Her jaw twitched. She swooped down, picked up a rock and hurled it across the water, skipping it eight times before disappearing under.
We walked a few more steps in silence.
“It’s years of family stuff, Detective.”
“I’d have you call me Max, but to avoid any confusion with your current bed partner, you can call me Jagg. Everyone else does.”
“I know everyone calls you Jagg.”
“You do? What else have you heard about me?”
“That you’re aggressive and rude. And a womanizer.”
“Phew,”I swiped my forehead. “Thought you might insult me for a minute.”
She snorted. I didn’t bother to defend myself. Never had. … … And, the labels weren’t entirely inaccurate, let’s be honest.
“Back to you.” I said. “It’s my understanding you recently left Dallas and moved here. Why?”
“Needed a change of scenery.”
“Now I expected better than a cliché from you, Sunny.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She smirked, then took a deep breath. “My mom recently passed, and… I needed a change of scenery.”
The fact that she referred to her mother as mom, instead ofmother,suggested the two were close. Closer than herfather,for sure.
“This still doesn’t explain why you’re not close to your father.”
“We’re just not close, and that’s that. No big story there.”
The old Sunny from the night before was back in full force—the one who didn’t care to talk. Then, true to form, she changed the subject.
“Anyway. Any idea who’s blue sedan it was?”
“Undetermined at this time. Have you seen the car anywhere else?”
“Not that I remember.”
“Spend some more time thinking about it, and let me know, alright? If you see it again, call me. If it comes up your driveway, call me. Don’t go to the door.”
“I’m not stupid.”
“Do I need to remind you that your damn door was unlocked, Sunny? Your windows wide open?”
“Do I need to remind you of your welcoming committee? These dogs would smell someone in my house before I even made it halfway up the hill.”
“And what? You’re just gonna go all Yosemite Sam and double-barrel their ass? Pop ’em with that gun you keep strapped onto your hip?”
“Don’t discount my dogs, Detective?—”
“Jagg.”
“Jagg,”she emphasized with attitude. “My dogs are professionally trained guard dogs. I am a professional. Doyou even have the slightest clue what these animals are capable of?”
“Enlighten me, professional one.”
“A trained guard dog can be better than a security system, which, I might add, are often faulty. Don’t get me started on technology.”
