Cold Case Affair by Loreth Anne White Read Free Book Online Page B

see that.”
    Jett scowled, popped the hood and climbed out of the cab.
    “What do you want to see Moran for? To complain about Gage?” He checked the oil as he spoke, then stripped off his shirt.
    Muirinn’s heart skipped a beat as her gaze tracked over his naked torso, down to the dark hair that ran in a whorl into his jeans. Heat flooded her veins and she swallowed, feeling a small bead of sweat roll down between her breasts.
    His eyes darkened—he was clearly aware of the effect his naked, sun-browned abs were having on her. This made her cheeks flush red and her pulse race. “I…uh, there was another break-in, at Gus’s newspaper office.”
    “What?”
    “According to Rick, nothing was taken,” she said, her voice husky. She cleared her throat. “Officer Gage responded to that incident as well. He should’ve said something to me, and I intend to take this up with his superior, because this can’t be a coincidence. Someone is looking for something that belonged to Gus.”
    He was looking at her mouth. But he tore his gaze away, got down on his haunches and slid himself under the truck.
    Muirinn stared at him, the way his thigh muscles flexed under the fabric of his jeans. Her mouth turned dry. This was wrong, so wrong.
    “Looks like the oil sump was ruptured by something—asharp rock maybe,” he called out from under the vehicle. “It’s been leaking out for some time.”
    He came out from under the truck and got to his feet in a fluid, powerful movement. He reached into the cab for a rag. “A new sump, some oil and it’ll be good as new,” he said wiping his hands on the rag, avoiding her eyes now. He put his shirt back on, ruffled his hand through his hair and then hesitated, as if unsure, nervous.
    Then he handed Muirinn her purse from inside the truck. “I’ll drive you into town. I can pick up a new sump and oil while you meet with Frankl, then I’ll go with you to the cops.”
    Anxiety licked at her. “You don’t have to do this, Jett.”
    He moistened his lips, still avoiding her eyes. “Yeah, I do. I don’t like these break-ins, either. And I don’t like the way Ted Gage treated you. Besides, Chief Don Moran can be a bear at the best of times—”
    “Don—is he chief now? As in Bill’s little brother?”
    “Keeping it in the family, those Morans.” He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach into his eyes. “Things really went to the collective Moran head when the youngest brother’s wife was elected mayor. Now they think they run this town.”
    Jett touched her elbow gently as he led her to his truck.
    “You mean Chalky Moran’s wife? Who did he marry?”
    He opened the passenger door for her. “Kate Lonsdale. She’s been mayor for the past year now.”
     
    They drove in tense silence along the twisting dirt road that clung to the ragged shoreline, dust billowing out behind them.
    Muirinn wished she could rewind the last half hour, retract Mrs. Wilkie’s call to Jett. She should never have let this happen, never should have let him touch her. Because she’d seen in hiseyes that, hidden behind that brittle shell, he still felt something for her. And she sure as hell felt everything for him.
    But he was married. Out of bounds.
    And Muirinn owed it to his wife, his son, to him , to stay away, leave the past where it belonged.
    She felt him glance at her and she swallowed, cheeks flushing hot as she looked away.
    And in that moment she knew it was too late. She was already in trouble.
    They both were.

Chapter 4
    C hief Don Moran shut his office door and motioned for Muirinn and Jett to take a seat. Through his glass walls Muirinn could see Ted Gage watching them intently from his desk across the bullpen. She could feel the other officers watching, too, and wished Moran would lower the blinds.
    “What can I do for you, Ms. O’Donnell?” Moran said as he took his seat on the opposite side of his metal desk, his eyes flicking to Jett. He was clearly not surprised to see her back