Ninja Soccer Moms by Jennifer Apodaca

your disasters. I’ll be in touch.” At the bottom of the steps, he turned back, “Oh, don’t leave town, Shaw.”
    That did it. “Hey, Vance, wasn’t that a line from one of your books? Your romance books?”
    His shoulders stiffened and he whirled around, marching back up the steps.
    Suddenly, I had a picture of myself stuffed into the back of a police cruiser.
    Vance leaned in so that his face hovered an inch from mine. “If I hear one word, one letter, of a rumor that I’m a romance writer, I’ll haul your ass in so fast you won’t have time to say lawyer.” He took a breath. “And then I’ll lose you in the system. It’ll be at least a week before you’re found, and by then, I’ll have some serious charges to file against you.”
    He smelled of faint coconut mixed with rain and powerful anger. But I knew better than to back down in front of Vance. I’d reviewed a lot of cop-hero romance books. Those books were well researched—I knew cops. They had a thing about authority and control. Backing down was a mistake that would make me look weak in Vance’s cop eyes.
    I forced my gaze to stay steady on his. “Don’t give me a reason to mention your secret life, Vance. I have a client to protect, to say nothing of myself.”
    His jaw twitched. His too-tight voice made me think of a guitar string ready to snap. “The more time I spend with you, the more I think Chad Tuggle picked up a rock and bashed himself in the head just to get away from you.” He turned and stomped off toward his antenna-growing car.
    â€œSam?”
    Whirling around, I prayed Janie hadn’t heard that. But the door was still opening as she called my name. I don’t think she heard. “What?”
    â€œUh, your cell phone was ringing in your purse, so I answered it.” She held the small black unit out to me.
    â€œThanks.” I reached for the phone, wondering what disaster this would be. “Hello?”
    â€œSam,” Blaine said, “we have a new client. He’s here right now and waiting for you.”
    â€œUh, I’m kind of busy. Can’t you do the interview?” Normally I liked to do the client interview so I could get a feel for the client. But I was in extraordinary circumstances right now.
    â€œHe’s really counting on you doing it, boss. Oh, and Roxy Gabor’s been trying to get a hold of you this morning. I couldn’t make out what she was saying.”
    â€œWas she crying?”
    â€œMore like wailing.”
    I pictured Blaine’s grimace when he said that. “Any idea what happened with Roxy?”
    His voice softened a bit. “No, she wouldn’t talk to me.” Then his tone went back to brisk. “Nor will Mr. Davis who is waiting for you.”
    Heart Mates was my business and my baby. I needed to get to work. But Janie . . . I looked over at her. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, Blaine. Give Mr. Davis some coffee and have him fill out the interview sheets while he waits.”
    â€œGee, why didn’t I think of that?” Blaine hung up.
    I sighed and went back into the mobile home to get my purse. Janie stood looking at the pictures on top of the TV. Kelly, the older of her two kids, was in her cheerleader outfit, and Mark was in his soccer uniform. “Janie, I’m so sorry.”
    Lifting her gaze to me, she said, “I can’t believe he’s dead. Chad has always been bigger than life and everything always just slid off of him. Nothing ever stuck.”
    I thought of Chad taking up with Dara Reed and dumping Janie, and the whole town ignoring Janie. Yeah, she was right. But we had a bigger problem. “Janie, you paid the life insurance, didn’t you? Just like you did the health insurance.”
    She sort of caved in on herself. “Yes. And until Chad’s murder is solved, the insurance won’t pay.” Taking a breath,