“And helmets,” he said, grinning. “We’re not stupid.”
She lifted a shoulder in a cute challenge. “I had no idea you played football.”
“It’s not something I advertise. It’s just something I do.”
“What else?” she asked, leaning forward and reaching for more syrup.
Her interest in his life came across very sweet. He wanted to invite her to a fall game. Hopefully they’d still be friends. Would he always want more with her? Probably, but he was in no position to offer anything to a woman. “Once in a while I hang out with Angus, and so long as no one’s shooting at us, that’s fun,” he said. “I also have friends I play poker with once a month.”
“Also lawyers?” she asked.
He thought about it. “Not really. It’s just an odd group of us who have known each other since our Georgetown days, and sometimes Wolfe joins in. One guy’s in news, one guy runs a shipping company, and of course one guy is a dentist.” He smiled. “Everybody needs a dentist in their poker club.”
She laughed. “That’s true.” She looked around. “I make gadgets.”
“No kidding. What else?” he asked, warming to the subject. There wasn’t much that could make Millie Frost more likable, but he was willing to give it a shot.
She poured even more syrup on her pancakes. “When I’m in DC, I donate time at the Humane Society.”
“That figures—you seem like a natural with animals. Anything else?”
She gave a cute smile. “I coach softball.” She said the words quickly as if afraid he’d make fun of her.
He sat back. “You coach softball?”
“Yeah. I help a couple of friends with their kids’ teams.” She took a big bite of pancakes and then shut her eyes, humming in what could only be termed pleasure. Finishing, she smiled.
He couldn’t imagine her as a coach. He’d bet she was tons of fun. “Tell me about your team.”
Her eyes lit up. “They’re in the third grade now but we started with them in the first grade. It’s T-ball, but we have some girls who really could go far—maybe even get college scholarships someday.” She hopped on her seat. “I structured different hitting and catching scenarios based on size and strength of each girl after creating specialty mitts for each of them. We’re pretty good.”
God, she was adorable. “I’m sure you are. I would love to see a game.”
Her eyes lit up even more. “The season doesn’t open for another few weeks, but you bet. I’d like to watch you play football.” She chewed on the inside of her lip and looked down at the pancakes. “If I’m not in prison.”
“You’re not going to be in prison,” he said. He’d break every law he had to in order to ensure her freedom. Putting Millie in a jail cell would be like locking up a firefly.
She rubbed both hands over her eyes and reached for her fork again. “How much trouble do you think I’m in?”
An intense amount. “You’ll be fine. We’ll figure out who killed Clay Baker,” he said instead.
She sighed. “The chief said I could fight against holding the preliminary hearing next week since it’s so early.”
“You can, but I don’t want to,” Scott said.
“Oh.” She sat back. “What happens at the preliminary hearing?”
He took a drink of his orange juice. “The state will give evidence and the magistrate judge will decide whether there’s probable cause for charges against you.”
Her face fell. “There’s definitely enough probable cause, right?”
“Yes,” he said.
She sighed. “What happens after that?”
After that? He had no intention of the proceedings getting that far. “After that, the case will be bound over to the circuit court and considered by a grand jury.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Can’t we just waive that and get to it?”
