fingerprints?”
Matt nodded,
picking up a file and tossing it across the desk to JJ. “Mr. Matthews, Mrs.
Matthews, and a few smudged ones that don’t match either the mother or the
father but aren’t clear enough to identify.”
JJ flipped open the report and stared at it. “So
someone else was there.” He picked up his pen and rolled it through his
fingers while thoughts tumbled
through his head. “I still can’t shake the feeling that they did something with that baby. Maybe they
had help.”
“Oh, before I forget.” Matt stood up, dug into his
back pocket, and pulled out a small envelope. He tossed it down in front of JJ.
“My sister wanted me to let you know that you’re invited to Amanda’s birthday
party on
back, nearly reaching her waist, to the soft-pink silk blouse and flowered
skirt, to the dainty leather sandals on bare feet and toes tipped in bright
pink polish. “Delightful-looking decked-out demagogue of deceit.”
She laughed
again, shaking her head. “We’re making headway.”
He instantly
sobered. “Don’t count on it. I’m not blind, but I’m not stupid, either.”
The smile
disappeared. “Meaning?”
“Meaning I’m
not oblivious to a pretty woman, but I don’t let any woman lead me around by
the nose. You may be attractive, but I’m not going to get all gooey-eyed over
you just because you flash that smile and bat those eyelashes.”
Now she was
insulted. “Excuse me, but I don’t bat my eyelashes, and you can keep your
backhanded compliment.”
He pulled the car into the department parking lot
and turned off the engine. “I wasn’t trying to compliment you. I simply
answered your question.”
She glared at
him as she shoved open her door. “Remind me not to ask you what you think
anymore. It’s obviously a one-way trip down a worthless road.” She stepped out
of the car, slammed the door, and started to stalk off.
Then she
whirled around, leaned down, and glared at him through the open window. “Your
father was right about you!”
Zoe saw the
color drain quickly from his face, his eyes dark and bleak with something far
deeper than pain. She immediately wanted to take back every word but couldn’t.
It was too late. She had hit him hard. He wouldn’t forget or forgive easily. And
because she couldn’t stand knowing that she had put that look on his face, she
spun around and ran to her car.
chapter
6
Wednesday, April 12
J J gripped the steering wheel, desperately wanting
to snap it in half, his knuckles white with the need. His mind hot with the
rage. His heart heavy with the pain. Her words had ripped through him like a
serrated knife, cutting, slicing, ripping, tearing at his soul.
How did she
know those words could reduce him to a hulking mass of insecurity and self-doubt?
How could she know? She had claws and wasn’t afraid to use them. Probably took
delight in using them, slicing her way through men with a certain personal
pleasure.
He loosened
his grip on the steering wheel. Well, if she thought she was going to put JJ
Johnson under her slim little feet, she had another thing coming.
JJ climbed out
of the car, the only hint of his anger revealed by a slammed door.
Matt eyed him
cautiously as he barged into his office and dropped into his chair. “Offhand,
I’d say it didn’t go well.”
“Karen Matthews and her friend heard the word psychic and kicked us out of the house. Starting going on about the devil and then
showed us the door.” He looked up at the clock. It was almost four. “Where’s
Gerry and Wayne?”
“Gerry called
in—he’s still talking to the Matthews’ neighbors—and Wayne went over to talk to
that adoption attorney who said he might have some information for us.”
JJ rubbed his
hands over his face, trying to set aside lingering feelings left by Zoe’s
attack in order to concentrate on the work ahead. “What about the lab? Anything
on the fingerprints?”
Matt nodded,
picking up a file and tossing it across the desk to JJ. “Mr. Matthews, Mrs.
Matthews, and a few smudged ones that don’t match either the mother or the
father but aren’t clear enough to identify.”
JJ flipped open the report and stared at it. “So
someone else was there.” He picked up his pen and rolled it through his
fingers while thoughts tumbled
through his head. “I still can’t shake the feeling that they did something with that baby. Maybe they
had help.”
“Oh, before I forget.” Matt stood up, dug into his
back pocket, and pulled out a small envelope. He tossed it down in front of JJ.
“My sister wanted me to let you know that you’re invited to Amanda’s birthday
party on
Similar Books
