“I know.” My smile turns teasing. “Living in Bliss, I think it would be impossiblenotto know about it.”
“True,” he agrees with an answering smile. “Since I’m the tech guy on the team, I head up the online investigation part of our cases. Which I enjoy doing, but sometimes I just like to go for a hike or watch some TV or something.”
Darkness flickers in Alec’s eyes, and his smile wavers. After a brief hesitation, he says, “If you’re not up for it now, we don’t have to get into it. But I talked to Patrick—Officer Quillian—this morning about your case.”
My stomach twists. Do I want to talk about my car plummeting into the river after my brakes inexplicably failed? Not really. But hiding my head in the proverbial sand isn’t going to help anything. And if Alec made the effort to reach out to the police…
“It’s fine,” I reply only somewhat untruthfully. “Did you find out anything?”
“Not a lot. But Patrick said he’d let me get a look at your car once they get it out of the river. It may take up to a week, but he said they’ve got a call in to the state for the necessary equipment, since they don’t have it here.”
“And you think you’d be able to tell what happened with the brakes? Even after it’s been underwater?”
Alec lifts his chin. “Yes. Brake systems are all electronic these days. A lot of emergency brakes, too. So if it’s an electrical issue, I’ll find it.”
“You don’t have to,” I start. “I mean, you’re so busy…”
“Hazel.” He touches my arm again. His eyes shift from rich pine to a soft, mossy green. “I want to.”
Oh.
Stop melting, I command my heart.Stop it.
“That reminds me.” Alec shifts so he can reach into his pocket. He pulls out a phone and hands it to me. “I know you lost your phone. And it might take a few days to get a new one. I don’t want you to be without a phone, so I brought one for you.”
Stop. Melting.
“Alec, you didn’t?—”
He places the phone in my hand and wraps my fingers around it. “We have extra phones in case a client needs one. GMG clients, that is. You’re not a client, but I want you to have it. In case something comes up. In case you need anything.”
As I inspect the phone, he adds, “I put my number in it. Along with the rest of the guys on the team. Just in case.” He glances around the living room again, his gaze resting on the front door for a second. “Do you have deadbolts on the other doors? Working locks on all the windows?”
“Um. Yes. There’s a deadbolt on the door that goes out to the garage. And the window locks all work. Plus, I have broomsticks to keep them from opening.”
“Broomsticks?” His brow furrows. A beat later, hegrins. “Ah. To wedge in the windows. Basic but effective.” Another beat. “Your dad?”
“My dad. He was big on home security.”
And he would have been so upset if he’d been around to know how badly I'd failed at it.
“That’s good,” Alec says. “Still. I’d really like to come back out and do a security inspection here. Check for any holes. Maybe install some?—”
“Alec. I don’t have the money for all that.”
“Hazel.” His expression turns solemn. “I’m not asking you to pay. And I’m not suggesting a whole-home system. Just some motion-activated lights outside. Maybe a third lock on each door—something that’s difficult to bypass. Some simple alarms.”
Just as I’m opening my mouth to argue, he cuts in. “Just think about it. Call or shoot me a text if you’re interested. Okay?”
I find myself nodding. “Okay.”
Alec smiles at me, his features brightening. “Good.” He glances at the TV, still paused a third of the way through Anthony Bourdain’s journey through Turkey. “You like watching travel shows?”
The tension stemming from talking about home security eases. “I do. I have a list of all the places I want to visit someday.”
“That’s nice. I traveled a lot for the Army, but not to typical vacation spots.” He pauses. “What’s your number one vacation destination?”
“New Zealand,” I reply immediately. “Followed byItaly. Hopefully I’ll get to visit at least one of them someday.”
