forgive me when I say that you don’t have a lot of options right now. I’m willing to help and I’m your best bet to keep you alive and find your sister.” He folded his arms and spread his feet in an athletic stance. “If those are your goals, and I believe I’m correct in saying they are, then I don’t see how you’re in a position to refuse my help.”
He was right about all of it. There was no denying what he said was true. “I do want to live and you’re absolutely correct about how desperate my situation is. But I still think it’s a bad idea for you to get involved any further. Milton’s out there, somewhere, probably looking for me. He must think that I know more than I’m saying or that I’m getting the necklace for myself.”
The cowboy’s slight nod said he agreed. He made a sound of disgust. “What exactly was his relationship to your sister?”
“All I know is that they dated a year or so ago. I thought he was out of the picture but I guess they stayed in touch. She dated society men and I’m sure it’s a small circle.”
“Did she mention anything specific about why she decided to leave him before?”
“There were a lot of things. Like, for instance, if a hostess said their table would be ready in twenty minutes and it wasn’t, he would become and angry and didn’t care who knew.” She looked at Tyler whose dark eyes penetrated her poorly constructed armor. She wanted to lean on someone, on him, even temporarily. “I knew he was a creep, but Jenn didn’t mention anything about him being physical with her.”
“Violence can escalate.” Tyler’s boots scuffed across the floor as he paced. “I’m sure Tommy will run a background check on him as part of his investigation.” Tyler stopped and held up his hand. “I know what you’re going to say, so don’t bother. But we will need to get Tommy more involved at some point.”
She started to protest but he just shook his head. “I won’t go behind your back, so don’t worry. But we have to bring in the law. We’ll talk more about that later. Right now, I want to hear more about Milton.”
“Jenn said he was upstanding but she might not’ve known him as well as she thought she did. He is...let’s see... I know she told me...oh, right. He’s a lawyer.”
“He didn’t sound like one when Tommy interviewed him,” Tyler said.
“Right. He’s a corporate guy, mergers, I think.”
“That explains the shiny shoes and his lack of knowledge about criminal law,” Tyler quipped, walking past her and once again filling her senses with his scent.
“I don’t know much else. I’m not even sure where he works but I’m guessing he’s with a corporation in or near Baton Rouge where she lives.” Jessica held up her coffee mug and breathed in the smell of dark-roasted beans.
“She said he was a jerk but she didn’t give details?” He shot her a look of disbelief. “Sounds unusual for twins.”
“I remember thinking she might’ve been too embarrassed to talk about him in detail, like he was seeing someone else while she thought they were exclusive or something along those lines.” Jessica braided her fingers. “The relationship didn’t last long. She didn’t call me in to break up with him, so they might’ve remained friends or run in the same circles. That’s about all I remember. I had no idea he was capable of actually hurting her. And now my memories are patchy about the past few days.”
“Not surprising, after the hit you took to the head,” he said.
“I think I’m awake enough for the day.” She set down her empty mug. “Mind if I get cleaned up in the bathroom?”
He stopped pacing and stared at her for a minute. She knew exactly what he was thinking. “I’m not planning another escape, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
His cheeks dimpled when he smiled. “There’s a spare toothbrush in your bathroom. It’s still in the wrapper. I’ll have breakfast delivered.”
She figured it
He was right about all of it. There was no denying what he said was true. “I do want to live and you’re absolutely correct about how desperate my situation is. But I still think it’s a bad idea for you to get involved any further. Milton’s out there, somewhere, probably looking for me. He must think that I know more than I’m saying or that I’m getting the necklace for myself.”
The cowboy’s slight nod said he agreed. He made a sound of disgust. “What exactly was his relationship to your sister?”
“All I know is that they dated a year or so ago. I thought he was out of the picture but I guess they stayed in touch. She dated society men and I’m sure it’s a small circle.”
“Did she mention anything specific about why she decided to leave him before?”
“There were a lot of things. Like, for instance, if a hostess said their table would be ready in twenty minutes and it wasn’t, he would become and angry and didn’t care who knew.” She looked at Tyler whose dark eyes penetrated her poorly constructed armor. She wanted to lean on someone, on him, even temporarily. “I knew he was a creep, but Jenn didn’t mention anything about him being physical with her.”
“Violence can escalate.” Tyler’s boots scuffed across the floor as he paced. “I’m sure Tommy will run a background check on him as part of his investigation.” Tyler stopped and held up his hand. “I know what you’re going to say, so don’t bother. But we will need to get Tommy more involved at some point.”
She started to protest but he just shook his head. “I won’t go behind your back, so don’t worry. But we have to bring in the law. We’ll talk more about that later. Right now, I want to hear more about Milton.”
“Jenn said he was upstanding but she might not’ve known him as well as she thought she did. He is...let’s see... I know she told me...oh, right. He’s a lawyer.”
“He didn’t sound like one when Tommy interviewed him,” Tyler said.
“Right. He’s a corporate guy, mergers, I think.”
“That explains the shiny shoes and his lack of knowledge about criminal law,” Tyler quipped, walking past her and once again filling her senses with his scent.
“I don’t know much else. I’m not even sure where he works but I’m guessing he’s with a corporation in or near Baton Rouge where she lives.” Jessica held up her coffee mug and breathed in the smell of dark-roasted beans.
“She said he was a jerk but she didn’t give details?” He shot her a look of disbelief. “Sounds unusual for twins.”
“I remember thinking she might’ve been too embarrassed to talk about him in detail, like he was seeing someone else while she thought they were exclusive or something along those lines.” Jessica braided her fingers. “The relationship didn’t last long. She didn’t call me in to break up with him, so they might’ve remained friends or run in the same circles. That’s about all I remember. I had no idea he was capable of actually hurting her. And now my memories are patchy about the past few days.”
“Not surprising, after the hit you took to the head,” he said.
“I think I’m awake enough for the day.” She set down her empty mug. “Mind if I get cleaned up in the bathroom?”
He stopped pacing and stared at her for a minute. She knew exactly what he was thinking. “I’m not planning another escape, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
His cheeks dimpled when he smiled. “There’s a spare toothbrush in your bathroom. It’s still in the wrapper. I’ll have breakfast delivered.”
She figured it
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