do you think you’re doing?”
“Looks like I’ve done it, Pipsqueak.” So far, he hadn’t expected one move she’d made so it was giving him more than a little satisfaction to have surprised her.
She whirled, quick as lightning, and poked a finger into his chest. “This is police brutality. I’m going to report you to your superior.”
“You’ll have an opportunity to do that.” A hell of a lot sooner than he’d like, Nik thought. A quick glance at his watch told Nik that Captain D.C. Parker would be arriving soon, and he still wanted to walk through the scene.
“Better still, I’m going to scream.”
Did she ever shut up? He met her eyes, and for an instant he felt that same odd sense of awareness he’d experienced before. This close, her eyes reminded him of a swiftly moving stream, the kind that warned of rapids ahead, the kind a man could easily get sucked into and drown.
Suddenly, he was aware of just how close she was. One more step and their bodies would be in full contact again. One more step and he could…
No. Nik slammed the brakes on the direction his thoughts were taking. What in hell was happening to him? He was a cop, and she was a material witness to a crime that involved his brother’s best friend. That’s what he should be concentrating on.
It took more effort than he liked to take a step back instead of forward, but once in motion, he moved all the way to the doorway. That way he could keep his eye on what the officers were doing in the next room. Then he took out his cell and settled the little debate he’d been having with himself since he’d recognized Roman Oliver. He was going to break a rule and give his brother Kit a call. He needed a second set of eyes, and Roman needed someone on his side—at least until they sorted everything out.
IT WASN’T UNTIL Detective Angelis reached the doorway that J.C. finally allowed herself to breathe. The sudden influx of air burned her lungs. In a second or two her brain cells would start working again. She hoped. She watched the detective punch a number into his cell. It really wasn’t a good idea to look at him, but she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away.
“Hey, bro, this is Nik.”
Time for a reality check, Jude Catherine. This was Detective Nik Angelis. He was investigating a case. A case she was involved in. And someone had tried to kill her. She had worrisome things to occupy her mind. Still, it was hard to forget the effect that the man seemed to have on her senses. A moment ago when he’d been standing so close to her, he’d very nearly kissed her. If he had—
Just the thought of that possibility had heat pooling in her center. J.C. reminded herself to take another breath. She’d never in her whole life reacted this…this…viscerally to a man. And he hadn’t even kissed her. Yet.
She definitely had to get a grip. Nik Angelis was a stranger, and while he might be handsome, he was also annoying. He’d called her “Pips-queak,” for heaven’s sake! More importantly, there was a dead body not fifteen feet away in the next room. Father Mike and Roman Oliver were going to the hospital. And what about the others? Nik Angelis hadn’t answered any of her questions about them. Were they dead? Then there was the man with the snake eyes…
And to top it all off, she was starving. If only she’d thought to stuff some of those almonds in her pockets. Then she remembered the candles…
J.C. took two quick steps before the handcuffs brought her up short.
Nik glanced at her as he pocketed his phone. “You’re not going anywhere.”
She lifted her chin. “I left candles burning in the dining room. Someone ought to check on them. And could you ask them to bring me back something to eat?”
“This isn’t a restaurant and I’m not a waiter.”
“If you were, you wouldn’t make much in the way of tips with that attitude.”
The smile he flashed was completely and unexpectedly charming. “You’d be surprised, Pipsqueak.”
On second thought, she decided he’d probably make great tips. The man had the eye-candy thing going for him, plus a kind of animal magnetism. “Look, you’d better check on the candles if you don’t want the whole place to burn down.”
He moved to the door and signaled one of the officers. “Take someone with you and check out the rectory. There are some candles burning in the dining room.”
“And bring me some almonds,” J.C. called.
The officer glanced at Nik and he nodded. Then he leaned against the doorjamb and studied her for a moment. “Ms. Riley, let’s start from the beginning. Tell me what you’re doing here and what you saw.”
“I’m here because I was catering the wedding reception.”
That’s your van in the parking lot? ‘Have an Affair with J.C.?’”
“Yes. And you’re Detective Nik Angelis.”
“Of the San Francisco Police Department.”
There was a beat of silence, and J.C. found herself thinking that here they were—not even really on a first-name basis—and they’d very nearly kissed.
“Do you have any idea where the bride and groom are?”
“They’re not dead?”
“They’re not even in the church. Neither is the blonde you mentioned.”
“You’ve checked the choir loft?”
“Empty.”
J.C. pressed a hand to her stomach as relief streamed through her. Had she been worried all along about the possibility of more dead bodies? Was the fear and adrenaline rushing through her body the reason she’d become so obsessed with Nik Angelis?
“Did you see anyone else enter the church?”
She shook her head. “No.”
He pulled out a notebook. “When were you first contacted by the bride and groom?”
“I wasn’t. I don’t even know who they are.”
Nik stared at her. “You catered the wedding and you don’t know who the bride and groom are?”
“Father Mike was keeping it hush-hush. But he did drop the names, Juliana and Paulo. I thought they might be minor celebrities. Winners of Survivor or something like that.”
“So you didn’t know that they were Juliana Oliver and Paulo Carlucci?”
It was J.C.’s turn to stare as she let out a long low whistle.
“You do know them then?”
“Not personally. But I recognize the last names. Those two families are big business rivals, right?”
“Did the bride and groom arrive together?”
“No. I’d just brought the cake in when the two
