you for the water. No doubt I’ll be speaking to you again.”
The thought of seeing her again had its merits, but he doubted she meant what he was thinking.
“I’ll look forward to it,” he replied, imbuing into that handful of words enough innuendo to make Ms. Warren stiffen and give him a hard look.
“We’ll see about that.”
He led the way to the front door and watched her as she stepped onto the porch. There was a determined set to her shoulders, and he knew she wouldn’t be deterred by him. One way or another she’d track Jesse down, and Cord didn’t want it to be today. Jesse had enough on his plate with his sister’s emergency surgery today. It had started out as routine to remove an inflamed appendix, but the dang thing had already ruptured, spilling infection through Janet’s body. While she was receiving the best care possible, Jesse was beside himself with worry. Last thing Jesse needed was this detective visiting him in the hospital.
Maybe Cord could appeal to her good will, he thought. Just as the woman reached her grime-covered car, he called out.
“Jesse is at the hospital—that’s why he’s not at home right now. His sister had an operation today. There were complications. He’s been there all day. A decent person would leave him be.”
“Mr. Galicia, are you suggesting I’m not a decent person?” She cocked one brow as she raised the question.
“Well, that remains to be seen, doesn’t it?” he challenged. “Give him a couple of days at least.”
“And what do you suggest I do in the meantime? Paint my nails?”
He had to hand it to her. She didn’t back down, not one bit. He probably shouldn’t have told her about Jesse being at the hospital, but he’d hoped he could appeal to her sense of compassion. Surely she had one in there somewhere behind that blue-eyed deadpan stare of hers?
“Maybe we could have a drink or a meal somewhere?”
“Are you asking me on a date?”
The incredulity on her face would have been funny if it hadn’t been so insulting.
“Sure, why not?”
For a second or two she looked totally at a loss for words. As a distraction tactic, asking her out clearly had merit, he thought with a quiet twinge of satisfaction. At least it appeared to have stopped her in her stride.
“What about it?” he pressed. “Tonight, just a drink. You can ask me anything you want.”
“I can ask you anything I want anytime I want. I have a badge, remember?”
“What? Are you afraid of spending time with me?”
She snorted. “I’m not afraid of anything, Mr. Galicia. Especially not you. Sure, fine. What time and where?”
“Why don’t I pick you up? Where’re you staying?”
She named the motel.
“How about seven?” he asked, beginning to wonder what in hell he was letting himself in for.
“Seven is good.”
Then, without another word, she got into her car and swung it around the circular driveway and back toward the main road. Cord watched until she went out of sight, then slowly closed the door to his house. His grandmother would have said he’d gone totally loco. Even he didn’t understand fully what had prompted him to make the offer to Detective Warren, aside from the need to protect his best friend from her questioning. He flicked a look at his watch. Jesse said he’d be at the hospital until the nurses kicked him out. It would take the detective about forty minutes to get to town from here, then no doubt she’d want to fluff a bit like women did. She wouldn’t have time to go to the hospital and bother Jesse, but just in case, Cord dragged his cell phone from his back pocket and thumbed a text to his friend.
How’s Janet doing?
She’s holding her own. They’re talking about removing the breathing tube later tonight.
Cord felt a pang for his friend. Janet was the only family he had left, and to say he was protective of his younger sibling was an understatement. This hiccup with what should have been a routine procedure today had surely devastated him.
Good to hear. BTW, Houston detective in town asking questions about Hamm. I’m taking her out for a drink so she doesn’t bother you.
Jesse’s reply was swift.
LOL, taking one for the team? Such hardship. Is she pretty?
Trust his friend to ask the hard questions.
Yeah.
But she’s a cop.
Yeah.
Do you know what you’re doing?
Keeping her away from you, remember.
There was a pause, and Cord began to wonder if that was an end to their conversation, but then his phone pinged again.
Are you sure that’s all?
You know my rules.
Okay. Don’t do anything dumb.
As if. Hey, give Janet my love.
Will do. And let me know how your date goes.
It’s not a date.
She’s pretty. It’s a date.
Cord rolled his eyes before texting his reply.
She’s a cop. It’s not a date. End of story.
He pocketed his phone and went to his room to get ready to head into town. But even as he changed into a good pair of jeans and a fitted shirt and splashed on a little cologne, he couldn’t help but wonder why he was going to so much effort for the woman. Was it because he was trying to keep her distracted and away from Jesse, or was there something more? He snagged his car keys in one hand and headed toward the garage. There was only one way to find out.
Zoe paced the confines of her motel room, wondering why the hell she’d agreed to this—whatever this was—with Cord Galicia. The man exuded pheromones like body odor. Both were equally unwelcome in her book. Galicia had been far too cagey about Stevens, and her own experience had shown that people don’t generally hide something that doesn’t need to be hidden. And even though he had said she could ask him anything she wanted, she doubted that would extend to more information about his neighbor.
She flicked a glance at the digital clock next to the bed. He’d be here any minute. As if she’d conjured him up merely by thinking about him, there was a firm knock at her door. She swung around and checked the peephole. Yup, just as sexy as the first time, she thought. She forced herself to take a deep, steadying breath before unlatching the chain and
