She hadn’t realized she’d been moving so fast until Conner had to hurry to catch up to her.
“Yeah.”
“So this thing with you and August,” he asked, choosing his words carefully, “what kind of thing was it?”
She rounded the hood without answering, got into the passenger seat of his Jeep. That seemed to be a habit of late. He ended up driving her most everywhere.
Conner slid behind the wheel. “What kind of thing?” he repeated.
“A relationship.” She pulled her seat belt into place. “You know, living together.”
“Were you ...” He pulled out onto the street. “Engaged or something?”
“No. Just long-term sex partners.”
He braked at a stop sign. “Where are we going?”
The chief certainly hadn’t given her any part of the assignments he’d doled out. “West Street.”
Conner’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Matilda Calder’s house. I have some questions for her.” She wanted to speak to the innkeeper and the reverend. But right now she needed to see Matilda.
Conner drove another few blocks.
“Do you still have feelings for him?”
He didn’t have to specify which him. She knew exactly who he meant, and the idea was a joke. “Not at all.”
“There sure as hell seemed to be some tension between the two of you.” He shrugged. “I know you were mad as hell yesterday, but he seemed to be trying to make nice today.”
Sarah stared out the window. “What you witnessed yesterday is called hatred, Conner. This morning was tolerance. We both want to work this case, so we tolerate each other. Unless he gives me reason, I won’t kill him or anything.”
Conner chuckled. “I’m reasonably certain you wouldn’t kill anyone. Even if they gave you reason.”
He just didn’t understand. She turned to face him. Wanted to make sure he really got it. “I’m my mother’s daughter; her DNA is somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty percent of my genetic makeup.”
He laughed outright then. “You think because she was a killer, you’ll end up a killer.”
“That’s scientifically possible.”
“Well.” He braked for the turn onto West. “That’s where we see things differently, Sarah. You believe in science. I believe in people.” He looked at her. “I believe in you.”
She stared at his profile. Too handsome. Too sweet.
Everything about him made her flaws all the more glaring.
“I hope I don’t disappoint you.”
He pulled to the curb in front of a rundown shack of a house. “I’m not worried.” He flashed her a smile then got out.
What the hell was it about this guy that made her not want to fail him?
Forget about it, she ordered.
For now, anyway.
The house should have been condemned ages ago. The entire structure leaned to one side. Three, no four, dead cars had been left unburied in the yard. A dog lay on the porch. Sarah didn’t see how he kept from freezing to death.
