house.”
“What about Harriet?”
“The cat will be fine tonight. We’ll do something about her tomorrow.”
“I’ll drive my car.”
Cade took her by the shoulders and pointed her in the direction of the front door. “No, you won’t. Not with those eyes. We’ll get it tomorrow.”
She gave in. “Don’t forget the photos.”
“Not a chance.” His voice held a note of irony.
L AUREL SLEPT with cotton pads soaked in witch hazel on her eyes. She only got about three hours’ sleep but her eyes felt much better. She put on her makeup very carefully.
Then she paced. It was nine o’clock. Where was Cade?
She’d already talked to her boss Mitch about the loss of her weapon. He’d told her where to get the forms she needed to fill out.
Fuming, she looked around for a phone book. If Cade thought he was going to leave her sitting around nursing her eyes all day, he had another thing coming. She had too much to do. They had to question all the members of the Reunion Committee, go through Misty’s photos and Wendell’s case file and prepare for the party.
It was obvious she’d stirred up old secrets and fears. She felt sure that one of the people who’d overheard her phone call to Misty had attacked her. Someone with a big secret to hide.
Speaking of phone calls, she wasn’t waiting another minute for Cade. She retrieved her cell phone, dialed Information and got the chief of police’s cell number.
Just as she was about to press Call she heard a banging on the door.
Cade.
She threw the door open so hard it crashed against the wall. “Where have you been?” she demanded. “It’s late.”
His eyes flashed and his mouth turned up into the crooked grin that knocked her socks off every time. “I’m fine, thanks. How’re you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Sorry. Good morning. We need to question all the members of the Reunion Committee.”
Cade sidestepped her and closed the door. “I stopped and talked to Mrs. Gardner.”
“Who?”
“The elderly lady across the street from Misty. She’s the one who called me yesterday to report that someone was lurking. You. She told me people had been lurking around the street all day. So I wanted to find out what she knew.”
“And—?”
“ All day turned out to be twice.”
“Twice?”
“Yeah. It fits. She saw movement around Misty’s house at six and then again around eight o’clock. But she couldn’t identify anyone. Apparently she doesn’t see so well. Speaking of eyes—”
His hand on her arm surprised her.
“Let me look at yours.”
“My eyes are fine. I told you—”
He placed his hands on either side of her head and examined her face and eyes. His warm palms cradled her cheeks protectively, and his blue gaze swept across the sensitive skin around her eyes like the ghost of a touch.
She’d already examined her face in the mirror, so she knew that although the swelling and redness were better, she looked as if she’d been on a crying jag.
“They still hurt.” His words were a statement, not a question. His gaze was soft, and it drifted down toward her mouth.
Laurel swallowed hard. She was getting way too into his gentle concern. She backed up and pushed his hands away. “I’m fine. I’ll wear sunglasses and tell people I have allergies.”
She started to put her cell phone into her purse, then thought of something. “Give me your cell phone number.”
“What? So you can call me at the crack of dawn?”
She opened her mouth to retort, but he held up his hand. “That was a joke. Here.”
They exchanged numbers.
“Thanks,” Laurel said as she checked her backup weapon and stuck it in the paddle holster that rested at the small of her back. “I don’t suppose you’ve set up interview times with the Reunion Committee?”
He propped an arm on the mantel and sent her an irritated glance. “Not yet. I figured we could go by my dad’s and check out the pictures he found.”
Her pulse jumped. “He found
“What about Harriet?”
“The cat will be fine tonight. We’ll do something about her tomorrow.”
“I’ll drive my car.”
Cade took her by the shoulders and pointed her in the direction of the front door. “No, you won’t. Not with those eyes. We’ll get it tomorrow.”
She gave in. “Don’t forget the photos.”
“Not a chance.” His voice held a note of irony.
L AUREL SLEPT with cotton pads soaked in witch hazel on her eyes. She only got about three hours’ sleep but her eyes felt much better. She put on her makeup very carefully.
Then she paced. It was nine o’clock. Where was Cade?
She’d already talked to her boss Mitch about the loss of her weapon. He’d told her where to get the forms she needed to fill out.
Fuming, she looked around for a phone book. If Cade thought he was going to leave her sitting around nursing her eyes all day, he had another thing coming. She had too much to do. They had to question all the members of the Reunion Committee, go through Misty’s photos and Wendell’s case file and prepare for the party.
It was obvious she’d stirred up old secrets and fears. She felt sure that one of the people who’d overheard her phone call to Misty had attacked her. Someone with a big secret to hide.
Speaking of phone calls, she wasn’t waiting another minute for Cade. She retrieved her cell phone, dialed Information and got the chief of police’s cell number.
Just as she was about to press Call she heard a banging on the door.
Cade.
She threw the door open so hard it crashed against the wall. “Where have you been?” she demanded. “It’s late.”
His eyes flashed and his mouth turned up into the crooked grin that knocked her socks off every time. “I’m fine, thanks. How’re you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Sorry. Good morning. We need to question all the members of the Reunion Committee.”
Cade sidestepped her and closed the door. “I stopped and talked to Mrs. Gardner.”
“Who?”
“The elderly lady across the street from Misty. She’s the one who called me yesterday to report that someone was lurking. You. She told me people had been lurking around the street all day. So I wanted to find out what she knew.”
“And—?”
“ All day turned out to be twice.”
“Twice?”
“Yeah. It fits. She saw movement around Misty’s house at six and then again around eight o’clock. But she couldn’t identify anyone. Apparently she doesn’t see so well. Speaking of eyes—”
His hand on her arm surprised her.
“Let me look at yours.”
“My eyes are fine. I told you—”
He placed his hands on either side of her head and examined her face and eyes. His warm palms cradled her cheeks protectively, and his blue gaze swept across the sensitive skin around her eyes like the ghost of a touch.
She’d already examined her face in the mirror, so she knew that although the swelling and redness were better, she looked as if she’d been on a crying jag.
“They still hurt.” His words were a statement, not a question. His gaze was soft, and it drifted down toward her mouth.
Laurel swallowed hard. She was getting way too into his gentle concern. She backed up and pushed his hands away. “I’m fine. I’ll wear sunglasses and tell people I have allergies.”
She started to put her cell phone into her purse, then thought of something. “Give me your cell phone number.”
“What? So you can call me at the crack of dawn?”
She opened her mouth to retort, but he held up his hand. “That was a joke. Here.”
They exchanged numbers.
“Thanks,” Laurel said as she checked her backup weapon and stuck it in the paddle holster that rested at the small of her back. “I don’t suppose you’ve set up interview times with the Reunion Committee?”
He propped an arm on the mantel and sent her an irritated glance. “Not yet. I figured we could go by my dad’s and check out the pictures he found.”
Her pulse jumped. “He found
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