A Ghost in Time (Destiny Bay Cozy Mysteries Book 3) by J. D. Winters Page B
Authors: J. D. Winters
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think it might be a really good idea. When can we try it? When do you have some time?”
We worked that out and when Roy arrived, I was in a pretty good mood. Jill’s baristas had just had a crisis with the main blender, so she scooted out and left us in the back booth to ourselves. Roy slid in beside me instead of opting for across the table. That made me smile.
“So Miss Keahi, what’s new?” he said, his eyes smiling at me.
“I’ve been doing a little digging,” I said, feeling pretty proud of myself. “And I’ve got some information. You might already know all this, but just in case you don’t, I’m here to give you the inside scoop.”
“No kidding.” He held back a grin that was threatening but his eyes sparkled. “What do you want in exchange?”
I thought for a couple of seconds. “Respect,” I ventured. “Maybe just a little…affection?”
“Kissing,” he guessed, looking at me sideways. “You liked that, didn’t you?”
To my horror, I was blushing, but I pretended I had it all under control. “Depends,” I said. “Good kissing is always welcome.”
He raised an eyebrow, teasing me. “No matter who?”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “Oh it matters who. It matters a whole lot.”
“Good.” He was looking at my mouth. That made me quiver a bit, and it had to go if we were going to get serious. Otherwise, we might as well go out in his car and make out for the rest of the hour.
Ooh. That sounded good!
But wasn’t I supposed to be avoiding this man? That was the plan. Maybe I should get a refresher course on avoidance. And Backbone 101. Hmm.
Anyway, we didn’t have time for that sort of thing right now.
“Okay,” I said, getting down to business. “I have here three letters I stole from a cubby hole box on Star’s property. Can I show them to you? Or will you cart me off and charge me with mail theft or something?”
He winced, his head going back. I could tell this wasn’t as easy as I might have thought. He really had some ethical problems with it. But finally, he overcame them. At any rate, he took a deep breath and nodded.
“Go ahead and show them to me,” he said. “We’ll deal with your criminality later.”
I wasn’t so sure that was in my best interests, but it was what I’d come for, so I did it.
He was interested all right. He looked over each letter in turn, reading everything. Then he looked at me and shrugged.
“What does it all mean?” he asked me. “In your professional opinion as a registered female.”
“These were written by a man,” I pointed out.
“That’s why I’m asking. I already know how I interpret these things as a male. I want the female perspective. What did Star think when she got these?”
I put on my thinking face. “I think she felt adored and pursued with the first one. By the third, she felt like she was losing control and that is one thing she couldn’t bear.”
He nodded. “That’s about what I thought, too.” He looked at me quizzically. “So why did she hide them?”
I shrugged. “Why did she keep them at all?” I said.
His eyes narrowed. “Being a cop, I tend to look for nefarious motives. I’ll bet she wanted them in case she needed to blackmail him for something.”
“Yikes.” I frowned. “You do have a cynical turn of mind, don’t you? I prefer to think she kept the first ones to warm a lonely night or two—and the third to study and reinforce her decision to make him pay for dumping her.”
“So who’s cynical now?” He gave me a half grin and stuck the letters into his binder. “What else have you got, lady?”
“Nothing much. But I was thinking you probably picked up bits and pieces of things when cleaning up the accident site. Right?”
He nodded. “What are you looking for?”
“Do you have a list of the items?”
“Yeah.” He made no move to pull it out. “But it’s police business. You’re not on the police force.”
“But I’m
We worked that out and when Roy arrived, I was in a pretty good mood. Jill’s baristas had just had a crisis with the main blender, so she scooted out and left us in the back booth to ourselves. Roy slid in beside me instead of opting for across the table. That made me smile.
“So Miss Keahi, what’s new?” he said, his eyes smiling at me.
“I’ve been doing a little digging,” I said, feeling pretty proud of myself. “And I’ve got some information. You might already know all this, but just in case you don’t, I’m here to give you the inside scoop.”
“No kidding.” He held back a grin that was threatening but his eyes sparkled. “What do you want in exchange?”
I thought for a couple of seconds. “Respect,” I ventured. “Maybe just a little…affection?”
“Kissing,” he guessed, looking at me sideways. “You liked that, didn’t you?”
To my horror, I was blushing, but I pretended I had it all under control. “Depends,” I said. “Good kissing is always welcome.”
He raised an eyebrow, teasing me. “No matter who?”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “Oh it matters who. It matters a whole lot.”
“Good.” He was looking at my mouth. That made me quiver a bit, and it had to go if we were going to get serious. Otherwise, we might as well go out in his car and make out for the rest of the hour.
Ooh. That sounded good!
But wasn’t I supposed to be avoiding this man? That was the plan. Maybe I should get a refresher course on avoidance. And Backbone 101. Hmm.
Anyway, we didn’t have time for that sort of thing right now.
“Okay,” I said, getting down to business. “I have here three letters I stole from a cubby hole box on Star’s property. Can I show them to you? Or will you cart me off and charge me with mail theft or something?”
He winced, his head going back. I could tell this wasn’t as easy as I might have thought. He really had some ethical problems with it. But finally, he overcame them. At any rate, he took a deep breath and nodded.
“Go ahead and show them to me,” he said. “We’ll deal with your criminality later.”
I wasn’t so sure that was in my best interests, but it was what I’d come for, so I did it.
He was interested all right. He looked over each letter in turn, reading everything. Then he looked at me and shrugged.
“What does it all mean?” he asked me. “In your professional opinion as a registered female.”
“These were written by a man,” I pointed out.
“That’s why I’m asking. I already know how I interpret these things as a male. I want the female perspective. What did Star think when she got these?”
I put on my thinking face. “I think she felt adored and pursued with the first one. By the third, she felt like she was losing control and that is one thing she couldn’t bear.”
He nodded. “That’s about what I thought, too.” He looked at me quizzically. “So why did she hide them?”
I shrugged. “Why did she keep them at all?” I said.
His eyes narrowed. “Being a cop, I tend to look for nefarious motives. I’ll bet she wanted them in case she needed to blackmail him for something.”
“Yikes.” I frowned. “You do have a cynical turn of mind, don’t you? I prefer to think she kept the first ones to warm a lonely night or two—and the third to study and reinforce her decision to make him pay for dumping her.”
“So who’s cynical now?” He gave me a half grin and stuck the letters into his binder. “What else have you got, lady?”
“Nothing much. But I was thinking you probably picked up bits and pieces of things when cleaning up the accident site. Right?”
He nodded. “What are you looking for?”
“Do you have a list of the items?”
“Yeah.” He made no move to pull it out. “But it’s police business. You’re not on the police force.”
“But I’m
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