Whiskey Rebellion (Romantic Mystery/Comedy) Book 1 (Addison Holmes Mysteries)

said. “I’d almost forgotten.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

    Thursday

    I opened my eyes the next morning with clarity, something I was hoping for but not expecting, considering the way my life was going.
    It wa s still shy of eight o’clock. I jumped in the shower and scrubbed quickly so I could look at the pictures my mom had taken the night before one more time. This time with clearer vision. Maybe I’d made a mistake in what I’d seen. I sure to God hoped so.
    I jumped out of the shower and wrapped a thick towel around me. I left my hair dripping wet and headed to the computer. I had just opened up my laptop and plugged in the camera when I heard the knock on the door.
    “Oh, great.”
    I closed the laptop and hid the camera because I had a sneaking suspicion who it was. When I looked through the peephole Nick winked back at me, so I didn’t really have a choice to do anything but open the door.
    “I can’t really talk right now. I’m kind of indisposed,” I said through the crack of the door.
    “I like it when you’re indisposed. Let me in,” he said, slowly pushing on the door and crowding his way inside.
    “Mmmm, you look delicious,” he said, pushing me back.
    I felt like Little Red Riding Hood right before the wolf tried to eat her.
    “Um —Nick, I really don’t have time for this today.”
    “It won’t take long, baby. It’ll be just enough to take the edge off until tonight. I promise you’ll like it.”
    We were playing tug of war with the towel tied around my breast, and I knew I had to pull out the big guns.
    “As much as I appreciate the romance of your proposal, I have to decline. I’ve made a breakthrough in the case, and I have things to do.”
    Those were the magic words, because the sexy I-want-to-eat-you-alive Nick disappeared and was replaced by Nick the cop. His eyes went hard and focused and the line of his mouth straightened.
    “Wow,” I said. “I’ll have to use that more often.”
    “What kind of breakthrough?”
    “I can’t give you the specifics,” I said. “You’re the competition.”
    He grabbed my wrist in a tight grip and I was so surprised I let go of the fledgling towel. Being naked for the first time (or the first time I was conscious) in front of a man was a big step in any relationship, but I have to say this wasn’t how I pictured the moment. The look in Nick’s eyes was enough to scare me spitless. I had a feeling I’d gone a little too far this time, but I didn’t have any choice but to brazen it out.
    “This isn’t a game, Addison. People are dead and you’re playing Nancy Drew. The killer is getting careless. I don’t want him to be careless with you. It’s only logical that you’re the next target. If you’ve found something out I want to know.”
    “I don’t know what I’ve found out,” I said shakily , pulling my arm free.
    I picked up the towel and wrapped it around me, and then curled myself in the overstuffed chair in my living room. Chills racked my body and goosebumps pimpled my flesh with the enormity of what I knew about John Hyatt. I had good reason to be afraid and Nick was right to worry.
    “Just give me a little more time, Nick, and I swear I’ll tell you everything I know. Did it ever occur to you that I might be worried about you during this whole mess?”
    “Why? I’m not the one who keeps finding dead bodies. I’m just trying to find a murderer.”
    “Except that when we were at the graveyard you ran toward danger like some macho caveman trying to protect the little woman. You didn’t know what you were running to, but that didn’t stop you. And I know it’s your job, but I have a job to do to, and I take it very seriously. I can’t help it if one of my cases accidentally overlaps with one of yours. You can’t stop me from doing this,” I said, a lot more bravely than I felt.
    Nick’s jaw was clenched together so tightly I thought he was bound to get a cramp, and the veins in his neck and forehead were bulging dangerously.
    “You have until noon to get your act together before I pull the plug. Don’t think for one second that I won’t put you in a cell for your own protection.”
    He gave me one last glittering look and walked out of my apartment. I had to wonder if it was for the last time.

    A few minutes later I sat in front of my computer screen. The images on screen were different than what I remembered. They were much, much worse than anything I’d thought I’d seen the night before. When I