himself.
Or was it?
“He’s lonely,” she said finally.
“Or lovesick.” Bri moved her finger over the
computer’s mouse to highlight several words. “Terms like dearest, beautiful, lovingly, and romantically all
have love in common.”
“He’s in love with Dara?” Marnie clucked her
tongue. “Detective Turner’s not gonna like that.”
“Not necessarily. It’s possible he’s in love
with someone else who doesn’t return the emotion or he’s been
rejected by a lover. He’s transferring emotion onto Dara because
her novels give him a feeling of euphoria.”
“You never cease to amaze me, Bri.” Marnie
shook her head. “I think I need to schedule an appointment – I’m a
psychiatrist’s dream.”
“We love you for the psycho you are,” Dara
chided.
“It’s just a theory,” Bri added, “but now we
have something to think about.”
“Plenty,” she agreed as she logged off and
powered down the computer. “But remember, no one tells Detectives
Turner, Stewart, or Rawlings. I need a bargaining chip and I think
we’ve just found one.”
CHAPTER SIX
Dara opened one eyelid only to slam it closed
again when sunlight snuck through a slit in the curtains of
Marnie’s spare bedroom and speared her eyeball. The pain could only
mean one thing – it was too early in the morning to even consider
being awake. Even the luscious smell of brewed coffee wasn’t enough
to lure her out of her soft cocoon.
She had just convinced herself to spend
another hour in bed when her cell phone sang. No. She opened
the opposite eye, slowly this time, and glanced at the dresser
where the phone lay. Not a problem. Voicemail.
“Dara, can’t you hear your phone?”
She heard Marnie’s gravelly, sleepy voice
from somewhere outside the warm blankets. She simply grunted in
response and molded her pillow over both ears.
“Answer it,” her friend demanded as the phone
suddenly landed near her nose. “It might be Detective Turner.”
She moved one hand from the pillow as the
phone quieted. “If it’s important they’ll call back.”
“Honestly, Dara, I love you like a sister but
these vampire hours you keep have got to change. If it weren’t
summer break I’d sleep through class.”
She rolled over and pried open her eyes,
squinting in the light as Marnie threw open the curtains. “You’re a
drill sergeant,” she moaned. “Good thing I’m not a vampire because
you just threw all that light on me and I would have caught your
bed on fire.”
“If Mace were in there with you, you probably
would anyway.”
She swatted her best friend with the pillow
just as her phone rang again.
“Who is that, anyway?”
Dara picked it up and read the screen. “I
don’t recognize the number. Maybe I shouldn’t answer.”
“Please do!”
“Why?”
“Because the caller is persistent and I’m
curious.”
She smirked at her friend’s honesty as she
answered. “Hello?”
“Dara? It’s Griffin. Griffin Owens. I’m sorry
to bother you but I’ve been by your unit several times and haven’t
been able to catch you.”
“Hi, Griffin.” She glanced at Marnie and
lifted a questioning eyebrow. “I’ve been staying with a friend. I
haven’t been able to return home, it being a crime scene and
all.”
“I noticed they removed the yellow tape
yesterday.”
“Yes. In fact, Detective Turner hired a
cleaning company to remove the carpet and tile. I probably won’t
return until the renovation is complete.”
“That’s why I called. My family owns a
construction business and I can make you a deal if you don’t
already have someone in mind.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t even gone shopping to
see what I want.”
“I get a discount at Murphy’s Carpet and
Tile. When you have a chance, stop by and place the order. I can
lay the carpet one day and do the tile the next.”
“That would be wonderful, Griffin, thank you!
I’ll let you know when I choose something.”
“Okay. You have my
Or was it?
“He’s lonely,” she said finally.
“Or lovesick.” Bri moved her finger over the
computer’s mouse to highlight several words. “Terms like dearest, beautiful, lovingly, and romantically all
have love in common.”
“He’s in love with Dara?” Marnie clucked her
tongue. “Detective Turner’s not gonna like that.”
“Not necessarily. It’s possible he’s in love
with someone else who doesn’t return the emotion or he’s been
rejected by a lover. He’s transferring emotion onto Dara because
her novels give him a feeling of euphoria.”
“You never cease to amaze me, Bri.” Marnie
shook her head. “I think I need to schedule an appointment – I’m a
psychiatrist’s dream.”
“We love you for the psycho you are,” Dara
chided.
“It’s just a theory,” Bri added, “but now we
have something to think about.”
“Plenty,” she agreed as she logged off and
powered down the computer. “But remember, no one tells Detectives
Turner, Stewart, or Rawlings. I need a bargaining chip and I think
we’ve just found one.”
CHAPTER SIX
Dara opened one eyelid only to slam it closed
again when sunlight snuck through a slit in the curtains of
Marnie’s spare bedroom and speared her eyeball. The pain could only
mean one thing – it was too early in the morning to even consider
being awake. Even the luscious smell of brewed coffee wasn’t enough
to lure her out of her soft cocoon.
She had just convinced herself to spend
another hour in bed when her cell phone sang. No. She opened
the opposite eye, slowly this time, and glanced at the dresser
where the phone lay. Not a problem. Voicemail.
“Dara, can’t you hear your phone?”
She heard Marnie’s gravelly, sleepy voice
from somewhere outside the warm blankets. She simply grunted in
response and molded her pillow over both ears.
“Answer it,” her friend demanded as the phone
suddenly landed near her nose. “It might be Detective Turner.”
She moved one hand from the pillow as the
phone quieted. “If it’s important they’ll call back.”
“Honestly, Dara, I love you like a sister but
these vampire hours you keep have got to change. If it weren’t
summer break I’d sleep through class.”
She rolled over and pried open her eyes,
squinting in the light as Marnie threw open the curtains. “You’re a
drill sergeant,” she moaned. “Good thing I’m not a vampire because
you just threw all that light on me and I would have caught your
bed on fire.”
“If Mace were in there with you, you probably
would anyway.”
She swatted her best friend with the pillow
just as her phone rang again.
“Who is that, anyway?”
Dara picked it up and read the screen. “I
don’t recognize the number. Maybe I shouldn’t answer.”
“Please do!”
“Why?”
“Because the caller is persistent and I’m
curious.”
She smirked at her friend’s honesty as she
answered. “Hello?”
“Dara? It’s Griffin. Griffin Owens. I’m sorry
to bother you but I’ve been by your unit several times and haven’t
been able to catch you.”
“Hi, Griffin.” She glanced at Marnie and
lifted a questioning eyebrow. “I’ve been staying with a friend. I
haven’t been able to return home, it being a crime scene and
all.”
“I noticed they removed the yellow tape
yesterday.”
“Yes. In fact, Detective Turner hired a
cleaning company to remove the carpet and tile. I probably won’t
return until the renovation is complete.”
“That’s why I called. My family owns a
construction business and I can make you a deal if you don’t
already have someone in mind.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t even gone shopping to
see what I want.”
“I get a discount at Murphy’s Carpet and
Tile. When you have a chance, stop by and place the order. I can
lay the carpet one day and do the tile the next.”
“That would be wonderful, Griffin, thank you!
I’ll let you know when I choose something.”
“Okay. You have my
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