Mrs. Furnellâs front door snapped open right on cue. Betty Furnell peered out. She was dressed in a pair of pink sweatpants and matching top, snappy pink running shoes, and a lot of oversized jewelry that she had purchased from the shopping channel. Her white hair was severely permed into a helmet shape, and her round face was illuminated with avid curiosity.
She gave Davis a not-so-discreet once-over before pinning Celinda with feigned innocence.
âOh, hello, dear.â She hoisted the small plastic sack she held in one hand. âI was just on my way to empty the garbage.â
âGood evening, Mrs. Furnell.â Celinda hesitated and then decided she had no option but to introduce Davis. âThis is Mr. Oakes.â
Davis offered his hand. âA pleasure, Mrs. Furnell.â
Betty shook his hand vigorously. âI see youâve got one of those little dust bunny beasts, too. Cute little devils.â
âYes, maâam.â He looked at the plastic sack. âWould you like me to take that out to the trash bin for you?â
âHeavens no, wouldnât dream of it, not with you all dressed up so nice like that.â
âThen, if youâll excuse us, weâll be on our way. Weâve got reservations.â
âHave a lovely time,â Betty said.
âWe will,â he assured her.
Celinda was startled by the unmistakably possessive way he took her arm, opened the front door, and escorted her outside onto the sidewalk.
âIâm guessing thatâs your alibi for last night?â he asked, sounding amused. âThe landlady who can vouch for the fact that you were at home alone between midnight and three AM ?â
âMrs. Furnell doesnât miss a thing that goes on around here.â
âYeah, I got that impression. Does she greet all your dates that way?â
âI have no idea. Youâre the first date Iâve had since I moved here to Cadence.â
âHard to believe.â
She wasnât sure how to take that, so she let it go.
âHow long have you been in town?â he asked, opening the door of a sleek, black Phantom 3000.
âFour months.â Celinda got into the car. Now, why did her intuition tell her that he already knew the answer to that question? Maybe it was that subtle little pulse in his psi waves.
The passenger seat cradled her like a leather-clad lover. Araminta hopped from her shoulder onto the back of the seat. Davis closed the door and went around the front of the vehicle.
Surreptitiously, Celinda inhaled the unmistakable smell of expensive car and tried not to appear impressed. The security consulting business obviously paid well, she decided. Whatever else he was, Davis was no ordinary PI.
When he got in beside her, however, she was suddenly very aware of just how close and intimate the interior of the Phantom was.
âWhere did you live before you came here?â Davis asked, rezzing the engine.
No doubt about it, she was being interrogated. Well, he was a private investigator after all. She must not forget that.
âFrequency City,â she said, cooling her tone a little.
âIâm just making conversation. Thatâs what youâre supposed to do on a date, isnât it?â He eased the Phantom away from the curb. âCorrect me if Iâm wrong, but Iâm getting the impression that you would prefer not to talk about your life in Frequency.â
âSorry. Didnât mean to be rude. The thing is, I have to go back to Frequency tomorrow to attend a wedding, and I am not looking forward to it.â
âWhose wedding?â
âMy sisterâs. Big Covenant affair. You know the drill, Iâm sure.â
âOh, yeah.â
She noticed that his jaw had gone very rigid.
âIâm the maid of honor,â she said.
âI would have thought that a professional matchmaker would enjoy attending weddings.â
This was a first date, and there was
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