forensic sculptor,” Kendra said. “With your help, the dead tell you all their secrets, don’t they?”
Eve let out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Not Bonnie. But Kendra’s meaning was only a little less startling than the alternative.
“I’ve always admired people who can do that,” Kendra said. “You must be very talented.”
“Right back at you,” Eve said, trying not to sound as dazed as she felt. “Are you sure you’re not psychic?”
“Positive.” Kendra turned away. “Now leave me alone. I’ll let you know what I decide. I still have your cell number, Quinn. Or would you prefer I call you at the Docket Cove Hotel?”
Eve turned to Joe. “Is that where we’re staying?”
Joe nodded. “But I didn’t tell her. And there are at least five hotels between there and here.”
“More like a dozen,” Kendra said.
Eve didn’t move and slowly shook her head. “I’m not leaving until you tell me how you knew all that.” She thought about it. “You probably found out Joe was coming, and you researched us or asked around. Is that it?”
Kendra smiled. “I value my time a lot more than that, Eve. Until you walked through that door, I wasn’t even aware that you existed. But I did know Quinn, and I remembered that he was always somewhat guarded with his personal space. Especially with women. He always kept his face a good six to eight inches farther away from women than he did with men.”
“What?” Joe said. “Seriously?”
“I’m sure you’re not even aware you do it. I don’t think you’re afraid of women, but subconsciously you may be wary of leading them on. A handsome man like you, it’s probably happened a time or two. But with Eve, I saw you crash through every barrier I ever saw you set for yourself. And instead of backing away slightly, as most colleagues or even friends tend to do, Eve leaned forward. Even though the two of you haven’t so much as touched hands since you’ve been here, it’s pretty obvious what’s going on between you.”
“How do you know we weren’t together last night?” Eve asked.
“You’re not going to like this.”
“How?”
“Because I’m afraid that you smell, Eve.”
Eve’s eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”
“Have you ever stepped onto an airplane and breathed in that awful stale odor of recycled air?”
Eve nodded. “Of course.”
“That’s how you smell to me right now. A lot of that air actually comes through the engines, then is recycled throughout the cabin. Depending on the aircraft, it can sometimes smell like a mixture of jet fuel and bad breath.”
“And that’s how I smell?” She grimaced. “How very unpleasant.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t offend anyone. It’s so faint that no one but me would even be aware of it. But Quinn has no trace of that odor.”
“Go on. What else?”
Kendra pointed down at Eve’s shoes. “There’s the slightest trace of red Georgia earth on the sides of your shoes and spattering the cuff of your pant leg. It could have come from Tennessee or Alabama, I suppose, but knowing that Quinn is from Georgia, it wasn’t much of a stretch to think you’d also come from there. The earth is still fairly fresh, not too dry or cracked, suggesting it was just put there this morning. Quinn’s shoes, though, are spotless. And unless he’s in a crime scene, I know for a fact that he’s not too careful where he walks. He strides through the world as if he owns it. Even before I caught a whiff of your scent, I figured he came from someplace else this morning.”
“Impressive,” Eve murmured.
“What else? Oh, yes, your profession.” Kendra walked over to Eve, took her hands, and spread her palms open. “You have faint stains on both of your hands. Dye from a polymer-based sculpting clay.”
“How do you know I’m not a rising star of the art world?”
Kendra studied Eve’s hands for a moment longer with an intensity that was vaguely unsettling to
Eve let out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Not Bonnie. But Kendra’s meaning was only a little less startling than the alternative.
“I’ve always admired people who can do that,” Kendra said. “You must be very talented.”
“Right back at you,” Eve said, trying not to sound as dazed as she felt. “Are you sure you’re not psychic?”
“Positive.” Kendra turned away. “Now leave me alone. I’ll let you know what I decide. I still have your cell number, Quinn. Or would you prefer I call you at the Docket Cove Hotel?”
Eve turned to Joe. “Is that where we’re staying?”
Joe nodded. “But I didn’t tell her. And there are at least five hotels between there and here.”
“More like a dozen,” Kendra said.
Eve didn’t move and slowly shook her head. “I’m not leaving until you tell me how you knew all that.” She thought about it. “You probably found out Joe was coming, and you researched us or asked around. Is that it?”
Kendra smiled. “I value my time a lot more than that, Eve. Until you walked through that door, I wasn’t even aware that you existed. But I did know Quinn, and I remembered that he was always somewhat guarded with his personal space. Especially with women. He always kept his face a good six to eight inches farther away from women than he did with men.”
“What?” Joe said. “Seriously?”
“I’m sure you’re not even aware you do it. I don’t think you’re afraid of women, but subconsciously you may be wary of leading them on. A handsome man like you, it’s probably happened a time or two. But with Eve, I saw you crash through every barrier I ever saw you set for yourself. And instead of backing away slightly, as most colleagues or even friends tend to do, Eve leaned forward. Even though the two of you haven’t so much as touched hands since you’ve been here, it’s pretty obvious what’s going on between you.”
“How do you know we weren’t together last night?” Eve asked.
“You’re not going to like this.”
“How?”
“Because I’m afraid that you smell, Eve.”
Eve’s eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”
“Have you ever stepped onto an airplane and breathed in that awful stale odor of recycled air?”
Eve nodded. “Of course.”
“That’s how you smell to me right now. A lot of that air actually comes through the engines, then is recycled throughout the cabin. Depending on the aircraft, it can sometimes smell like a mixture of jet fuel and bad breath.”
“And that’s how I smell?” She grimaced. “How very unpleasant.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t offend anyone. It’s so faint that no one but me would even be aware of it. But Quinn has no trace of that odor.”
“Go on. What else?”
Kendra pointed down at Eve’s shoes. “There’s the slightest trace of red Georgia earth on the sides of your shoes and spattering the cuff of your pant leg. It could have come from Tennessee or Alabama, I suppose, but knowing that Quinn is from Georgia, it wasn’t much of a stretch to think you’d also come from there. The earth is still fairly fresh, not too dry or cracked, suggesting it was just put there this morning. Quinn’s shoes, though, are spotless. And unless he’s in a crime scene, I know for a fact that he’s not too careful where he walks. He strides through the world as if he owns it. Even before I caught a whiff of your scent, I figured he came from someplace else this morning.”
“Impressive,” Eve murmured.
“What else? Oh, yes, your profession.” Kendra walked over to Eve, took her hands, and spread her palms open. “You have faint stains on both of your hands. Dye from a polymer-based sculpting clay.”
“How do you know I’m not a rising star of the art world?”
Kendra studied Eve’s hands for a moment longer with an intensity that was vaguely unsettling to
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