Killer Heat by Brenda Novak Page A

expected to avoid the consequences of what he’d done, didn’t believe he deserved more than he’d earned. He had only himself to blame for losing Francesca. He just wished he could stop wanting her.
    He’d thought he had. If someone had asked him yesterday whether seeing her again would affect him like this, he would’ve denied it. But every time he looked at her he felt the same pull that’d scared him a decade ago.
    His phone rang. Figuring it was most likely Finch, he checked caller ID on his Bluetooth.
    But it was his mother.
    He was close enough to Skull Valley that he considered ducking the call. His mother wasn’t really the type of diversion he’d been hoping for. But she’d only call back. So he decided to get it over with. “Hey, Mom.”
    â€œWhere are you?” she asked.
    â€œDriving.”
    â€œThat doesn’t tell me much.”
    â€œStill in Arizona, working that series of murders. Something wrong?”
    â€œI got a call from Lori this morning.”
    Oh, shit. Now she was contacting his mother? “You didn’t tell her I was in Arizona, did you?”
    â€œOf course I did. Why wouldn’t I?”
    â€œBecause it’s none of her business, for one.”
    â€œShe’s upset, Jonah. She said she’s been trying to get in touch with you but you won’t respond.”
    Considering the personal information he kept hidden for Lori’s sake, it took nerve for her to involve his mother. But she’d always had a lot of nerve.
    Tempted to tell Rita everything, he wondered how she’d respond if he blurted out that Lori’s roommate wasn’t just a roommate. That Lori had been gay since before she’d married him.
    But he didn’t do it. Why bother? Lori didn’t mean anything to him anymore, not even enough for revenge. It was simpler to pretend their problems had been far more mundane. “I’ve been busy,” he said instead.
    â€œToo busy to return her call?”
    â€œMom, she’s my ex. That doesn’t make her my top priority. Why should I drop everything when she contacts me?”
    â€œWhy not? It wouldn’t hurt you to help her out.”
    Did she even understand what his ex-wife wanted? What had Lori told his mother that had motivated Rita to jump in with both feet? Lord knew it didn’t take much, but she had to have been given some excuse. “What is it she needs?” he asked, just to see what his mother would say.
    â€œYou don’t know?”
    He caught a glimpse of Francesca’s BMW in his rearview mirror and sped up. Murder case or no murder case, he could live without the confusion she inspired in him. “Not exactly.”
    â€œIt’s some sort of a character reference so she can adopt a child from the foster care system.”
    A child from foster care? Hardly. She was competing with other would-be parents for an unborn child. But he didn’t correct her. Sometimes Rita went off half-cocked without knowing all the details. Life was easy for her—all black and white and full of snap judgments. This was a perfect example. “And how’s my character reference going to make a difference?”
    â€œI can’t imagine. But she thinks it will. And it wouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to do her this favor.”
    â€œHave a little faith, Mom. I’ll get to it when I can.”
    â€œHow about sooner rather than later, Jonah? Divorced couples don’t have to be enemies, you know. Take me and your father, for instance.”
    He switched lanes. “Dad’s remarried, Mom.”
    â€œAnd your point is?”
    â€œHe’s never the one who has to deal with you. His wife runs interference.”
    â€œThat’s not true. Anyway, Jolynn and I get along.”
    Barely. Because he was close to his father and stepmother, Jonah knew that Jolynn was less than pleased about being Rita’s designated contact. She