sense,
she wasn’t ready to agree with him before she talked to Xander. “Have the
police finished going through my computer? I’d really like to have my stuff
back.”
“I’ll call for a progress report today.”
“Thank you, Mr. Barton.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll be in touch. In the
meantime, please , do yourself a favor and don’t hire an amateur.”
Nicole hung up feeling like she’d been schooled. She
stared at her phone for a minute, and then cursed because she’d forgotten to
ask about the surveillance video. She’d been so busy defending her choices, it
had escaped her mind.
She’d wait until she’d decided what to do about
an investigator before she called back, and instead, she dialed Xander’s
number.
“Good morning, Nicole.” His deep voice rumbled
across the line.
She paused in her thoughts, as a smile spread
across her lips and a lovely warmth tingled through her body. “Good morning.” She
forced her brain back in control over her emotions. He sounded wide awake, and
more than likely, he’d been at work for several hours.
How did she put this? “I just got a call from my
attorney. The police called him, wondering if I’d hired a private investigator.”
“That’s interesting.” A hard edge overlaid his
smooth, sexy voice.
“Did you contact your friend? Has he been
poking around?”
“I did, and there’s a good chance he’s been
asking questions, although he’s usually more discreet.”
Uneasiness crept up inside her. “I don’t want
this to come out wrong. My attorney thinks I need to hire someone he knows and
not use your friend.”
“Why?”
“He implied he’s an amateur and that he may
somehow make things worse for me? She ended her sentence on a question, not
really sure what to believe anymore.
“Who is your attorney? Xander sounded pissed.
“Cecil Barton.”
He didn’t respond right away, and she wished she
could see his expression.
“Look Xander, I appreciate your friend trying to
help, but maybe it would be better for the police to handle this.”
“And you think they are?”
She sighed, her frustration coaxing her emotions
to the surface. “I don’t know. I really don’t know what to think right now.”
“Listen, I’m going to talk to my friend. See
what’s gone down. Are you free tonight? Maybe Apollo and I could come by, and
I’ll let you know what I’ve found out.”
“Sure. I can cook dinner for you this
time.” If nothing else, seeing Xander would do wonders to lift her spirits. Spending
time with him had been the only bright spot in her increasingly dark days, and
she wanted more.
Much more.
* * *
As soon as Xander ended his call with Nicole, he
took a moment to close his office door. Without hesitating, he punched in Sam’s
personal cell number. His friend answered on the second ring.
“I thought I was the one handling the Camden
case.” He stood next to the window, glancing down at the winding river.
“You are.”
He turned from the scenic view and sat back in
his chair. “Then why are you interfering?”
“What are you talking about? Yes, I’m working it
in an official capacity, but you’re doing all the behind the scenes stuff.”
“Nicole just phoned. It seems her attorney
received a call from the police department wondering if she’d hired an
investigator.”
“ What ? He sounded incredulous. “I haven’t
called her attorney, although I did receive a note that he’d like me to call
him regarding the personal property that had been removed from her apartment.”
“What about your guys? Would any of them have
called?”
“I doubt it. I’m the lead investigator on this
case. I can’t imagine they would without provocation, and I don’t believe any
of my men are aware of your involvement. You haven’t been making waves, have
you?”
“Hardly. My main focus has been cracking Nicole. I
did briefly talk to a few people in First Freedom’s building, but I
she wasn’t ready to agree with him before she talked to Xander. “Have the
police finished going through my computer? I’d really like to have my stuff
back.”
“I’ll call for a progress report today.”
“Thank you, Mr. Barton.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll be in touch. In the
meantime, please , do yourself a favor and don’t hire an amateur.”
Nicole hung up feeling like she’d been schooled. She
stared at her phone for a minute, and then cursed because she’d forgotten to
ask about the surveillance video. She’d been so busy defending her choices, it
had escaped her mind.
She’d wait until she’d decided what to do about
an investigator before she called back, and instead, she dialed Xander’s
number.
“Good morning, Nicole.” His deep voice rumbled
across the line.
She paused in her thoughts, as a smile spread
across her lips and a lovely warmth tingled through her body. “Good morning.” She
forced her brain back in control over her emotions. He sounded wide awake, and
more than likely, he’d been at work for several hours.
How did she put this? “I just got a call from my
attorney. The police called him, wondering if I’d hired a private investigator.”
“That’s interesting.” A hard edge overlaid his
smooth, sexy voice.
“Did you contact your friend? Has he been
poking around?”
“I did, and there’s a good chance he’s been
asking questions, although he’s usually more discreet.”
Uneasiness crept up inside her. “I don’t want
this to come out wrong. My attorney thinks I need to hire someone he knows and
not use your friend.”
“Why?”
“He implied he’s an amateur and that he may
somehow make things worse for me? She ended her sentence on a question, not
really sure what to believe anymore.
“Who is your attorney? Xander sounded pissed.
“Cecil Barton.”
He didn’t respond right away, and she wished she
could see his expression.
“Look Xander, I appreciate your friend trying to
help, but maybe it would be better for the police to handle this.”
“And you think they are?”
She sighed, her frustration coaxing her emotions
to the surface. “I don’t know. I really don’t know what to think right now.”
“Listen, I’m going to talk to my friend. See
what’s gone down. Are you free tonight? Maybe Apollo and I could come by, and
I’ll let you know what I’ve found out.”
“Sure. I can cook dinner for you this
time.” If nothing else, seeing Xander would do wonders to lift her spirits. Spending
time with him had been the only bright spot in her increasingly dark days, and
she wanted more.
Much more.
* * *
As soon as Xander ended his call with Nicole, he
took a moment to close his office door. Without hesitating, he punched in Sam’s
personal cell number. His friend answered on the second ring.
“I thought I was the one handling the Camden
case.” He stood next to the window, glancing down at the winding river.
“You are.”
He turned from the scenic view and sat back in
his chair. “Then why are you interfering?”
“What are you talking about? Yes, I’m working it
in an official capacity, but you’re doing all the behind the scenes stuff.”
“Nicole just phoned. It seems her attorney
received a call from the police department wondering if she’d hired an
investigator.”
“ What ? He sounded incredulous. “I haven’t
called her attorney, although I did receive a note that he’d like me to call
him regarding the personal property that had been removed from her apartment.”
“What about your guys? Would any of them have
called?”
“I doubt it. I’m the lead investigator on this
case. I can’t imagine they would without provocation, and I don’t believe any
of my men are aware of your involvement. You haven’t been making waves, have
you?”
“Hardly. My main focus has been cracking Nicole. I
did briefly talk to a few people in First Freedom’s building, but I
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