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Authors: Cathy Perkins
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me like the proverbial ton of bricks.”
She waved her free hand, indicating the entire office. “The same rules apply at Desert Accounting. And in case you missed the point, that means don’t bother asking anyone else here because they won’t tell you, either.”
“I’m trying to catch a murderer, not coddle a—” He bit off the remaining words.
She slammed a fist onto her hip. “A what? A bean counter?”
“Most people want to help the police.” Every line of his body reflected frustration. “I thought you wanted to find Marcy’s killer.”
“Wait a minute.” She punctuated her words with a pointed finger. “Are you saying Tim and Alex are officially suspects now? That’s insane.”
“If you think they’re so innocent, you shouldn’t mind giving me the financial information. If it clears them, I can move on.”
Everything JC did—showing up, the Spudnuts, playing nice—had just been a ploy to soften her up and get her talking, so he could slide in questions about Tim and Alex. Damn, but the man was infuriating. “How is their financial information remotely related to Marcy’s murder?”
“I need the information.” JC sounded impatient.
She turned and stalked toward the lobby. “You can move on to another suspect. Alex and Tim didn’t have anything to do with Marcy’s death.”
JC trailed her down the hallway. “What makes you so sure?”
“What makes you so sure they were involved?”
“What are you hiding?”
She glared at him over her shoulder. “Give me a freaking break. Tim and Alex aren’t like that. They couldn’t have killed her.”
“Not even to save their own asses?”
Shocked, she studied his face, but he’d gone to complete cop mode. His hard expression revealed nothing. “From what? As far as I know, the only laws Tim and Alex have ever broken involve speeding tickets.”
“At this stage of an investigation, the more innocent someone seems, the more suspicious I am.”
“First honest statement I’ve heard from you. Does that blanket condemnation include me?”
He didn’t move an eyelash.
Raising her chin, she kept her tone and gaze level, rigid self-control containing the seething inside her. “If you have evidence they’re involved in Marcy’s murder and have a financial motive, you’ll have no problem getting a judge to sign a warrant.”
Chapter Seven
Holly stormed into Desert Accounting’s lobby with JC right on her heels. The tension between them was as thick and impenetrable as the walls of Fort Knox. She made it three steps into the reception area before she patted her jacket pocket and stopped in her tracks.
He did a quick sidestep around her. “What are you doing now?”
“Damn it, JC. You made me forget my phone.”
Before he could say another word, she marched back to her office. She snatched up her cell and turned, ready to stomp back into the lobby.
Her common sense kicked in. Whoa. Chill out. Get your act together .
She took a deep breath and braced her palms against the desk. Letting JC see how much he upset her would be a major strategic error.
In his current mood, he’d probably interpret it as a guilty conscience.
For whatever reason, he seemed determined to pin Marcy’s murder on her, Tim, or Alex. And even if he wasn’t doing something that ridiculous, as far as she could tell, he was headed down the wrong path.
Clearly, he wasn’t going to tell her anything about the investigation, so she’d have to figure out herself what he knew—or thought he knew. Which meant talking to the people he should’ve talked to. And since Tim Stevens was her client—as JC kept harping on—she had every reason in the world to stop in and talk to him.
So there, Mr. Super Sleuth Junior Cluemaster Detective .
Once she had some answers, she could redirect JC’s investigation.
She felt better already.
The detective in question was doing his charming guy impression when she returned to the lobby. He leaned against the
She waved her free hand, indicating the entire office. “The same rules apply at Desert Accounting. And in case you missed the point, that means don’t bother asking anyone else here because they won’t tell you, either.”
“I’m trying to catch a murderer, not coddle a—” He bit off the remaining words.
She slammed a fist onto her hip. “A what? A bean counter?”
“Most people want to help the police.” Every line of his body reflected frustration. “I thought you wanted to find Marcy’s killer.”
“Wait a minute.” She punctuated her words with a pointed finger. “Are you saying Tim and Alex are officially suspects now? That’s insane.”
“If you think they’re so innocent, you shouldn’t mind giving me the financial information. If it clears them, I can move on.”
Everything JC did—showing up, the Spudnuts, playing nice—had just been a ploy to soften her up and get her talking, so he could slide in questions about Tim and Alex. Damn, but the man was infuriating. “How is their financial information remotely related to Marcy’s murder?”
“I need the information.” JC sounded impatient.
She turned and stalked toward the lobby. “You can move on to another suspect. Alex and Tim didn’t have anything to do with Marcy’s death.”
JC trailed her down the hallway. “What makes you so sure?”
“What makes you so sure they were involved?”
“What are you hiding?”
She glared at him over her shoulder. “Give me a freaking break. Tim and Alex aren’t like that. They couldn’t have killed her.”
“Not even to save their own asses?”
Shocked, she studied his face, but he’d gone to complete cop mode. His hard expression revealed nothing. “From what? As far as I know, the only laws Tim and Alex have ever broken involve speeding tickets.”
“At this stage of an investigation, the more innocent someone seems, the more suspicious I am.”
“First honest statement I’ve heard from you. Does that blanket condemnation include me?”
He didn’t move an eyelash.
Raising her chin, she kept her tone and gaze level, rigid self-control containing the seething inside her. “If you have evidence they’re involved in Marcy’s murder and have a financial motive, you’ll have no problem getting a judge to sign a warrant.”
Chapter Seven
Holly stormed into Desert Accounting’s lobby with JC right on her heels. The tension between them was as thick and impenetrable as the walls of Fort Knox. She made it three steps into the reception area before she patted her jacket pocket and stopped in her tracks.
He did a quick sidestep around her. “What are you doing now?”
“Damn it, JC. You made me forget my phone.”
Before he could say another word, she marched back to her office. She snatched up her cell and turned, ready to stomp back into the lobby.
Her common sense kicked in. Whoa. Chill out. Get your act together .
She took a deep breath and braced her palms against the desk. Letting JC see how much he upset her would be a major strategic error.
In his current mood, he’d probably interpret it as a guilty conscience.
For whatever reason, he seemed determined to pin Marcy’s murder on her, Tim, or Alex. And even if he wasn’t doing something that ridiculous, as far as she could tell, he was headed down the wrong path.
Clearly, he wasn’t going to tell her anything about the investigation, so she’d have to figure out herself what he knew—or thought he knew. Which meant talking to the people he should’ve talked to. And since Tim Stevens was her client—as JC kept harping on—she had every reason in the world to stop in and talk to him.
So there, Mr. Super Sleuth Junior Cluemaster Detective .
Once she had some answers, she could redirect JC’s investigation.
She felt better already.
The detective in question was doing his charming guy impression when she returned to the lobby. He leaned against the
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