“Well, if nothing else comes this, I think one of the LEOs has a date for this weekend.” The guy who’d arrived with Chris broke the spell she’d been fallingunder.
Spell. Jeez. This was Bree’s fault. Her and her damnfairytales.
“Phil Carter. I’m this loser’s better half.” He cocked his head at Chris and held out his hand. His grip was firm, but not too tight when she shook hishand.
Chris released a long-suffering sigh. “Phil’s mypartner.”
With his receding hairline and slight paunch, indicating muscle gone soft rather than sloth, Phil looked more like a high school football coach than an FBI agent. But who was she tojudge?
“Like I said, better half. Before Officer Lothario over there started turning on the charm, I was able to find out you have surveillancecameras?”
Denise looked around Phil to find a blushing Emily handing a phone back to the officer. She watched him hustle back to the patrol car then turned and scuffed her foot on the ground, a big, sappy grin on herface.
There was that gag reflex. “Hot date?” Deniseasked.
“He’s going to call when he gets off work,” Emilysaid.
“Did you get his number, too?” Philasked.
Emily shook her head. “No. He had to go so he’s going to text me as soon as hecan.”
Phil wasn’t able to hide his look. Denise swallowed a sigh.Note to self: indoctrinate Emily into the dangers of aplayer.
“What?” Emily cast confused looks at all ofthem.
“I’ll explain later,” Denise said. “Why don’t you call it aday?”
“Are you sure? It’s only a little aftertwo.”
“Yeah, go on. I’ll take care of everything for theafternoon.”
Emily played with the end of her braid. “What about…?” She pointed between Chris andPhil.
“I’ll answer any questions they have. You already gave a statement to the police. If they have anything else they know where to findyou.”
“Thanks, Denise.” Her phone pinged. She glanced at it and squeed, setting Denise’s teeth on edge. “It’s him!” She flashed the phone at Denise and went back into reception, thumbs flashing across thescreen.
“Huh. He did call. Text. Whatever it is kids do these days,” Philsaid.
Denise looked at Chris. “Punch your partner,please?”
Chris grinned. “Why don’t you punchhim?”
“I just methim.”
Phil stepped out of striking distance and made a ’T’ with his hands. “Time-out. Why am I getting punched? And why wasn’t your response, ‘because I can’t strike a Federalagent?’”
“Well, because I don’t have a problem hitting a federalagent.”
“True statement.” Chris rubbed the corner of his eye, still a littlediscolored.
Denise gave Chris the stink eye before asking Phil, “And speaking of, you’re a federal agent. Where’s your pokerface?”
“I have three daughters. I gave up poker face a long timeago.”
“Yeah…you should work on that a little more. I think you’re gettingplayed.”
Philfrowned.
