headed away from the living room. He followed.
âIâve been sanding my kitchen cabinets,â she said over her shoulder, âso I donât want to sit in the living room, if you donât mind. Can I get you something to drink?â
Canât answer the question, Claire? âIâm fine, thanks.â Her kitchen was spacious, and adjoined a breakfast room with a sliding glass door overlooking multiple-level decks and a nicely landscaped garden. The kitchen appliances looked fairly new, but the rest of the room hadnât been updated in a long time. All of the cabinets looked freshly sanded.
He spotted a dog bed and encouraged Rase to lie down there so that he wouldnât be underfoot.
Claire dusted herself off a little then washed her hands. He was caught off guard by how much her casual look appealed to him. Maybe it was the red sneakers. Or the body-hugging T-shirt that molded her frame, emphasizing her curves. Or maybe he liked the baggy, faded overalls because those metal fasteners just begged to be unhooked. Or perhaps he was so used to the corporate wardrobe of the women he usually dated, Claire stood out in comparison. âIâm fun,â her look seemed to say. Heâd already noticed that.
âJenniferâs mother is aââ What could he call her?
âPsychic?â Claire supplied with a half smile.
âIs that what she is?â
Claire hung her hand towel neatly over the oven handle. âSheâs a massage therapist, and an excellent one. As for being a psychic, who knows? Sheâs never predicted anything for me, so I have no way of verifying it. Is there something in your past you donât want to catch up with you?â
âIsnât there something in everyoneâs past?â
She frowned thoughtfully. âNo,â she said finally. âNot mine. So. What brings you here?â
A need to see you. âI kept in touch with the D.A.âs office. Thought youâd like to know that your sister hasnât used her credit cards all week, which you probably know is outside her normal use pattern. Sheâs an everyday user, and a big spender.â
âEspecially since she got her check a couple of months ago, to settle my parentsâ estate.â
âWhat you might not know is that she withdrew a substantial amount of cash from her bank account the day before she left.â
âThe day before?â
He nodded. She grabbed a soda from the refrigerator. Her hand shook just a little.
âSo, everything was planned,â she said. âIt didnât matter that Iâd told her she had to move. She was already leaving.â
âLooks like it.â
She leaned her elbows on the counter. âHow much is âsubstantialâ?â
âI canât give you a figure. Enough to live in luxury for quite a while.â He sat on a bar stool when she offered the seat with a gesture. âHave you heard from her?â
She took a sip of her soda. Damn, she was sexy when she was evasive. He almost laughed at the thought. He couldnât remember enjoying a woman more. Maybe part of it was that she was forbidden.
âIâm not the enemy,â he said. âAs I told you before, whatever you tell me stays between us.â
She took a seat beside him at the breakfast bar, muttering a quick âSorryâ when she bumped against him. The innocent, accidental brush of her arm against his sent his hormones on another mutiny.
âShe called her mother today,â Claire said. âBut she didnât say where she was. Exceptââ
He waited. He was good at waiting.
âShe said something to me. A hint, kind of.â
âWhat?â he asked.
âThat she was starting the life sheâd always wanted.â
âDo you know what she means?â
She met his gaze directly. Her eyes took on a little sparkle. She seemed to be suppressing a smile. âSheâs always had it in
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley