asked.
“No, but I dropped off evidence bags at your lab. One of them includes the remains of a—”
“Blue candle.”
Gini walked into Mason’s office. She scooped up the papers on the chair beside Patrick’s and made herself comfortable without the blink of an eye. She was used to Mason’s mess.
How used to his mess was she? How well did she know Mason? Patrick didn’t like the flash of unexplained jealousy that zipped through him.
Gini faced Mason and offered him a sunny smile, but didn’t toss one Patrick’s way. She didn’t look his way at all.
Okay. We can play it that way.
“Hiya, Gini,” Mason said. “What blue candle? I don’t remember seeing it in the photos you sent.”
Patrick cleared his throat to answer, but Gini already had a photo from her ridiculously big purse in her hands. She got up and leaned over the desk as she put the photo in front of Mason. Patrick’s pulse stopped for a moment as the hem of Gini’s army green shorts edged up a little higher. The back of her thigh summoned his fingers, but he clenched them into a fist and forced himself to look away.
“It’s right here.” She tapped the photo.
Mason picked up the picture and studied it more closely. “Point of origin, Patrick?” The detective looked at Patrick over the top edge of the photo. Gini still didn’t look at him as she sat back in her chair.
The bad guy act worked. She genuinely hates me. Going to pretend I don’t even exist. Why did that make his stomach ache? It was what he’d wanted. No Gini, no calendar photo to worry about.
Shaking his head, Patrick focused on the business at hand. “Definitely. That candle is the point of origin. Coupled with the gasoline trail Midas found, it ignited that blaze. No doubt. It had a scent too. Cinnamon.”
“Cinnamon?” Mason and Gini repeated together.
“Yes.”
“Cinnamon is an aphrodisiac,” Gini said.
Patrick wondered just how much Gini knew about aphrodisiacs and had to shake his head clear of the thought.
“We’ll wait for the lab results, but I agree this candle is our starting point.” Mason took the rest of the hard copy photos Gini handed him and fished around in his desk drawer. “There are empty folders in here somewhere.” He shuffled around in the drawer, scattered the rubbish on his desktop, and mumbled to himself.
Unable to take it a moment longer, Patrick offered his file folder. “Here, Mason. Use this one. It’s already got case-related information in it.” Patrick reluctantly handed over the folder.
“Thanks.” Mason slid the photos inside. “Look at this. It’s all labeled and everything.”
Gini chuckled, and Patrick’s gaze shot to her. Was she laughing at him?
She swallowed, and the dimple in her right cheek faded as she put her serious face back on. Her hand clasped the straps of her purse, twisted, wrung. She struggled to not look his way. Patrick knew it.
“I’ve got to go.” Gini stood. “You’re all set, right, Mason?”
“Yeah, Shutterbug. Your work here is complete. As usual, you have proven most useful.”
“Oh, go on, Mason. The things you say.” Another easy smile for Mason. “Don’t know why the gals aren’t lined up to hear your poetic words.”
Mason grinned. “Me neither.”
“Could be this office scares them away.” Patrick rarely joked around, but he wanted to see if Gini would laugh again.
He was richly rewarded. She let out a full giggle this time and almost looked at him. She caught herself though and averted her gaze to the window instead.
“Later, Mason.” Gini slipped out of the office.
She hadn’t said Patrick’s name once, but she’d known he was there. Gini Claremont was a bigger mystery now and damn if Patrick didn’t love solving a mystery.
****
Gini leaned against the wall outside Mason’s office. The walls had threatened to close in on her in there. That had never happened before. She had always been more than comfy in Mason’s office. He was a sweetheart.
“No, but I dropped off evidence bags at your lab. One of them includes the remains of a—”
“Blue candle.”
Gini walked into Mason’s office. She scooped up the papers on the chair beside Patrick’s and made herself comfortable without the blink of an eye. She was used to Mason’s mess.
How used to his mess was she? How well did she know Mason? Patrick didn’t like the flash of unexplained jealousy that zipped through him.
Gini faced Mason and offered him a sunny smile, but didn’t toss one Patrick’s way. She didn’t look his way at all.
Okay. We can play it that way.
“Hiya, Gini,” Mason said. “What blue candle? I don’t remember seeing it in the photos you sent.”
Patrick cleared his throat to answer, but Gini already had a photo from her ridiculously big purse in her hands. She got up and leaned over the desk as she put the photo in front of Mason. Patrick’s pulse stopped for a moment as the hem of Gini’s army green shorts edged up a little higher. The back of her thigh summoned his fingers, but he clenched them into a fist and forced himself to look away.
“It’s right here.” She tapped the photo.
Mason picked up the picture and studied it more closely. “Point of origin, Patrick?” The detective looked at Patrick over the top edge of the photo. Gini still didn’t look at him as she sat back in her chair.
The bad guy act worked. She genuinely hates me. Going to pretend I don’t even exist. Why did that make his stomach ache? It was what he’d wanted. No Gini, no calendar photo to worry about.
Shaking his head, Patrick focused on the business at hand. “Definitely. That candle is the point of origin. Coupled with the gasoline trail Midas found, it ignited that blaze. No doubt. It had a scent too. Cinnamon.”
“Cinnamon?” Mason and Gini repeated together.
“Yes.”
“Cinnamon is an aphrodisiac,” Gini said.
Patrick wondered just how much Gini knew about aphrodisiacs and had to shake his head clear of the thought.
“We’ll wait for the lab results, but I agree this candle is our starting point.” Mason took the rest of the hard copy photos Gini handed him and fished around in his desk drawer. “There are empty folders in here somewhere.” He shuffled around in the drawer, scattered the rubbish on his desktop, and mumbled to himself.
Unable to take it a moment longer, Patrick offered his file folder. “Here, Mason. Use this one. It’s already got case-related information in it.” Patrick reluctantly handed over the folder.
“Thanks.” Mason slid the photos inside. “Look at this. It’s all labeled and everything.”
Gini chuckled, and Patrick’s gaze shot to her. Was she laughing at him?
She swallowed, and the dimple in her right cheek faded as she put her serious face back on. Her hand clasped the straps of her purse, twisted, wrung. She struggled to not look his way. Patrick knew it.
“I’ve got to go.” Gini stood. “You’re all set, right, Mason?”
“Yeah, Shutterbug. Your work here is complete. As usual, you have proven most useful.”
“Oh, go on, Mason. The things you say.” Another easy smile for Mason. “Don’t know why the gals aren’t lined up to hear your poetic words.”
Mason grinned. “Me neither.”
“Could be this office scares them away.” Patrick rarely joked around, but he wanted to see if Gini would laugh again.
He was richly rewarded. She let out a full giggle this time and almost looked at him. She caught herself though and averted her gaze to the window instead.
“Later, Mason.” Gini slipped out of the office.
She hadn’t said Patrick’s name once, but she’d known he was there. Gini Claremont was a bigger mystery now and damn if Patrick didn’t love solving a mystery.
****
Gini leaned against the wall outside Mason’s office. The walls had threatened to close in on her in there. That had never happened before. She had always been more than comfy in Mason’s office. He was a sweetheart.
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