But then why did her skin wish for his arms to brush against hers?Where was that tender smile?That knowing nod as their eyes locked across the room.
Instead, he’d turn away, let his eyes glaze over or talk to someone else, and joke around with Craig and Stone like one of the boys all over again.
This was what she wanted—for Porter to be Policeman Porter, not the man she’d come to know from living under his roof.
‘I need to go to the ladies.’She went to move, but Porter was there first, pulling back her chair like a proper gentleman.
Who knew the rev-head patrolman had some polish beneath that dusty exterior?Tonight, he’d been impeccable.Attentive.Flawless.His manners sharper than some of the elitist snobs she’d known from polo balls, cotillions, and galas.
She’d been silly to think he didn’t know the difference between cutlery and cattle tags.
‘Ooh, good idea.I’ll come with you.’Izzy, Craig’s wife, went to stand.
‘Allow me, Izzy.’Again, Porter was there to help.
‘Aren’t you the perfect gentleman tonight, Porter?’teased Craig.
‘It’s the suit.’Porter brushed down his shoulders.‘Hard to be a bogan in Armani.’
‘Come on, if we don’t leave now, we’ll have no room to breathe from their bragging.’Izzy hooked her arm through Amara’s like they were old friends.‘I hope you don’t mind me hanging off you like a leech, but walking on grass in heels…’
‘I get it.’Amara tapped Izzy’s hand, wrapping her arm tighter, they started making their way through the tables like sisters.It was nice.
‘Craig was telling me you and Porter were working on a cold case.Dixby Downs?’
‘I haven’t touched it much.But I did interview the station owner before…’ Everything went sideways.
‘I heard you met Tilly Dixby.’
‘Do you know Tilly?’
‘She’s a client.’
‘Okay…’ It made her pause, because Izzy was a criminal lawyer.
‘Not like that.I do civil work now, and mostly wills these days.’Izzy gave Amara’s arm a friendly squeeze.‘Tilly told me you spoke with her at the Lodge.’
‘I like that place.’
‘Me too.So does Tilly.Did you know that she’s rich enough and healthy enough to go live back at Dixby Downs if she wants?’
‘Why doesn’t she?’Amara should also be asking herself about her own living arrangements.Should she stay at Porter’s?Move back to the pub?Or find somewhere else to live?
‘Because Tilly doesn’t think she’ll be safe out there.’Izzy pulled them to a stop, keeping her voice low at the edge of the crowd.‘I know Tilly told you she thinks her son—the overseer—is alive.That he killed her husband.’
Patricide.
The word landed heavily, even if no one said it aloud.
‘Do you think Sawyer did it?’
‘I’ve only had a brief look at the file.Porter has it.’It was sitting among Porter’s pile of files that sat on the chair under the big table in the main station area.
Porter didn’t have a desk like Amara did, just his laptop set on the corner of the boardroom table, and he seemed fine with that.It was close to the coffee and the fridge, and close enough to help Tanisha with the phones and the front counter.Again, there was his skill of placing himself in a position to help, protect, and serve.
‘The coroner’s report said Rohan Dixby died from blunt-force trauma.’Amara had seen the images.
‘Rocks in his head, according to Tilly.’Izzy’s tone was humourless.
