I have to ask you some questions.”
“Do you mind if I get a glass of water and sit down? I’m still a little woozy from the headache medicine.”
He followed her into the kitchen.
“Did you know Stanley Hanks had been in prison?”
Her chin went up a fraction. “Of course. He got in trouble right after the senior prom. He robbed a liquorstore with his dad’s gun and went to Parchman, for five years or so.”
“Why didn’t you mention that when we were talking about him?” He filled a glass with water and handed it to her.
She shrugged. “I guess I thought you already knew. You seem to know everything else.”
“How about Winger’s domestic disputes?”
“Domestic disputes? You’re talking about the couple of times the neighbors have complained about Bob yelling?”
“Yelling and more, from the reports.”
She drank the water. “I told you, Bob has problems. His mother is manipulative and demanding. Sometimes he loses control. He’s very…conflicted.”
“Conflicted enough to become obsessed with a nice young woman who will listen to him whine about his life?”
Holly frowned and rubbed her temple. “I can’t imagine Bob being violent, but from what you say, I guess it could be him.” A shudder rippled through her.
“Those two aren’t the only interesting guys on your list of names, either. Donald Sheffield is under a restraining order for getting physical with a girlfriend in Jackson. And did you know that Ralph Peyton had taken out a large insurance policy with you as beneficiary?”
“What?” Holly’s eyes widened in genuine shock. “Why didn’t he tell me?”
“Maybe he intended to. Your boyfriend Isley wrote that policy as well as your husband’s life insurance policy.”
“Earl? Is that significant? There’s only one other insurance agent in town.”
“It could be.”
W HEN H OLLY CAME OUT of her room an hour later, dressed in a soft linen dress and backless sandals, Jack was waiting. As usual, he looked crisp and cool, even in jeans. His hair was slightly damp from his shower and his face was freshly shaved.
Think of him as her husband? She almost gulped. That was not going to be a problem. Her problem was she didn’t have to act like she was attracted to him. She was attracted to him.
And it wasn’t just because of his dark good looks. It was his strength, his attentiveness to her needs, his occasional tender gestures that drew her to him.
But she had to be careful. He was here to do a job. When it was over he’d go back to his life and she’d go back to hers. She didn’t like the empty feeling that thought gave her.
He turned around to pick up the box he’d packed and she saw the gun holstered at the small of his back. The sight of the cold steel magnified the seriousness of their situation.
He glanced up as he clipped his cell phone onto his belt. “Something wrong?” he asked.
“Are you going to carry that thing everywhere?”
“My weapon? Yes.”
“How will you keep people from—”
He grabbed a lightweight jacket from the back of a chair and put it on, settling it onto his shoulders with a sexy, masculine shrug.
Even the awareness of the weapon he carried didn’t detract from his appeal. If anything, it made him even more dangerously sexy. She swallowed. Not a problem.
He smiled at her, a twinkle in his eye. “The jacket hides it. Kind of gets in the way of the husband thing, I know. But that’s just something you’re going to have to live with, honey. ”
His words and his devilish smile irritated her. “Are you ready?”
“Let’s go.”
She gave him directions to the post office.
“How are you going to mail that to the FBI? The postmaster is an awful old gossip.”
“It’s addressed to my aunt Jenny at a post office box in Maryland.”
“Your aunt Jenny.” She marveled at the care and thought he put into every action. Considering all possibilities, thinking of every contingency.
She went in with him to mail his
“Do you mind if I get a glass of water and sit down? I’m still a little woozy from the headache medicine.”
He followed her into the kitchen.
“Did you know Stanley Hanks had been in prison?”
Her chin went up a fraction. “Of course. He got in trouble right after the senior prom. He robbed a liquorstore with his dad’s gun and went to Parchman, for five years or so.”
“Why didn’t you mention that when we were talking about him?” He filled a glass with water and handed it to her.
She shrugged. “I guess I thought you already knew. You seem to know everything else.”
“How about Winger’s domestic disputes?”
“Domestic disputes? You’re talking about the couple of times the neighbors have complained about Bob yelling?”
“Yelling and more, from the reports.”
She drank the water. “I told you, Bob has problems. His mother is manipulative and demanding. Sometimes he loses control. He’s very…conflicted.”
“Conflicted enough to become obsessed with a nice young woman who will listen to him whine about his life?”
Holly frowned and rubbed her temple. “I can’t imagine Bob being violent, but from what you say, I guess it could be him.” A shudder rippled through her.
“Those two aren’t the only interesting guys on your list of names, either. Donald Sheffield is under a restraining order for getting physical with a girlfriend in Jackson. And did you know that Ralph Peyton had taken out a large insurance policy with you as beneficiary?”
“What?” Holly’s eyes widened in genuine shock. “Why didn’t he tell me?”
“Maybe he intended to. Your boyfriend Isley wrote that policy as well as your husband’s life insurance policy.”
“Earl? Is that significant? There’s only one other insurance agent in town.”
“It could be.”
W HEN H OLLY CAME OUT of her room an hour later, dressed in a soft linen dress and backless sandals, Jack was waiting. As usual, he looked crisp and cool, even in jeans. His hair was slightly damp from his shower and his face was freshly shaved.
Think of him as her husband? She almost gulped. That was not going to be a problem. Her problem was she didn’t have to act like she was attracted to him. She was attracted to him.
And it wasn’t just because of his dark good looks. It was his strength, his attentiveness to her needs, his occasional tender gestures that drew her to him.
But she had to be careful. He was here to do a job. When it was over he’d go back to his life and she’d go back to hers. She didn’t like the empty feeling that thought gave her.
He turned around to pick up the box he’d packed and she saw the gun holstered at the small of his back. The sight of the cold steel magnified the seriousness of their situation.
He glanced up as he clipped his cell phone onto his belt. “Something wrong?” he asked.
“Are you going to carry that thing everywhere?”
“My weapon? Yes.”
“How will you keep people from—”
He grabbed a lightweight jacket from the back of a chair and put it on, settling it onto his shoulders with a sexy, masculine shrug.
Even the awareness of the weapon he carried didn’t detract from his appeal. If anything, it made him even more dangerously sexy. She swallowed. Not a problem.
He smiled at her, a twinkle in his eye. “The jacket hides it. Kind of gets in the way of the husband thing, I know. But that’s just something you’re going to have to live with, honey. ”
His words and his devilish smile irritated her. “Are you ready?”
“Let’s go.”
She gave him directions to the post office.
“How are you going to mail that to the FBI? The postmaster is an awful old gossip.”
“It’s addressed to my aunt Jenny at a post office box in Maryland.”
“Your aunt Jenny.” She marveled at the care and thought he put into every action. Considering all possibilities, thinking of every contingency.
She went in with him to mail his
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