Ripple of Secrets: Rose Gardner Mystery Novella #6.5 (Rose Gardner series Book 3) by Denise Grover Swank
Authors: Denise Grover Swank
Ads: Link
case.
I pulled my keys out of my pocket and unlocked my bottom drawer, reaching inside to pull a handgun out of the bottom drawer. I set the Glock on my desk and stared at it long and hard, a knife blade of worry working its way through my chest. After a dangerous incident in Little Rock, I’d always kept a gun in my office for protection, but I’d never had to use it.
I had a sickening feeling that would soon change.
Chapter Six
Rose
For the first time in months, I had felt lonely as I ate breakfast at my kitchen table. I’d spent most of my twenty-five years alone. Even now, I was used to being alone off and on during the day. But I’d gotten used to spending my mornings with Mason, so I’d stared at his empty chair with an ache in my heart. Not because I was sitting there with just Muffy for company. I could handle being alone. It was the way he’d left that morning.
I knew I was being unfair. Mason was risking his life and his career to protect me, and I had repaid him by getting upset and being ugly. Still, I wasn’t some delicate flower that needed to be protected from the truth, and while I knew Mason well enough to know that he wasn’t trying to insult my intelligence, I had to know what was going on. It was not just his life or mine, after all—it was ours .
So I breathed a sigh of relief when he called and apologized. I was even more relieved when he said he wanted to tell me what he could. Finally, we could work on this together.
I finished cleaning up the kitchen and herded Muffy into the truck to head into town. After the early freezing rain, I’d put off going into the office, preferring to wait for the temperature to warm up enough to make the roads safe. Besides, it was the holiday season and we weren’t even open yet. But today was Neely Kate’s first day and I was hoping to get there before she did.
Nevertheless, I wasn’t surprised to find Bruce Wayne already at the office when I walked through the front door. He was bent over his computer with a frustrated grimace on his face.
“Hey, Bruce Wayne,” I said as I shrugged off my coat.
Muffy raced over to him and put her paws on his legs. He grinned as he rubbed the back of her head, but he didn’t answer me. I thought again about how reserved he’d been at Christmas dinner. Something was clearly wrong.
I tossed my coat on the desk and rolled my chair over to him, the sound of the wheels squeaking against the wood floor adding to the tension. “Why are you mad at me, Bruce Wayne? Is it because I went to New Orleans with Neely Kate last week and left you to go to that estate sale alone? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone.”
His hands trembled as he pulled away from Muffy and sat up straighter in his chair. Bruce Wayne hated confrontation. “If I did everything while you sat on a throne of pillows, I’d never begrudge you for one second, Rose Gardner.”
I leaned forward. “You know I’d never do such a thing, Bruce Wayne. We’re partners and I haven’t done my share in the craziness of the last few weeks. But I promise you, I won’t slack off anymore.”
He glanced up, his gaze guarded. “That’s not why I’m mad you at you, Rose.”
“Then what is it? I’m plum tired of getting the silent treatment from you.”
His eyes hardened. “The Lady in Black.”
My stomach tumbled to my feet. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“You know darn good and well what I’m talking about.”
“I…”
“Don’t try to deny it, Rose. I know . I know you were with Skeeter last week at that meeting.”
“How?” But of course he did. Lordy, I’d been stupid.
“Why?” he asked in a pained voice. “Why would you do it, Rose? And why didn’t you tell me?”
I sighed. “I did it to protect you.” Of course, that was exactly what Mason always said to me, so I knew it didn’t offer a lick of comfort.
He shook his head, his eyes filled with hurt.
I rolled my chair closer. “Bruce
I pulled my keys out of my pocket and unlocked my bottom drawer, reaching inside to pull a handgun out of the bottom drawer. I set the Glock on my desk and stared at it long and hard, a knife blade of worry working its way through my chest. After a dangerous incident in Little Rock, I’d always kept a gun in my office for protection, but I’d never had to use it.
I had a sickening feeling that would soon change.
Chapter Six
Rose
For the first time in months, I had felt lonely as I ate breakfast at my kitchen table. I’d spent most of my twenty-five years alone. Even now, I was used to being alone off and on during the day. But I’d gotten used to spending my mornings with Mason, so I’d stared at his empty chair with an ache in my heart. Not because I was sitting there with just Muffy for company. I could handle being alone. It was the way he’d left that morning.
I knew I was being unfair. Mason was risking his life and his career to protect me, and I had repaid him by getting upset and being ugly. Still, I wasn’t some delicate flower that needed to be protected from the truth, and while I knew Mason well enough to know that he wasn’t trying to insult my intelligence, I had to know what was going on. It was not just his life or mine, after all—it was ours .
So I breathed a sigh of relief when he called and apologized. I was even more relieved when he said he wanted to tell me what he could. Finally, we could work on this together.
I finished cleaning up the kitchen and herded Muffy into the truck to head into town. After the early freezing rain, I’d put off going into the office, preferring to wait for the temperature to warm up enough to make the roads safe. Besides, it was the holiday season and we weren’t even open yet. But today was Neely Kate’s first day and I was hoping to get there before she did.
Nevertheless, I wasn’t surprised to find Bruce Wayne already at the office when I walked through the front door. He was bent over his computer with a frustrated grimace on his face.
“Hey, Bruce Wayne,” I said as I shrugged off my coat.
Muffy raced over to him and put her paws on his legs. He grinned as he rubbed the back of her head, but he didn’t answer me. I thought again about how reserved he’d been at Christmas dinner. Something was clearly wrong.
I tossed my coat on the desk and rolled my chair over to him, the sound of the wheels squeaking against the wood floor adding to the tension. “Why are you mad at me, Bruce Wayne? Is it because I went to New Orleans with Neely Kate last week and left you to go to that estate sale alone? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone.”
His hands trembled as he pulled away from Muffy and sat up straighter in his chair. Bruce Wayne hated confrontation. “If I did everything while you sat on a throne of pillows, I’d never begrudge you for one second, Rose Gardner.”
I leaned forward. “You know I’d never do such a thing, Bruce Wayne. We’re partners and I haven’t done my share in the craziness of the last few weeks. But I promise you, I won’t slack off anymore.”
He glanced up, his gaze guarded. “That’s not why I’m mad you at you, Rose.”
“Then what is it? I’m plum tired of getting the silent treatment from you.”
His eyes hardened. “The Lady in Black.”
My stomach tumbled to my feet. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“You know darn good and well what I’m talking about.”
“I…”
“Don’t try to deny it, Rose. I know . I know you were with Skeeter last week at that meeting.”
“How?” But of course he did. Lordy, I’d been stupid.
“Why?” he asked in a pained voice. “Why would you do it, Rose? And why didn’t you tell me?”
I sighed. “I did it to protect you.” Of course, that was exactly what Mason always said to me, so I knew it didn’t offer a lick of comfort.
He shook his head, his eyes filled with hurt.
I rolled my chair closer. “Bruce
Similar Books
