“Ash!” I called.
He turned and pulled me in for a quick hug.
“What didthey say?”
“They’re getting me a room so I can talk to her,” he said.
“I want to see her too.”
“Impossible. Having a third party there breaks privilege,” he said. “She needs to be able to tell me everything.”
I crossed my arms with a huff. “I’m not a third party, I’m her best friend. And you really think she’ll tell you things she won’t tell me?”
“It doesn’t matter. Even if the police wouldlet you go back there with me, it would be a bad idea. Besides, you were with Dylan last night, so they’re going to want to question you. But first, we need to talk.” He led me back out of the building and down the block before turning to ask, “What did you guys do yesterday?”
After I described our day and night in great detail, and promised not to make any snarky comments that would incriminateeither Dylan or myself, Asher let me back into the building and directed me toward the sexiest man I have ever laid eyes on. Tall and built, the delicious specimen before me was clearly no stranger to the gym. His just-out-of-bed hair made him look a little wild and rugged (and delicious), and his dark blue eyes seemed to stare right into my soul.
“You caught this?” Asher asked.
“Yeah,” SexyMcSexerson said.
Asher smiled. “Jake, this is my little sister, Addison. Addie, this is Detective Jake Parker. He’s heading up Dylan’s investigation, and he’s a good friend. He’ll take care of you.”
And if that wasn’t a loaded statement. Before I could ask Asher exactly what this “taking care of” me entailed, Jake Parker thrust his hand my direction and his lips spread into a delicious smile.I nearly lost my undies, but I squared my shoulders and met his eyes.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Allen.”
I slid my hand in his and warmth spread up my arm. I jerked away and jammed my hand into my jeans pocket. “Ah, you too.” I shook myself, coming to my senses. “Or it would be, under different circumstances.”
Asher chuckled, shaking his head as he walked away. I opened my mouth to ask him howhe knew the detective, but I wasn’t fast enough. So I turned back to Sexy McSexerson.
“Your brother said you wouldn’t be opposed to answering a few questions,” he said.
“Of course. Dylan and I have been best friends since sixth grade. I know her better than I know myself and I can assure you she wouldn’t kill anyone. We have nothing to hide.”
“Excellent.”
“What does ‘caught this’ mean?”
“Huh?” he asked.
“Asher said you ‘caught this.’”
“I caught the case, meaning I was assigned to it.”
“Oh, right.”
He smiled again and I melted a little. Lordy, he was pretty.
“Follow me please,” he said.
He led me down a long hallway lit with those God-awful luminescent tubes. Just like in every corny cop show, one flickered as we walked under it. I rolled my eyes.
“Do police stations payextra for the flickering light effect?” I asked.
Detective Parker’s lips quirked as he stepped into a room, pulled out a chair, and invited me to take a seat. A second man joined us, introducing himself as Detective Pike. Older than Sexy by at least twenty years, he was obviously the one eating all the doughnuts, but he had kind eyes and a genuine smile.
Detective Parker pulled out a notepadand pen and sat across the table from me. “Why don’t we start with what you and Ms. James did yesterday?”
