like it, you don’t have to finish it.”
With a sigh, Blake sat down again, resigned. “If I don’t go along with this, you’re probably going to try to force-feed me, saying something inane about a plane and an air hanger.”
“Actually, I was considering a train and a tunnel, but a plane and an air hanger work just as well.” Her straight face lasted only halfway through the sentence. The grin that took over threatened to split her face in half. “It won’t hurt you to have something in your stomach, Judge,” she added seriously. “Think of it as a way to help you put up with the morning.”
His eyes met hers as he raised the fork to his lips. “It’s not the morning I have to put up with.” There was no mistaking his meaning.
Rather than comment, Greer looked at Blake’s father. He appeared amused by the exchange. “Is your son always this surly in the morning?” she wanted to know.
The shaggy gray head nodded sadly. “Afraid so, O’Brien. He’s like this most mornings. Sometimes worse.”
She took a breath and let it out, as if that somehow helped her fortify herself. “Something to look forward to.”
“You realize that you don’t have to,” Blake pointed out. “No one’s holding you prisoner.”
She caught his meaning. “You’re not a prisoner, Judge,” she told him with all sincerity. “It just so happens that you and your father are two very special people that the Aurora police department would like to see continue living.” She nodded at his plate. “So, how was it?”
He didn’t follow her. “How was what?”
“Breakfast.” When he didn’t reply immediately, she realized that he’d consumed it all without even being aware of what he was doing. The man was definitely a challenge. “You finished it.”
Blake looked down at his plate, a mild look of surprise momentarily slipping across his features. He didn’t even remember chewing or swallowing, but he obviously must have. His plate was empty.
The woman was apparently still waiting for an evaluation of her culinary skills. “All right I guess. I’m still standing.”
“High praise indeed,” Greer said dryly. “But just for the record, Judge, you’re sitting.”
Pushing back his chair, Blake rose to his feet. “And now I’m standing.”
Greer laughed, shaking her head. If she looked up contrary in the dictionary, she had a sneaking suspicion that she’d find Kincannon’s handsome face staring back at her.
“Just no end to your talents, is there, Judge?”
He made no reply; instead, he asked a question. With nothing to lose, he thought he’d take a shot. “Any chance of my going to the courthouse alone?”
She flashed him a serene smile. “About as much chance as my growing two feet and playing on the Lakers by next season.”
“What about my father?” He nodded at the elder Kincannon, fairly certain that he finally had her. “He doesn’t go to court with me. How are you going to guard him and me? Even you can’t be two places at the same time.”
If he thought he was baiting her, he was going to be disappointed. “I am aware of that, Judge. I passed high-school physics with flying colors,” she replied. “I have someone coming to stay with your father while we’re at the courthouse.”
She heard her former ally groan behind her. As she turned around, he said, “No offense, O’Brien, but I don’t take kindly to being handed off.”
Glancing at her watch, she noted the time. Taylor should be getting here at any moment. “I know, which is why I requested Taylor McIntyre for the job.” She’d called the chief last night, right after the Kincannons had gone to bed. She had a feeling that Taylor would have more luck handling Gunny. The ex-marine might grumble about having women in charge, but he definitely responded to the female touch.
The doorbell suddenly rang. The cavalry had arrived. “And there she is.”
“She?” Alexander echoed, instantly perking up.
She’d made the
With a sigh, Blake sat down again, resigned. “If I don’t go along with this, you’re probably going to try to force-feed me, saying something inane about a plane and an air hanger.”
“Actually, I was considering a train and a tunnel, but a plane and an air hanger work just as well.” Her straight face lasted only halfway through the sentence. The grin that took over threatened to split her face in half. “It won’t hurt you to have something in your stomach, Judge,” she added seriously. “Think of it as a way to help you put up with the morning.”
His eyes met hers as he raised the fork to his lips. “It’s not the morning I have to put up with.” There was no mistaking his meaning.
Rather than comment, Greer looked at Blake’s father. He appeared amused by the exchange. “Is your son always this surly in the morning?” she wanted to know.
The shaggy gray head nodded sadly. “Afraid so, O’Brien. He’s like this most mornings. Sometimes worse.”
She took a breath and let it out, as if that somehow helped her fortify herself. “Something to look forward to.”
“You realize that you don’t have to,” Blake pointed out. “No one’s holding you prisoner.”
She caught his meaning. “You’re not a prisoner, Judge,” she told him with all sincerity. “It just so happens that you and your father are two very special people that the Aurora police department would like to see continue living.” She nodded at his plate. “So, how was it?”
He didn’t follow her. “How was what?”
“Breakfast.” When he didn’t reply immediately, she realized that he’d consumed it all without even being aware of what he was doing. The man was definitely a challenge. “You finished it.”
Blake looked down at his plate, a mild look of surprise momentarily slipping across his features. He didn’t even remember chewing or swallowing, but he obviously must have. His plate was empty.
The woman was apparently still waiting for an evaluation of her culinary skills. “All right I guess. I’m still standing.”
“High praise indeed,” Greer said dryly. “But just for the record, Judge, you’re sitting.”
Pushing back his chair, Blake rose to his feet. “And now I’m standing.”
Greer laughed, shaking her head. If she looked up contrary in the dictionary, she had a sneaking suspicion that she’d find Kincannon’s handsome face staring back at her.
“Just no end to your talents, is there, Judge?”
He made no reply; instead, he asked a question. With nothing to lose, he thought he’d take a shot. “Any chance of my going to the courthouse alone?”
She flashed him a serene smile. “About as much chance as my growing two feet and playing on the Lakers by next season.”
“What about my father?” He nodded at the elder Kincannon, fairly certain that he finally had her. “He doesn’t go to court with me. How are you going to guard him and me? Even you can’t be two places at the same time.”
If he thought he was baiting her, he was going to be disappointed. “I am aware of that, Judge. I passed high-school physics with flying colors,” she replied. “I have someone coming to stay with your father while we’re at the courthouse.”
She heard her former ally groan behind her. As she turned around, he said, “No offense, O’Brien, but I don’t take kindly to being handed off.”
Glancing at her watch, she noted the time. Taylor should be getting here at any moment. “I know, which is why I requested Taylor McIntyre for the job.” She’d called the chief last night, right after the Kincannons had gone to bed. She had a feeling that Taylor would have more luck handling Gunny. The ex-marine might grumble about having women in charge, but he definitely responded to the female touch.
The doorbell suddenly rang. The cavalry had arrived. “And there she is.”
“She?” Alexander echoed, instantly perking up.
She’d made the
Similar Books
