responsible for destroying a city block. And then she got mad because if he was responsible for…
“I had nothing to do with this, Marklynn.”
“I bet.”
Pushing a table out of her path with his foot, he practically lifted her out of the debris onto the sidewalk and set her down but didn’t let her go.
“Are you okay?”
If the throbbing around her right eye was anything to go by, she’d say she would have one mother of a shiner tomorrow.
Beck was getting all touchy feely and it was affecting her thinking. Like how warm his hands felt as he encircled her waist. Like how she wanted to just rest her head on his shoulder…to let him take care of her. But she would not give in to any of the haphazard thoughts racing through her mind. He tried to kill her and he was also responsible for Sydney’s disappearance. Or, had he? What about Sydney? He said he didn’t know anything about her disappearance yet there were the pictures to tie him to her sister.
“Don’t waste your breath.”
Markie pushed out of his arms, her palms on his chest to shove him away. It was bad enough someone tried to run her over. Now she was giving in to an emotional meltdown. She used to be a cop, for heaven’s sake. Where was this erratic behavior coming from? This wasn’t like her at all.
“I don’t know who did this, but I can assure you it was not me or anyone working on my behalf.” His thumb smoothed away some of the dirt from her face. “If you still want to talk about Sydney, I’m ready to do that.”
“Talk,” she said, pushing trembling hands through her hair, and hoped he didn’t pick up on the tremor in her voice. Her eye began to throb causing her whole face to ache.
“You’re in no shape to do anything but go home. On second thought, forget home. You need to go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine.”
“No you’re not.”
She looked into his eyes and saw confusion…warmth…need. Like a coward, she didn’t want to even go there because she was feeling the same way. She didn’t want to need him.
“Come by my office tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.,” she said and hobbled towards her 4Runner already missing the warmth of his touch. She could feel Beck staring at her, but didn’t turn around.
“Just a minute. Where are you going?”
She remembered that voice. It was Kojak and she was not in the mood to talk to him. She had heard the sirens but paid no attention to them.
“Home,” was her response and she kept on hobbling.
“What are the odds that we pulled you over an hour ago for driving a stolen vehicle and you end up in the middle of a crime scene investigation? From what everyone tells me, you were the intended target.”
She shrugged. Yes, the meltdown was coming. She could feel it and wrapped her arms around her body to keep from trembling.
Sydney was missing and could very well be hurt. Nothing she’d uncovered so far had helped to locate her. Now this. Someone wanted her dead and they were willing to destroy a city block, leaving behind a trail of damaged cars and properties along the street to do it.
Maybe she was entitled to a meltdown, but not in front of Kojak or Beck, for that matter. She wanted to go home where it was safe.
“Why would someone want to kill you?”
Kojak stood there hovering over her. He wasn’t laughing, as he had earlier, when he’d pulled her over. He was getting set to interrogate her and she wasn’t sure if she could stand up to it. Her legs felt like they were about to buckle under her from fatigue and her eye started to water from the constant throbbing.
Beck came to her rescue and stood behind her. She felt the warmth of his hand on her back and leaned back into him, thankful for the strength he provided.
“And you,” Kojak pushed out his chin towards Beck, “the waiter said he overheard the two of you in a heated conversation at the table when she arrived. What was that all about?”
“I didn’t like the wine,” Markie said with a dry smile.
“You
“I had nothing to do with this, Marklynn.”
“I bet.”
Pushing a table out of her path with his foot, he practically lifted her out of the debris onto the sidewalk and set her down but didn’t let her go.
“Are you okay?”
If the throbbing around her right eye was anything to go by, she’d say she would have one mother of a shiner tomorrow.
Beck was getting all touchy feely and it was affecting her thinking. Like how warm his hands felt as he encircled her waist. Like how she wanted to just rest her head on his shoulder…to let him take care of her. But she would not give in to any of the haphazard thoughts racing through her mind. He tried to kill her and he was also responsible for Sydney’s disappearance. Or, had he? What about Sydney? He said he didn’t know anything about her disappearance yet there were the pictures to tie him to her sister.
“Don’t waste your breath.”
Markie pushed out of his arms, her palms on his chest to shove him away. It was bad enough someone tried to run her over. Now she was giving in to an emotional meltdown. She used to be a cop, for heaven’s sake. Where was this erratic behavior coming from? This wasn’t like her at all.
“I don’t know who did this, but I can assure you it was not me or anyone working on my behalf.” His thumb smoothed away some of the dirt from her face. “If you still want to talk about Sydney, I’m ready to do that.”
“Talk,” she said, pushing trembling hands through her hair, and hoped he didn’t pick up on the tremor in her voice. Her eye began to throb causing her whole face to ache.
“You’re in no shape to do anything but go home. On second thought, forget home. You need to go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine.”
“No you’re not.”
She looked into his eyes and saw confusion…warmth…need. Like a coward, she didn’t want to even go there because she was feeling the same way. She didn’t want to need him.
“Come by my office tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.,” she said and hobbled towards her 4Runner already missing the warmth of his touch. She could feel Beck staring at her, but didn’t turn around.
“Just a minute. Where are you going?”
She remembered that voice. It was Kojak and she was not in the mood to talk to him. She had heard the sirens but paid no attention to them.
“Home,” was her response and she kept on hobbling.
“What are the odds that we pulled you over an hour ago for driving a stolen vehicle and you end up in the middle of a crime scene investigation? From what everyone tells me, you were the intended target.”
She shrugged. Yes, the meltdown was coming. She could feel it and wrapped her arms around her body to keep from trembling.
Sydney was missing and could very well be hurt. Nothing she’d uncovered so far had helped to locate her. Now this. Someone wanted her dead and they were willing to destroy a city block, leaving behind a trail of damaged cars and properties along the street to do it.
Maybe she was entitled to a meltdown, but not in front of Kojak or Beck, for that matter. She wanted to go home where it was safe.
“Why would someone want to kill you?”
Kojak stood there hovering over her. He wasn’t laughing, as he had earlier, when he’d pulled her over. He was getting set to interrogate her and she wasn’t sure if she could stand up to it. Her legs felt like they were about to buckle under her from fatigue and her eye started to water from the constant throbbing.
Beck came to her rescue and stood behind her. She felt the warmth of his hand on her back and leaned back into him, thankful for the strength he provided.
“And you,” Kojak pushed out his chin towards Beck, “the waiter said he overheard the two of you in a heated conversation at the table when she arrived. What was that all about?”
“I didn’t like the wine,” Markie said with a dry smile.
“You
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