Deadly Lies by Chris Patchell Read Free Book Online Page A

pull-ups she could do. It was all a little mannish for Jill, who preferred her own sleek runner’s build.
    “Jamie thought I’d upset you.”
    Jamie
. The hairs on Jill’s arms prickled. She forced a smile of her own.
    “So Jamie told you to apologize? Do you always do what he tells you to?”
    Dana’s expression hardened. Jill could see the cracks in her makeup as her mouth flattened into an angry line.
    “I’m not his lap dog.”
    “What are you then?”
    Dana cocked her head. Wry amusement lit the woman’s hazel eyes. A smile curved her thick lips.
    “A colleague.”
    “Nothing more?”
    “Why do you care?”
    “I don’t,” Jill lied. “I just want to understand the political landscape.”
    “Hmmm,” Dana said, skeptically.
    With slow, deliberate strides, she sauntered toward the door. Her hand gripped the knob, and then, turning back toward Jill, she paused.
    “Just a little word to the wise about Jamie,” she said, her voice dipping low, into a conspiratorial purr.
    “What’s that?” Jill asked, feigning boredom.
    “Jamie’s fickle,” she answered, and turned on her heel.
    Jill stood up and watched Dana’s retreating form slither down the hall. Was that a warning? Was Dana trying to mark her territory? The idea rankled Jill, and she decided there was only one way to find out.
    Her heels clicking on the tile floor, Jill stopped outside Jamie’s door. He looked up at her soft knock and cast a subtle glance over her shoulder, as if checking the hallway to see if they were alone.
    “Jill.”
    “Mind if I interrupt?” Her smile was disarming.
    “I’ve got ten minutes,” he said, letting her know that it was not an open-ended invitation.
    With a nod, she entered, closing the door softly behind her. He swung his chair around to face her, and her heart jolted in response to the intensity of his blue eyes. There was something electric about his presence that set her on edge.
    “Apologies. I haven’t had much time for you this week. My schedule has been a bloody mess.”
    Her lips twisted as she stared at him. His attempt to disarm her was not going to work.
    “You’ve been busy,” she said,
    “It’s been a right mad week.” He glanced past her toward the door, as if worried that they might be interrupted, before returning to her face. “So what can I do for you?”
    “I just had a visit from Ms. Evans.”
    “Oh, good. Did the two of you patch things up?”
    Jill frowned. Patch things up? He made it sound like they were two girls having a catfight on a playground, not grown women. Professionals. Colleagues. Would he have phrased it this way if they had been men? She thought not. An awkward silence stretched between them, and a bitter smile crossed Jill’s face.
    “Well, she apologized for being blunt, if that’s what you mean.”
    “Good. Dana is very results driven. She’s a little too aggressive at times.”
    “Aggressive.” Jill cocked an eyebrow. “She’s that, all right, but I don’t think she came to my office to apologize.”
    “Oh?”
    “Time for a little truth now, Jamie. Is there something going on between the two of you?”
    Jamie’s gaze shot past her. His eyes narrowed, and she saw a flicker of irritation flare in his blue eyes.
    “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” he said, the last vestige of warmth stripped from his voice.
    Jill inclined her head slightly, her eyebrows arched, her expression knowing.
    “Don’t play dumb. You’re a smart guy, it should be easy to figure out.” Sarcasm spilled easily from her lips, and she felt a bitter pool of acid bubble at the pit of her stomach.
    Jamie cocked his head as he regarded her with a sour look. She raised her chin, refusing to let him intimidate her.
    “I’m not engaging in this conversation, Jillian.”
    Jillian
. He was pissed. He only used her full name when he was angry. If she had any remaining doubts about how he felt, all she had to do was look at his face. Anger glittered in his hard eyes.