Page 57 of Crossing Paths
Molly’s reply was interrupted by a heavy pounding on the door. “Cop knock,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “Unless it’s John, but he’s not supposed to be back until tonight.”
“He has a cop knock?” Cara asked, her voice hushed as she stared in the direction of the front door.
“Yeah.” Molly moved toward the kitchen doorway, and Norah got up to follow. “He has a really nasty cop knock. I keep telling him he needs to work on that, but he doesn’t believe he has one.”
Cara closed her laptop and rose, staying close behind Norah. “The worst offenders can never hear their own cop knock.”
“Isn’t that the truth.” Molly peered through the peephole just as another round of thunderous knocking made the door shake. “Uggghhhh.”
“Who is it?” Norah was pretty sure her sister wouldn’t make that noise upon spotting her own boyfriend at the door.
“Our good friend Detective Mill.” Moving to the alarm display, Molly disarmed it.
Cara looked at the door in distaste. “Can’t we just hide and pretend we’re not home?”
“I can hear you girls in there!” Mill’s shout through the door answered Cara’s question. “Open up, or I’ll get another warrant.”
“I’m almost tempted to let him, but then we’d have to actually allow him in,” Molly muttered before jerking open the door just wide enough to block his view into the house. “Why, Detective Mill, what a pleasure! What brings you here to see usgirls?”
Even though he probably couldn’t see her where she was standing, Norah bit the inside of her lip to hold back her smile at Molly’s heavy sarcasm.
“I need to talk to Norah Pax,” he said, and she lost any urge to smile.
“Why?” Molly demanded, but Norah knew why. Theyallknew why after the conversation they’d just had.
“You’re not Norah, so that’s none of your business.”
“It’s okay, Molly.” Norah had known since the previous night that she’d be answering Mill’s questions. She figured she might as well get it over with so Mill didn’t get a warrant or pick her up the next time she left the house and bring her to the station as a “person of interest.” At least at their house, she was somewhat in control of the situation, and she had her sisters there with her for support. Slipping past Molly, she ignored her sister’s sound of protest and stepped onto the porch.
The move brought her face-to-face with Mill, and she was instantly uncomfortable. Resisting the urge to shrink back or drop her eyes, she took a couple of steps sideways toward the porch swing.
“You’re Norah Pax?” he asked, following her, which opened up enough space for Molly and Cara to step outside as well. They shut the door behind them, and Norah swallowed a sour taste at how accustomed they were to getting questioned by the police and one grudge-holding detective in particular.
“Yes,” she said, his flat stare making her realize she hadn’t answered him.
“You called that fire in last night.” Although he said it as a statement, not a question, she still shook her head. “You didn’t call it in?”
“Not the fire.” Even though she knew she was being pedantic, she couldn’t let something not quite true slide. “I told the dispatcher about people throwing rocks through the windows, but I dropped my phone before the fire started. Someone else must’ve seen the flames and called in the fire. Or Dash thoughtthe dispatcher might’ve heard the explosions before my phone was burned up.”
Molly muttered something inaudible, and Norah gave her arm an awkward pat of reassurance. From listening to her sisters’ harrowing stories, she knew how hard it was to hear about them being in danger. It had to be even worse for Molly, since she’d always been the one to take care of the rest of them.
Mill blew out a breath as if he was already frustrated with the interview. Norah just blinked at him innocently. If he didn’t want the truth, he shouldn’t ask her questions. “Dash as in Dashiell Porter, the guy who supposedly stopped a burglary at your neighbor’s last Sunday?”
“Yes.” It was easier to hold his gaze when they were talking about Dash. It felt as if she was defending him rather than herself, which brought out her bravery for some reason. She even gave a small, proud smile at how he’d covered for them. “That’s the same Dash.”
“I thought you two didn’t know each other.”
Ignoring the skepticism heavy in his words, she put on her best confused face. “Of course we do. I belong to his gym.”
“Uh-huh. What happened to your story that you were dating his employee?” He glanced down briefly at his small notepad as if checking his notes. “BruiserDavies.”
This was the question she’d been dreading, but it was surprisingly easy to answer now that all her hackles were up in defense of Dash. “Watching Dash handle that burglar on Sunday made me…want to get to know him better.” She heard Cara’s soft exhale. It was only because she knew her sister so well that Norahcould tell she was attempting to stifle a laugh. Norah tried not to blush as she replayed her last sentence in her head. From how her face warmed, she didn’t think she succeeded very well.
“What about Davies?” It was hard to tell if the detective believed her. Mill had a decent poker face. “How does he feel about you just dumping him for his boss?”
“We weren’t serious,” Norah said, being careful to stay truthful while implying something else. She knew she was a terrible liar, and the detective would call her out immediately if she tried. “Bruiser’s fine with it.”
“Pretty big coincidence, don’t you think?” He folded his arms across his chest.
