“Theo, why are you in a wheelchair?” my niece asked.
“Livy,” I scolded, “it’s not polite to ask things like that.”
“I don’t care,” Theo said with a shrug. “I was born with something called cerebral palsy. It makes my legs not work a hundred percent.”
“But they work a little?” Livy asked.
“A little,” Theo confirmed.
When we turned the corner, I spotted Wyatt sitting on the front steps of the Mirage. He was hard to miss. So was his metallic green car, parked half a block away.
“Oh, shhh—sugar.” I barely caught myself before swearing in front of Livy.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, looking up at me.
“Nothing,” I said quickly.
Theo grinned in a way I could only describe as wicked when she noticed Wyatt. “Should I leave the two of you to debrief alone?”
“Definitely not.”
Wyatt got to his feet when he saw us approaching. An olive-green military-style jacket hugged his delicious frame.
It would be even better to see him out of it, and everything else,the evil part of my brain piped up.
“Shush.” I realized I’d spoken out loud when Theo sent a curious glance my way.
Livy giggled. “We’re not talking.”
“Hey,” Wyatt said to the three of us, saving me from having to explain that I was shushing myself. He focused his coal-dark eyes on me. “I was hoping we could chat, but you didn’t answer my text message.”
“Right,” I said. “Um. I wasn’t sure about my schedule.” Which wasn’t a complete fib. It wasn’t impossible that someone could have called me, offering me an interview that very day.
He raised an eyebrow. “So you’re not avoiding me?”
“Why would I be avoiding you?”
Next to me, Theo only half succeeded at smothering a snicker. “Answering a question with a question. Classic avoidance.”
“Who are you?” Livy asked, looking way up at Wyatt.
Standing two steps up as he was, he towered over all of us.
“I’m Wyatt.”
I didn’t fail to notice that he hadn’t provided a last name. Again.
Suspicious. Maybe he belonged on the murder board, but I really hoped he didn’t.
Wyatt descended the last two stairs. “Who are you?”
“Livy. It’s short for Olivia. Emersyn’s my auntie.”
Wyatt’s gaze flicked my way as he smiled at my niece.
Theo moved closer. “We haven’t officially met yet. I’m Theo, and I’m in charge of administration at Wyatt Investigations.”
“She’s got a file on you,” I said before he had a chance to comment.
