Read Online Carolina Blues by Virginia Kantra - Free Book Online Page B

sit in the back of the patrol car?”
    Black laughter leaped in his eyes like flames, sending flickers of warmth through her. “It’s my day off. You promise to be a good girl, you can sit up front. I might even let you play with the siren.”
    Her heart thumped. She wanted to play. The flickers kindled and spread, heating her from the inside out.
    But it didn’t feel right, lusting over the chief of police when Jane had just been vandalized. “I don’t want to take you away from your crime scene.”
    “I’m done here. I need to get back to the office and type up my report.” He looked at Jane. “Grady has the case number. He’ll be able to file the claim today.”
    “Thank you.”
    “I’m giving you the phone number for Island Security Systems. They do alarm systems for a lot of local businesses. Sam Grady says they’ll give you a price break if you want to get something installed.”
    Jane took the piece of paper. “Thanks.”
    Jack tucked away his notebook. “Somebody from the sheriff’s department will be by tomorrow to process the scene. They’ll be out of your way before the repairman gets here.”
    The paper crumpled in Jane’s grasp. “Is that really necessary? I mean, if the insurance company is paying for the damage—”
    “It’s just routine,” Jack said evenly. “You got a problem with it, you need to take that up with your landlord.”
    Jane’s mouth snapped shut.
    “What was all that about?” Lauren demanded as she slid into the front seat of the department SUV.
    Jack closed the passenger door—at least he hadn’t put his hand on top of her head as she climbed in—and walked around to the driver’s side. “Buckle up.”
    She fumbled for the seat belt. “What’s the sheriff going to do, search for fingerprints?”
    “That’s the idea.”
    She raised her head to look at him in disbelief. “Seriously?”
    “Guy did a couple thousand dollars’ worth of damage. Around here that constitutes a major crime.” Something that might have been a smile touched the corners of his mouth. “You’re not in the big city anymore.”
    “Neither are you.” She studied his Great Stone Face, trying to read him. “Do you miss it?”
    Jack started the engine without answering. The air-conditioning whooshed on. Lauren jumped as the dashboard blasted her with heat.
    “What time did you come in this morning?” he asked.
    She adjusted her vent, uncomfortable. “I don’t know. Nine?”
    “You notice anything unusual?”
    Her mouth twisted. “You mean, besides that it was getting really hot?”
    “Any unfamiliar cars, any suspicious characters . . .”
    She stopped fussing with the vent long enough to shoot him a disbelieving look. “Wait a minute. Did you just offer me a ride so that you could
question
me?”
    “I offered you a ride because you look ready to fall over.” He reached between the seats and handed her a bottle of water. “Here.”
    She blinked, off balance. “What’s this?”
    “You’ve been working in the heat for hours. Drink.”
    “Thank you.” She unscrewed the top, touched and taken aback by his care. It was so . . . sweet. So at odds with his hard-boiled appearance.
Rescue me
. She swallowed, searching for some defense against her own vulnerability. “You know, most plastic bottles end up in landfills or the ocean,” she announced suddenly. “Tap water is just as good for you and better for the environment.”
    He looked at her sideways. “Have you tasted the tap water on the island?”
    The air from the vents was cooling, evaporating the sweat on her forehead and between her breasts. Her spine wanted to melt into the deep leather seat. She forced herself to sit up. “The water at the inn tastes fine.”
    “Probably filtered.”
    “Oh.” This was one of the most inane conversations ever. But he was playing along, giving her time to recover. She was grateful for his patience. And the water. She swigged from the bottle. Licked her lips. “What about