closet, the uneasy feeling still sitting at the pit of her stomach.
But only the sound of birds chirping outside the bedroom windows met her ears.
Still spooked, Sterling stepped back into the closet, quickly pulled out the envelope from the safe, and took a look at the contents. Satisfied, she stuffed the envelope under her jacket, closed the safe, and returned the shoes to the cubbyhole.
Swiftly, she closed the closet door and stole down the hallway, past the bathroom, and through the kitchen. A breath of fresh air brushed her face and she froze, her gaze frantically searching for its origin.
There it was. Lace curtains delicately floated on a sweet spring breeze wafting in through an open window in the den. A window that had not been open when she’d entered the condo. Did this mean the rooster had come home?
Stealthily, Sterling retraced her steps to the bedroom, looking behind each door and every drape for the intruder, expecting to find the wayward husband Jerry.
When she felt satisfied no one remained hiding somewhere in the condo, she scrutinized the windowsill for fingerprints.
Damn it. Completely clean.
Certain she wasn’t mistaken about an intruder, Sterling stepped into the afternoon sunshine and glanced around the lawn and nearby houses.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves of maple and oak trees. A slight wind tossed the daffodils and tulips blooming in the yard next door. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but still the creepy feeling weighed heavy inside her.
As she closed the back porch door, she had all she could do to keep from bolting to her car parked down the street.
• • •
“Whoa!” Ben nearly collided with Sterling at the back corner of the condo. Instinctively, he put his hands to her shoulders to keep from hurting her.
She turned wide, frightened eyes up at him. “Ben! What are you doing here?”
He dropped his hands. In a moment, he’d pull her close but she didn’t want that. Not even if she felt scared down to her beautiful toes. “What am I doing here? Wait a minute, babe. What are you doing here?”
Sterling seemed uneasy, shifting her gaze away from him. “Don’t get all hot and bothered,” she said. “I’m investigating, remember?” She glanced over her shoulder at the back porch.
“What brought you here?” Ben couldn’t help but follow the direction of her eyes. The porch seemed unremarkable, with only the lilac bushes swaying in the wind catching his attention.
“I don’t know,” she hedged. “Just — ”
“A hunch,” he interjected. “I know. I feel the same way, but I can’t put my finger on it. I thought I’d give the place another once over.” Sterling still refused to give him eye contact. Ben’s stomach knotted.
She probably would like to avoid me, the sorry, lovesick guy who keeps bugging her.
“Well, I’ll see you later, Ben. I’ve got to go.” Sterling skirted around him and headed stiffly away.
“Where’s your car?”
“Down the street,” she called without slowing her steps.
He watched her slightly swaying hips, her gray skirt slimly silhouetting her curves. Sunshine glinted off her softspun hair. “Wait, Sterling.”
She didn’t stop.
Ben took off after her in an easy jog, not knowing why exactly, other than being close to Sterling made his heart sing. Taking hold of her arm, he turned her to face him. A manila envelope dropped from under her jacket.
Sterling glanced up at him, then quickly stooped to pick it up.
“What’s that?” Suddenly her uneasiness made sense.
“Nothing.”
“I think it’s something. Are you withholding evidence? Where did you get that? Did you go inside? Need I remind you that’s an unlawful entry?” Ben knew he shouldn’t be surprised. Sterling would do what she felt she had to for her client.
But the cop in him didn’t like it.
“I don’t have to tell you anything, Ben.” Her eyes flashed defiantly.
“Have you forgotten everything you learned on the force? You’re
But only the sound of birds chirping outside the bedroom windows met her ears.
Still spooked, Sterling stepped back into the closet, quickly pulled out the envelope from the safe, and took a look at the contents. Satisfied, she stuffed the envelope under her jacket, closed the safe, and returned the shoes to the cubbyhole.
Swiftly, she closed the closet door and stole down the hallway, past the bathroom, and through the kitchen. A breath of fresh air brushed her face and she froze, her gaze frantically searching for its origin.
There it was. Lace curtains delicately floated on a sweet spring breeze wafting in through an open window in the den. A window that had not been open when she’d entered the condo. Did this mean the rooster had come home?
Stealthily, Sterling retraced her steps to the bedroom, looking behind each door and every drape for the intruder, expecting to find the wayward husband Jerry.
When she felt satisfied no one remained hiding somewhere in the condo, she scrutinized the windowsill for fingerprints.
Damn it. Completely clean.
Certain she wasn’t mistaken about an intruder, Sterling stepped into the afternoon sunshine and glanced around the lawn and nearby houses.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves of maple and oak trees. A slight wind tossed the daffodils and tulips blooming in the yard next door. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but still the creepy feeling weighed heavy inside her.
As she closed the back porch door, she had all she could do to keep from bolting to her car parked down the street.
• • •
“Whoa!” Ben nearly collided with Sterling at the back corner of the condo. Instinctively, he put his hands to her shoulders to keep from hurting her.
She turned wide, frightened eyes up at him. “Ben! What are you doing here?”
He dropped his hands. In a moment, he’d pull her close but she didn’t want that. Not even if she felt scared down to her beautiful toes. “What am I doing here? Wait a minute, babe. What are you doing here?”
Sterling seemed uneasy, shifting her gaze away from him. “Don’t get all hot and bothered,” she said. “I’m investigating, remember?” She glanced over her shoulder at the back porch.
“What brought you here?” Ben couldn’t help but follow the direction of her eyes. The porch seemed unremarkable, with only the lilac bushes swaying in the wind catching his attention.
“I don’t know,” she hedged. “Just — ”
“A hunch,” he interjected. “I know. I feel the same way, but I can’t put my finger on it. I thought I’d give the place another once over.” Sterling still refused to give him eye contact. Ben’s stomach knotted.
She probably would like to avoid me, the sorry, lovesick guy who keeps bugging her.
“Well, I’ll see you later, Ben. I’ve got to go.” Sterling skirted around him and headed stiffly away.
“Where’s your car?”
“Down the street,” she called without slowing her steps.
He watched her slightly swaying hips, her gray skirt slimly silhouetting her curves. Sunshine glinted off her softspun hair. “Wait, Sterling.”
She didn’t stop.
Ben took off after her in an easy jog, not knowing why exactly, other than being close to Sterling made his heart sing. Taking hold of her arm, he turned her to face him. A manila envelope dropped from under her jacket.
Sterling glanced up at him, then quickly stooped to pick it up.
“What’s that?” Suddenly her uneasiness made sense.
“Nothing.”
“I think it’s something. Are you withholding evidence? Where did you get that? Did you go inside? Need I remind you that’s an unlawful entry?” Ben knew he shouldn’t be surprised. Sterling would do what she felt she had to for her client.
But the cop in him didn’t like it.
“I don’t have to tell you anything, Ben.” Her eyes flashed defiantly.
“Have you forgotten everything you learned on the force? You’re
Similar Books
