detective. Where does
that leave you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
They both knew better. “For a man who treads a fine line of
right and wrong, how difficult must it be to have a cop for a
brother-in-law?”
He breathed hard, then muttered, “They’re not married yet.”
Pulling his hand from hers, he set Cash aside and stood. After a moment, he
shrugged. “But, yeah, I saw her today and it seems they’re making plans at Mach
speed.”
Alice looked up at him. “You’re opposed to the wedding?”
“No.” He started to pace. “Logan’s a good man. I like him.”
“You trust him.”
“Of course I do. What’s with the psychobabble? Are you a shrink
now?”
Her smile held understanding. “Can you pick a lock, Rowdy?”
A show of nonchalance couldn’t hide his antagonism. “Yeah,
sure.”
“And yet, you’re not a locksmith.”
“I learned on the street.” He took a single step toward her.
“Picking locks, along with a boatload of other talents, was a skill I acquired
out of necessity.”
Exactly how she’d learned to read people—out of necessity.
Given the shift in his expression, now more concerned than combative, he must
have come to the same conclusion.
To head off any intrusive questions, Alice tried to steer the
conversation. “Does it reassure you to know that Pepper will be well
protected?”
Rather than the idea sidetracking him, he jumped on it. “What
makes you think she needs protection?”
How to answer? How to explain that she’d made many assumptions
in a very short time? Stalling, Alice gave Cash a pat before she, too, stood.
“You could call it a hunch if you want.”
Rowdy planted his big feet apart and crossed his thick arms
over his chest. “Here’s the thing, honey. You’re not the only one with hunches.
And that’s why I’m here.” He chucked her under the chin. “I have a hunch you’re
running scared. It’ll be easier on you if you just settle down and tell me
why.”
* * *
S HE DIDN ’ T SCARE EASY , he’d give her that. Even though he pressured her,
he couldn’t crack Alice’s calm facade.
When she’d first started digging into his head, into his
motives, Rowdy had told himself to take off. If Alice didn’t want to share, then
to hell with it. Let her be Reese’s problem. God knew that one enjoyed doubting
everyone and everything...but, yeah, that wasn’t entirely fair. He’d given
Reese, the astute bastard, good reason for doubt.
As if she’d read his mind, Alice asked, “Does Reese know you’re
here?”
He laughed. “No.”
“You don’t trust him?”
“Other way around, honey.” It still burned his ass, but what
the hell? Why not tell her? “What do you know about Reese?”
Without hesitation, right to the point, she said, “He’s a good
man.”
“Yeah, I suppose he is. Not that I always believed it.”
“You must not know him well.”
Because if he did, he’d nominate him for sainthood? Rowdy bit
back a snort. “Nope. Hardly at all, in fact.” He grinned at her. “We had this
little case of mistaken identity. Logan and Reese thought I’d witnessed a murder
two years past, but it was actually my sister....” Sickness burned his stomach,
sent acid into his throat.
Playing cavalier became more difficult.
Not that Miss Alice Appleton was easy to fool, anyway. He
rubbed at an ache in his temple. “Scratch all that, okay? The bastard is dead
now, and good riddance.”
Voice soft, strangely comforting, she said, “So the murderer
was the man who died in Reese’s apartment.”
A statement, not a question, but Rowdy confirmed it, anyway.
“Yeah. Because of him, because of what he would’ve done if he’d known Pepper was
a witness, we lived off the grid.” He couldn’t quite look at her, because damn
it, she’d probably see too much, far more than she’d already surmised. “We
managed to lay low for those two years, but after Logan and Reese exposed us, we
became instant loose
that leave you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
They both knew better. “For a man who treads a fine line of
right and wrong, how difficult must it be to have a cop for a
brother-in-law?”
He breathed hard, then muttered, “They’re not married yet.”
Pulling his hand from hers, he set Cash aside and stood. After a moment, he
shrugged. “But, yeah, I saw her today and it seems they’re making plans at Mach
speed.”
Alice looked up at him. “You’re opposed to the wedding?”
“No.” He started to pace. “Logan’s a good man. I like him.”
“You trust him.”
“Of course I do. What’s with the psychobabble? Are you a shrink
now?”
Her smile held understanding. “Can you pick a lock, Rowdy?”
A show of nonchalance couldn’t hide his antagonism. “Yeah,
sure.”
“And yet, you’re not a locksmith.”
“I learned on the street.” He took a single step toward her.
“Picking locks, along with a boatload of other talents, was a skill I acquired
out of necessity.”
Exactly how she’d learned to read people—out of necessity.
Given the shift in his expression, now more concerned than combative, he must
have come to the same conclusion.
To head off any intrusive questions, Alice tried to steer the
conversation. “Does it reassure you to know that Pepper will be well
protected?”
Rather than the idea sidetracking him, he jumped on it. “What
makes you think she needs protection?”
How to answer? How to explain that she’d made many assumptions
in a very short time? Stalling, Alice gave Cash a pat before she, too, stood.
“You could call it a hunch if you want.”
Rowdy planted his big feet apart and crossed his thick arms
over his chest. “Here’s the thing, honey. You’re not the only one with hunches.
And that’s why I’m here.” He chucked her under the chin. “I have a hunch you’re
running scared. It’ll be easier on you if you just settle down and tell me
why.”
* * *
S HE DIDN ’ T SCARE EASY , he’d give her that. Even though he pressured her,
he couldn’t crack Alice’s calm facade.
When she’d first started digging into his head, into his
motives, Rowdy had told himself to take off. If Alice didn’t want to share, then
to hell with it. Let her be Reese’s problem. God knew that one enjoyed doubting
everyone and everything...but, yeah, that wasn’t entirely fair. He’d given
Reese, the astute bastard, good reason for doubt.
As if she’d read his mind, Alice asked, “Does Reese know you’re
here?”
He laughed. “No.”
“You don’t trust him?”
“Other way around, honey.” It still burned his ass, but what
the hell? Why not tell her? “What do you know about Reese?”
Without hesitation, right to the point, she said, “He’s a good
man.”
“Yeah, I suppose he is. Not that I always believed it.”
“You must not know him well.”
Because if he did, he’d nominate him for sainthood? Rowdy bit
back a snort. “Nope. Hardly at all, in fact.” He grinned at her. “We had this
little case of mistaken identity. Logan and Reese thought I’d witnessed a murder
two years past, but it was actually my sister....” Sickness burned his stomach,
sent acid into his throat.
Playing cavalier became more difficult.
Not that Miss Alice Appleton was easy to fool, anyway. He
rubbed at an ache in his temple. “Scratch all that, okay? The bastard is dead
now, and good riddance.”
Voice soft, strangely comforting, she said, “So the murderer
was the man who died in Reese’s apartment.”
A statement, not a question, but Rowdy confirmed it, anyway.
“Yeah. Because of him, because of what he would’ve done if he’d known Pepper was
a witness, we lived off the grid.” He couldn’t quite look at her, because damn
it, she’d probably see too much, far more than she’d already surmised. “We
managed to lay low for those two years, but after Logan and Reese exposed us, we
became instant loose
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