Page 11 of Alibi for Murder
Outrage did not begin to describe how this felt. These people had combed through her house, through all her things, literally all night. She had been forced to stay outside. Steve had tried to talk her into going to a hotel, but she’d refused, so she’d ended up in his SUV for the duration.
As her attorney, he had been allowed to stay and to watch the proceedings inside the house. He’d come outside to check on her more times than she could remember. Actually, she remembered every single one. His blond hair was darker now, more a light brown. And his eyes were the most calming shade of blue.
Stop, Al.He was here to help with legal issues not fulfill her fantasies.
She straightened in the passenger seat, now that it appeared to be over, finally. Maybe she could put this behind her and life would go back to normal.
She blinked. Had her life ever been normal?
Allie pushed the thought away. She wasn’t going there right now.
Steve stood on the sidewalk and watched the crew load up and drive away before returning to where she waited. She reached for the door handle. All she wanted to do was get in her bed and sleep…put this nightmare out of her head. Maybe check her email. Social media wasn’t her thing. She was probably the only person her age on the planet who had no social media account.
He opened the driver’s side door and slid behind the steering wheel. “You up for Red’s?”
A frown furrowed across her brow. How could he sound so chipper? Then again, he wasn’t the one whose life was suddenly upside-down. Besides, he likely experienced situations like this in his work. It was probably par for the course on any given day at the agency. While her life was a continual routine of bed at ten, up at six, work and then repeat. There was something to be said for routine…but mostly her life was dull.
Allie took a breath. Red’s was a local diner that opened at five every morning for breakfast. The good, old-fashioned kind of food like her grandmother used to prepare. As if that wasn’t incentive enough, when was the last time a handsome man had invited her anywhere?
Her stomach rumbled, but she shook her head. “I’m really not hungry. I’d like to go inside and—”
“Let’s have breakfast first.” He started the engine and turned the vehicle around.
She plowed her fingers through her hair, imagining how utterly awful she looked. The ponytail had to go hours ago. “It must be bad if you don’t want me to go in there before having sustenance.”
“They put things back where they found them, just not quite as neatly.”
She groaned. “Yay. I might as well do a little late spring cleaning.” That would make her vacation even better. How much more exciting could her life get?Woo-hoo!
Considering she was under suspicion for murder, maybe that might not be a good question to ask herself. In this case, excitement was a little overrated.
He drove to Red’s, which was only minutes from her house. She ordered delivery from them a few times each month. It was her grandparents’ favorite dining spot. Maybe because Red Shepherd, the owner, was an aging hippie just as they had been. Allie couldn’t help smiling. She missed them so much.
She covertly glanced at the driver. Her grandmother had always said Steve was a good boy. Like his father, she’d said. Allie had seen photos of her mother as a teenager with Steve’s father. Her grandmother had given the impression that she’d wished those two had ended up together.
Steve glanced at her. “You must be thinking about the past.” He guided the SUV into a parking slot. “The present certainly wouldn’t prompt a smile like that one.”
She touched her lips. Hadn’t realized she’d been smiling. “I was thinking about my mother.”
He smiled back at her. “You look like her. Exactly like her.”
“Everyone always says that.” And the family photo albums confirmed it.
He hopped out of the vehicle and hurried around to her door before she could rally the energy to open it.
“Not that I really remember her,” he said as she emerged. “But my mom has lots of photos of family gatherings that included your parents.”
“I’ve seen a few in my grandmother’s albums.” Allie smiled. She and her grandparents hadn’t gone to very many gatherings with neighbors after her parents were gone. Things had changed after that.
The bell over the door jingled as they opened it and walked inside.
“Looks like we’re the first customers today,” Steve noted.
The smell of bacon drifting from the kitchen had Allie’s stomach rumbling again. “I think I changed my mind. I’m starving.”
He grinned. “Good. We need to load up on carbs and sugar and then deal with this thing.”
There was something to be said for his strategy. Allie just wasn’t exactly sure what it was quite yet. She was, however, immensely grateful to have someone to help her navigate this nightmare.
