Page 34 of Liar's Point

“Yeah, he’s doling out assignments.”

Emmet leaned back against the rail and folded his arms over his chest. He wore a short-sleeve black T-shirt that left his forearms bare.

She watched him closely. “So, how’d it go?”

His eyebrows arched.

“With the manager,” she said.

“She didn’t have much.” He turned and looked out at the beach. “Except that she doesn’t think Aubrey Lambert killed herself.”

“We already knew that.”

“Yeah.”

Nicole looked at him in the moonlight with his windblown hair. It was so thick, and she always had the urge to run her fingers through it. He gazed out at the waves with a pensive expression, and she knew he was feeling the pressure of the case, even though he didn’t let on.

“Anything on the ex-boyfriend?” she asked.

“She doesn’t know him. No one named Sam works here.”

Nicole sighed and rested her palms on the railing.

Emmet looked at her, and the corner of his mouth ticked up. “Told you you didn’t want to lead this one.”

“You were right.”

His jaw dropped. “I’m right? Did I hear that correctly?”

She ignored the feigned shock. “I’m so damn frustrated, Emmet. All my leads are going nowhere.”

“We’ll be in better shape tomorrow.”

“How do you know?”

“We’ll have the car, the ME’s report. Maybe some leads from the family.” He nudged her with his elbow. “Hang in there.”

She turned around and faced the bar. Through the windows she could see Owen, Alex, and Kyle laughing and playing darts. Emmet’s brother, Calvin, was with them now, too, and she felt like she was in high school all over again, watching all the cool guys hang out together while she pretended not to notice.

She glanced at Emmet, and he was watching her with a look she couldn’t read.

He picked up his beer. “So, what’s up with you and David?”

She bristled. “What do you mean?”

“Seemed like something was wrong earlier.”

She shrugged. “He’s slammed at work. The usual.”

He lifted an eyebrow, and she looked away. She didn’t want to talk about her love life, and especially not with Emmet. She was embarrassed at having yet another date get canceled.

Her phone lit up with another message.

Hello?? Another rita???

She sighed. Nope. I have to be up early, she texted.

Kate responded with a line of sobbing emojis.

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