Marianna and ask her to lunch, but he stopped when a clean-cut man in his early thirties walked up to her and took her hand. Regret cut through him. Who was this? A boyfriend?
Relief followed the regret when he saw her expression change to one of annoyance as she yanked her hand away from the guy.
Unfortunately, Ethan was too far away to hear what she was saying. But when the man grabbed her upper arm and Marianna winced, that was enough for him.
* * *
Marianna thought about giving Curt a good kick in the shin but didn’t want to make a scene in the church parking lot. If he didn’t let go of her arm in the next two seconds, however, she’d toss aside her inhibitions and give her foot permission to do its worst.
Then she was free, her arm throbbing from the grip Curt had had on it. What? How?
“Ethan? What are you doing here?” The question came out before she could stop it. Surprise and relief held her captive.
Fury emanated from his blue eyes and if he lasered Curt any harder with them, the poor man would be incinerated on the spot. Through gritted teeth, Ethan said, “Touch her again and I’ll arrest you for assault.”
Curt’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Then he bravely stuck out his chest. Funny how it seemed thin and pitiful next to Ethan’s broad shoulders and muscular physique. Not that she had any business noticing that.
“Who are you?” Curt demanded.
Marianna stepped in. “This is Ethan, one of the detectives investigating Suzanne’s death.”
“Yeah,” Ethan growled, “so where were you a week and a half ago on Tuesday, around ten in the morning?”
Curt’s eyes shot wide and he stammered, “Um…uh…I… was at a conference…in…in New York.”
Marianna elbowed her protector. “All right, Ethan, that’s enough. Curt didn’t kill Suzanne.”
“What about breaking into your house?”
Curt looked ready for the ground beneath his feet to swallow him. “Look, I didn’t kill anyone, and I certainly didn’t break into Marianna’s house. I don’t have any reason to.”
Marianna took Ethan’s arm. “Come on. Walk with me to my mother’s car. She’s probably waiting on me.”
Ethan gave a final, hard look at Curt and said, “My pleasure.”
“Goodbye, Curt.”
Marianna and Ethan headed in the direction she led. He asked, “Why’d you tell him bye?”
She blew out an exasperated breath. “I don’t know. Because it was the polite thing to do?”
“When a man lays a hand on you like he did, the last thing he deserves is politeness. How’s your arm?”
It hurt. “It’s fine. Forget him and tell me why you’re here.”
Ethan spotted her parents and brother standing beside a white Suburban. “Why don’t you have lunch with me and tell your folks I’ll bring you home later?”
Nerves suddenly swirled in her stomach. What kind of lunch was he talking about? A date lunch? Or a business, let’s-talk-about-the-case lunch? She bit her lip and he gave her a knowing smile.
“Please?”
She couldn’t resist. “Okay.” Catching her father’s attention, she signed that she was going with Ethan and would be home later. He frowned but nodded.
Ethan took her hand and led her to his car.
That’s when she noticed the silver car parked four spots down. Earlier, when it had turned in behind her and her sister, she’d tried to get a look at the driver, but it had gone on past them and around the side of the building. She’d given up trying to figure out if someone was following her and if the occupants of the car had been members of the church arriving at the same time as she.
Seeing the car still parked there, and her sister long gone, along with her parents, she decided she was definitely being paranoid—not that she didn’t have good reason to be, but obviously the silver car belonged to a member of the congregation. Relief replaced her momentary anxiety.
Ethan tapped her shoulder to get her attention. “So, what are you in the mood for?” His touch lingered, causing her stomach to do a series of flip-flops.
Pushing her attraction aside for now, she thought. “Something…relaxing.”
“Huh?”
“You know, relaxing food. Fruit, ice cream, soup.”
“I never knew food could be relaxing.”
Marianna reached up and took his hand in hers, feeling the calluses of a man used to hard work, yet one who used his hands for gentle comport, too. Somehow, Marianna knew Ethan would never raise a fist against her—ever.
“Well, you’re about to learn something new. How about we go to Panera?”
“The one on East Main?”
She laughed. “Yes, since it’s the only one in Spartanburg.”
“Right.” He pulled his hand from her grasp and cranked the car to head across town. Once there, Ethan ordered while she got a table. From her seat, she watched him smile at the young girl who flirted outrageously with him while punching in the order.
Marianna was impressed that while Ethan smiled in a friendly way, there was nothing encouraging or flirtatious about him. Curt would have…nope, not going there.
Soon, Ethan brought their food to the table, and Marianna enjoyed her salad while he sampled the soup.
After a few minutes, Marianna placed her fork on the table and looked at her companion. “So, let’s get to the point. You have something else you want to discuss with me, don’t you?”
Startled bemusement flickered briefly, then, turning serious, he said, “I don’t think you’re safe staying at your house.”
“I’ve already thought about that.”
“And?”
Marianna sat back, munching the last bite of salad. She swallowed, took a sip of water, then said, “I hate to admit it, but you’re probably right. I don’t want to, but I guess I’ll be staying at my parents’ longer than I thought.”
“What’s your hesitation?”
“I’ve fought so hard to be…” Did she really want to share this with him? A man she’d known for only a little over a week and met under extreme circumstances? Yet, there was something about him that pulled her, drew her to him.
He finished the sentence for her. “…independent?”
She nodded, guilt hitting her hard. Her family was so wonderful, yet they had a way of being a little smothering sometimes.
