Dressed to Die: A Lindsay Chamberlain Novel by Beverly Connor Page A

them and maybe they'll
have a place to store them. I hope there's some indication
somewhere of what sites they're from."
    "I'll get on it right away." Sally turned to Sinjin. "It was
really nice meeting you. I hope you hang around a while."
She gave him a dazzling smile and left to tend to the storage room.
    "Nice kid," muttered Sinjin as Lindsay locked up her
office.
    "Yes, she is. Look, I've got some steaks in the freezer that I
marinated in Jack Daniel's before I froze them. Why don't we
have a cookout at my place? You'll love it out in the woods."
    "Sounds good. I'd like that better than a restaurant.
While I'm thinking of it, do you have a map of Atlanta?
I've got some business there tomorrow."
    "Sure." She wanted to ask him what it was; she wanted
to ask him to stay longer. Instead, she walked out with him,
climbed into his Jeep, and let him drive her to her Rover. As
they pulled out of the drive, the police were taking measurements at the corner of Jackson and Baldwin.

     

Chapter 4
    THE AROMA OF mesquite from the grilled steaks still
filled the air as Lindsay and Sinjin sat on the porch steps of
her log cabin, drinking cold bottles of beer and looking out
over the pasture where Mandrake grazed. It was a warm
night and the light was fading. An occasional lightning bug
blinked its yellow light.
    "You still dance?" he asked.
    "Not as much. Both Derrick and I are too busy these
days to practice. We haven't entered a contest"-Lindsay
paused, wrinkling her brow-"in about four years, I suppose. I miss it."
    "Weren't you dating him?"
    "Yes."
    "You still dating?"
    "No."
    "I kind of liked him the time we met at Mom and Dad's
a few years ago," Sinjin said, taking a swig of his beer.
    "He's a nice guy."
    "Something happen? Ellen had the idea that the two of
you were pretty serious for a while."
    Lindsay thought for a second. She didn't remember ever
talking to her mother about herself and Derrick. "We were,
but we kind of broke it off. He broke it off. He doesn't like
the detective work I do occasionally. He thinks I'm addicted to danger."

    Sinjin looked over at her and swallowed a drink of beer.
"Are you?"
    "You say that as if you're asking me if I'm an alcoholic."
    "I, of all people, know how addictive an adrenaline rush
can be."
    Lindsay closed her eyes, trying to imagine her brother
jumping out of an airplane, parachuting into a forest fire.
She couldn't. "Why do you do it?"
    "What?" he asked. "Smokejumping?"
    "Yes, when-" She didn't finish, but Sinjin did.
    "You're asking why I'm a fireman when I could get a
better job. A little snobbish, aren't we?"
    "I didn't mean that."
    "Well, you come by it honestly. Dad wonders the same
thing."
    "That's not fair. I meant when you could do something safer."
    "Safer, like being an archaeologist?"
    Lindsay reached over and gave him a gentle shove.
"Like being a forester. That's what your degree's in."
    "I am a forester. You never answered my question. Are
you addicted to danger?"
    "I just like solving puzzles. I don't like the danger."
    "Are you sure?"
    "Do you think I get a kick out of being kidnapped, shot,
and thrown in a cave and left to die?"
    Sinjin stopped, his bottle halfway to his mouth, and
looked at her. "What?"
    "I thought you knew."
    "I knew about your getting shot in the leg. Dad and
Ellen called when that happened. They told me you were
fine, but I haven't heard about the other stuff."
    Lindsay gave him a brief summary of her adventures,
glossing over the dangerous parts. Sinjin listened openmouthed.
    "Are you sure Derrick isn't right?"

    "Derrick used to help me solve crimes. I don't know
why he's so uptight about me doing it now. Besides, none
of that stuff that happened was my fault."
    "No, but when you go after criminals, they are apt to
retaliate. You know that."
    "Are you about to lecture me?"
    "Maybe. What about this thing you're involved in now,
about those people who showed up today? You aren't
investigating something for