struck with such viciousness he almost severed her spinal cord. It’s possible he wouldn’t have got a drop of blood on him that way. I’ve already been over the garden. I was just about to start in the kitchen when you two showed up. Care to help me?”
Neither woman answered as they began to look around.
“Since we’re all here together anyway and time is at a premium, why don’t we get organized?” He suggested. “I’ll check the kitchen, Holly could you take the bedrooms and Avery, you take the living room?”
The two women looked at each other and nodded. As she walked by him, Avery jabbed his chest with her index finger and said, “I’m watching you.”
Holly wanted to giggle, but instead she turned towards the bedrooms.
Forty-five minutes later they were done. When they met back in the kitchen, Holly voiced a concern that had been niggling at her since she began riffling through Irene’s things. “What if we’ve left evidence behind by searching this place? The police would consider us suspects.”
Stryker laughed. “And this just occurred to you now?”
“This is my first black bag job, Hamburglar. You’ll have to forgive me.”
He touched her arm and said, “The police have already gathered all the evidence they’re going to. They think they have their man.”
“Who?” Holly and Avery said in unison. His hand on her arm felt strong and steady. Holly was happy when he left it there.
“Irene’s ex-husband,” Stryker said sadly. “He’d been calling, begging her to take him back. She refused and he made some pretty ugly threats. It seems he was foolish enough to leave a couple of messages on Irene’s answering machine. The cops picked him up already.”
“If that’s the case, then why are you here?” Avery asked.
“I don’t believe Stan killed her. She wasn’t afraid of him. I trust Irene’s judgment.” His thumb started to stroke Holly’s arm. He didn’t seem aware of it, but she certainly was. His hand felt wonderfully cool against her heated skin. Why did her internal temperature rocket a couple of notches whenever he was near?
In a hushed voice, she said, “You accepted our explanation about the drawing without question. Why?”
He looked into her eyes and laughed. “I have no reason to think you’d lie, Holly.”
Surprised, she shook her head with confusion,
“But you don’t even know me.”
His thumb ceased its caress. “Let’s just say, I’m a good judge of character.” He turned his head toward Avery and said, “Neither of you are accustomed to lying.”
Holly frowned. “What makes you say that?”
He pulled his hand away. “Call it a hunch.”
Avery said, “Why should we trust you?”
“Good for you, Avery. I would advise you both not to trust strange men, but, Holly, am I really so strange to you?”
The look he gave her made her blush. How could he know about her dream or about the shower? Had he read her mind? No. That was impossible. But then again it was impossible to draw a murder scene before it happened too. Wasn’t she used to doing the impossible? Holly shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He changed the subject.
“Irene was leaving. I can tell. Usually, she kept a dish rack near the sink. She always put it away when she left the house for any length of time. She liked to leave her home in tip-top shape.”
Avery shrugged. “I didn’t find anything in the living room/dining room except that she had a truckload of silverware. She wasn’t robbed.”
“Her bags were packed except a small toiletry case that she’d placed near the bathroom sink,” Holly said. “She intended to leave all right. That’s always the last thing you pack, your toothbrush. Irene’s pink one was right by the sink.”
Stryker looked at the clock on the mantel. “We should get out of here. The constable could be by any minute. I’d rather not have to explain why we’re here.”
Before Holly could walk away he took her elbow and said, “I
Neither woman answered as they began to look around.
“Since we’re all here together anyway and time is at a premium, why don’t we get organized?” He suggested. “I’ll check the kitchen, Holly could you take the bedrooms and Avery, you take the living room?”
The two women looked at each other and nodded. As she walked by him, Avery jabbed his chest with her index finger and said, “I’m watching you.”
Holly wanted to giggle, but instead she turned towards the bedrooms.
Forty-five minutes later they were done. When they met back in the kitchen, Holly voiced a concern that had been niggling at her since she began riffling through Irene’s things. “What if we’ve left evidence behind by searching this place? The police would consider us suspects.”
Stryker laughed. “And this just occurred to you now?”
“This is my first black bag job, Hamburglar. You’ll have to forgive me.”
He touched her arm and said, “The police have already gathered all the evidence they’re going to. They think they have their man.”
“Who?” Holly and Avery said in unison. His hand on her arm felt strong and steady. Holly was happy when he left it there.
“Irene’s ex-husband,” Stryker said sadly. “He’d been calling, begging her to take him back. She refused and he made some pretty ugly threats. It seems he was foolish enough to leave a couple of messages on Irene’s answering machine. The cops picked him up already.”
“If that’s the case, then why are you here?” Avery asked.
“I don’t believe Stan killed her. She wasn’t afraid of him. I trust Irene’s judgment.” His thumb started to stroke Holly’s arm. He didn’t seem aware of it, but she certainly was. His hand felt wonderfully cool against her heated skin. Why did her internal temperature rocket a couple of notches whenever he was near?
In a hushed voice, she said, “You accepted our explanation about the drawing without question. Why?”
He looked into her eyes and laughed. “I have no reason to think you’d lie, Holly.”
Surprised, she shook her head with confusion,
“But you don’t even know me.”
His thumb ceased its caress. “Let’s just say, I’m a good judge of character.” He turned his head toward Avery and said, “Neither of you are accustomed to lying.”
Holly frowned. “What makes you say that?”
He pulled his hand away. “Call it a hunch.”
Avery said, “Why should we trust you?”
“Good for you, Avery. I would advise you both not to trust strange men, but, Holly, am I really so strange to you?”
The look he gave her made her blush. How could he know about her dream or about the shower? Had he read her mind? No. That was impossible. But then again it was impossible to draw a murder scene before it happened too. Wasn’t she used to doing the impossible? Holly shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He changed the subject.
“Irene was leaving. I can tell. Usually, she kept a dish rack near the sink. She always put it away when she left the house for any length of time. She liked to leave her home in tip-top shape.”
Avery shrugged. “I didn’t find anything in the living room/dining room except that she had a truckload of silverware. She wasn’t robbed.”
“Her bags were packed except a small toiletry case that she’d placed near the bathroom sink,” Holly said. “She intended to leave all right. That’s always the last thing you pack, your toothbrush. Irene’s pink one was right by the sink.”
Stryker looked at the clock on the mantel. “We should get out of here. The constable could be by any minute. I’d rather not have to explain why we’re here.”
Before Holly could walk away he took her elbow and said, “I
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