Harlequin Intrigue April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Carol Ericson (beginner reading books for adults .txt) 📗

Kyra sucked in a breath. “You’re kidding me.”

He glanced up from his task. “What?”

“You think I had something to do with Matt’s overdose?”

Did he?

“Of course not. Did I say that?”

“Sometimes you don’t have to say anything at all. If you have super-awesome detective skills, I have super-awesome therapist skills.”

He abandoned his project, picked up the bottle and dropped it in the recycling bin, Kyra’s eyes following his every move.

“I don’t think you killed Matt Dugan.”

“You think I delayed calling 911.”

He planted himself in front of her and squared his shoulders. “Who could blame you?” Her lashes fluttered and a rose blush stole across her cheeks. The spark hadn’t hit her eyes though, so he hadn’t stirred her ire. Was she flustered at his closeness?

He could reach for her right now and angle his mouth across hers, plunge his fingers in the silky strands of her hair, free it from the ponytail that kept it and her under tight control.

She blinked several times and stepped back. “I can assure you, I did not delay calling 911. When you arrived, I had just gotten there.”

“Then I believe you.”

She wiped her palms on her skirt. “I’d better take that car back to the station before someone misses it.”

“Good idea.”

“You’re not going to...?”

“I’m not going to rat you out.” He skirted around her to leave the kitchen. “You may not have known about my wife and child, but you do know I’m someone who doesn’t always play by the rules, don’t you? You’d know that about someone before joining forces with him, wouldn’t you?”

“You make me sound...calculating. You know why I wanted on the task force. The fact that I had to work with you worried me until I got to know you better. You’re a good cop with good instincts.”

“Who doesn’t always play by the rules.”

She winked. “That’s just a bonus.”

“I’m going to call the hospital later to check on Matt. Do you want me to keep you posted?”

“Of course. I hope you get what you want out of him.” She picked up her purse from the couch cushion. “Thanks for taking charge back there.”

Had he taken charge? It seemed as if she’d been in control from the moment she’d seen the text on his phone.

“Be careful driving down the hill. There aren’t many lights. And don’t do anything stupid with that car.”

“Yes, sir.” She touched her fingers to her forehead. “Let me know what happens with Matt.”

“I will.” He moved past her to open the front door, and the air between them hung heavy with expectation. He wanted something more from her. He wanted her to tell him the whole truth. What had Matt been about to reveal about her? Why couldn’t she trust him?

A little voice whispered in his ear. Because you went behind her back to track down Matt Dugan.

Stepping onto the porch, she lifted her hand. “You have a very cool house, by the way. Shots Fired really paid off.”

He watched her get into the car and pull out of his driveway. While standing outside, he made a call to the hospital and a nurse told him Dugan was still in a coma. That didn’t sound good.

He returned inside and picked up the picture of his daughter. He really wanted to see her right now, but he and Tess had agreed that Fiona didn’t need to be here when he was working a big case, especially a task force like this one.

Had he been a good father to Fiona? Probably the best dad move he’d made was giving Tess primary custody and Fiona the chance to be raised in a two-parent home—even if that other parent had cheated with his wife. He couldn’t blame Tess for that any more than he could blame Kyra for wishing Dugan would die.

Married life hadn’t suited him. But fatherhood? He considered Fiona the best part of his life.

He closed up the house and got ready for bed. When he crawled between the sheets, he put on the TV. Most nights he fell asleep to the blue light that flickered across from him. He couldn’t manage any other way.

As he started to drift off, the phone charging on his nightstand rang. For the first time in a long time, something other than work popped into his head when he heard the ringing. Had Kyra made it back okay?

He grabbed the phone, which displayed the number from the station.

“McAllister.”

The voice ended all thoughts of Kyra and all thoughts of sleep. “You ready, J-Mac? We have another body.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Kyra wheeled the LAPD vehicle back into the parking lot of the station. On her way there, she’d picked up a bite to eat and had called the hospital where the ambulance had taken Matt. They wouldn’t give her any information over the phone, but Jake hadn’t called her yet, either.

Although Matt’s death would remove one menace from her life, she didn’t wish him dead. She still remembered the scared boy lashing out at anything and everyone when she’d been placed with the same foster parents.

She’d been the one person who could communicate with Matt, talk him off the ledge, but he was already too far gone, too far beyond her help when she’d met him. Matt’s mother had been a heroin addict, and a long line of her boyfriends and husbands had beaten and abused Matt.

Kyra pushed through the front doors of the station and swiped the back of her hand across her nose. What kind of chance did a boy like that have in this world? She’d understood him...and he’d understood her. She hoped that Matt survived.

Nodding to the desk sergeant, she said, “I left some things here.”

“Go on up. A few people are burning the midnight oil.”

Her heart did a backflip. Did that mean Jake was here? Maybe he couldn’t sleep. Maybe he wanted to check up on her to make sure she returned the car. It was not like she could or even wanted to steal it.

Could she have trusted