that. “So why the need for peace and quiet?”
“Oh … maybe it’s not so much that as just a change of scene. And it’s so noisy in a big city.” She shrugged again.
Griffin wished he believed her, but his cop’s instincts were telling him that Joanna’s reasons for being here were hardly as simple as the need for a change of scene. There was nothing he could pinpoint, no obvious indication that she was hiding something, but he was certain she was. Despite the little he had been told about her blameless life, he was certain that it was no coincidence Joanna had come to Cliffside. She had a reason for being here, and he had theunhappy idea that he wouldn’t like it when he found out what it was.
“You’re staring at me,” she murmured.
He shifted his gaze to his coffee, realizing only then that he hadn’t even tasted it yet. “Sorry.”
“So, tell me about Caroline.”
It caught him completely off guard, and when he looked quickly at Joanna, he knew she had intended to do just that. “Didn’t you find out all about her at the library?” he asked stiffly.
“Oh, I found out a few things. That she was on a lot of committees. That she was highly respected in this town. That she was intent on improving the quality of medical care here. That she was a concerned parent, involved in her daughter’s school.”
“And all that isn’t enough for you?”
Joanna shook her head very slightly. “None of it tells me who Caroline was, not really. I still have a lot of questions about her. What did she do with her life besides serve on committees and paint scenery for the school play? Did that fulfill her? Did she have hobbies, interests? Did she like animals? What about music, art—did she like those things? Did she love her husband? Was she happy?”
Griffin drew a breath. “Why ask me?”
“Because you won’t go to pieces talking about her,” Joanna said quietly. “That’s what you said, isn’t it?”
Goddammit
. “I can’t answer your questions,” he told her.
“Can’t—or won’t?” Then she shook her head a little before he could decide how to answer, and said, “Sorry, I shouldn’t push. It looks like you’ve got another nosy person in your town, doesn’t it?”
Griffin frowned at her. “Joanna, I meant what I told you at the library. Don’t go around town asking questions about Caroline. There are too many people you could hurt.”
“Is that an order from the sheriff?”
He couldn’t read very much in her expression, but hehad the distinct feeling that he had made her mad. “No, it’s a request from me.”
She inclined her head slightly. “Noted. And now, I think I’d better head back to the hotel. Thank you for the coffee.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said.
Joanna didn’t offer to shake hands with him outside the cafe when they parted company; she merely said, “See you around,” and strolled off down the street toward the library and her car.
Griffin stood there for a moment looking after her, until it occurred to him that every patron in the cafe, as well as Liz, was watching him watch Joanna. He was tempted to turn around and glare at everybody, but finally just walked away in the opposite direction so that he could tell Ralph Thompson he couldn’t have those extra parking spaces he wanted.
Fifteen minutes later, having listened patiently, until Thompson finally ran out of breath, to a diatribe on the consummate arrogance and utter ignorance of the town council, Griffin walked back to the Sheriff’s Department. Joanna’s car was no longer parked in front of the library, so he could only assume she had returned to The Inn.
He retreated to his office without speaking to anyone and closed the door behind him, fighting the impulse to lock it. He took off his jacket and hung it on its peg, then sat down at his desk and unlocked the top drawer. Inside were a few confidential files, but he didn’t reach for any of them. Instead, he pulled out a piece of pale
“Oh … maybe it’s not so much that as just a change of scene. And it’s so noisy in a big city.” She shrugged again.
Griffin wished he believed her, but his cop’s instincts were telling him that Joanna’s reasons for being here were hardly as simple as the need for a change of scene. There was nothing he could pinpoint, no obvious indication that she was hiding something, but he was certain she was. Despite the little he had been told about her blameless life, he was certain that it was no coincidence Joanna had come to Cliffside. She had a reason for being here, and he had theunhappy idea that he wouldn’t like it when he found out what it was.
“You’re staring at me,” she murmured.
He shifted his gaze to his coffee, realizing only then that he hadn’t even tasted it yet. “Sorry.”
“So, tell me about Caroline.”
It caught him completely off guard, and when he looked quickly at Joanna, he knew she had intended to do just that. “Didn’t you find out all about her at the library?” he asked stiffly.
“Oh, I found out a few things. That she was on a lot of committees. That she was highly respected in this town. That she was intent on improving the quality of medical care here. That she was a concerned parent, involved in her daughter’s school.”
“And all that isn’t enough for you?”
Joanna shook her head very slightly. “None of it tells me who Caroline was, not really. I still have a lot of questions about her. What did she do with her life besides serve on committees and paint scenery for the school play? Did that fulfill her? Did she have hobbies, interests? Did she like animals? What about music, art—did she like those things? Did she love her husband? Was she happy?”
Griffin drew a breath. “Why ask me?”
“Because you won’t go to pieces talking about her,” Joanna said quietly. “That’s what you said, isn’t it?”
Goddammit
. “I can’t answer your questions,” he told her.
“Can’t—or won’t?” Then she shook her head a little before he could decide how to answer, and said, “Sorry, I shouldn’t push. It looks like you’ve got another nosy person in your town, doesn’t it?”
Griffin frowned at her. “Joanna, I meant what I told you at the library. Don’t go around town asking questions about Caroline. There are too many people you could hurt.”
“Is that an order from the sheriff?”
He couldn’t read very much in her expression, but hehad the distinct feeling that he had made her mad. “No, it’s a request from me.”
She inclined her head slightly. “Noted. And now, I think I’d better head back to the hotel. Thank you for the coffee.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said.
Joanna didn’t offer to shake hands with him outside the cafe when they parted company; she merely said, “See you around,” and strolled off down the street toward the library and her car.
Griffin stood there for a moment looking after her, until it occurred to him that every patron in the cafe, as well as Liz, was watching him watch Joanna. He was tempted to turn around and glare at everybody, but finally just walked away in the opposite direction so that he could tell Ralph Thompson he couldn’t have those extra parking spaces he wanted.
Fifteen minutes later, having listened patiently, until Thompson finally ran out of breath, to a diatribe on the consummate arrogance and utter ignorance of the town council, Griffin walked back to the Sheriff’s Department. Joanna’s car was no longer parked in front of the library, so he could only assume she had returned to The Inn.
He retreated to his office without speaking to anyone and closed the door behind him, fighting the impulse to lock it. He took off his jacket and hung it on its peg, then sat down at his desk and unlocked the top drawer. Inside were a few confidential files, but he didn’t reach for any of them. Instead, he pulled out a piece of pale
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