Page 21 of Shiver

That was a tough one.

“If it will make you feel any better, my parents live at the ranch, too. Along with my brother and Mich—”

Pain flashed through his eyes. No, Michelle didn’t live there anymore. Maybe he did believe she was in danger. If he really thought she was a killer, would he bring her into his home? Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he would help her. She thought she had him pegged as a self-absorbed egomaniac, but perhaps…

Nah, she was kidding herself. He just wanted her close to keep an eye on her. But he had a point—how much safer could she be than under his protection? She looked at her shattered window and the mess around her living room. She certainly couldn’t spend another night here. Not now. Not ever again. “All right, you win.”

“Good, then it’s all settled.” He gave her a smile—wide, devastatingly charming, and beaming with triumph.

Lord, what had she gotten herself into now?

Chapter 9

“Tony,”Riley said quietly into his cell phone as he stepped onto Devra’s front porch.

“Where are you?” Tony asked as he answered the phone.

“Miss Morgan’s house.”

“Still? Are you crazy? The captain made it clear Pat’s working the Morgan angle and we’re to go back to the night stalker case. He said you have three days’ leave.”

“Yeah, forced leave,” Riley muttered.

“So, what are you still doing there? Or have you grown tired of being a cop and want to throw your career away?”

“Never, buddy. I’ve persuaded Miss Morgan to come to stay at the ranch with me for a few days.”

“What? Are you nuts?”

“Oh, and you don’t know where she is.”

“You better believe I don’t. You’re diggin’ yourself in deep. Just keep me out of it. Don’t tell me another word ’cause I don’t want to know.”

“Would bro, except I need your help.”

“No way. You’re on your own on this one.”

“Tony, she knows things about Michelle’s murder she shouldn’t. She’s also mentioned the death of someone named Tommy, but I haven’t got the specifics on that one yet. She has a lot to answer for and, I suspect, a lot more she’s hiding. I’m going to get the truth out of her, even if I have to turn on the MacIntyre charm and hit her with both barrels.”

Tony snorted. “What are you going to do when your old man finds out his dinner guest is a suspect in his daughter-in-law’s murder?”

“I wouldn’t take her home if I thought she was Michelle’s killer.”

Tony paused. “Then what do you think she’s hiding?”

“I have no idea, but she’s the key to this case. I can feel it in my gut.”

“You’re making a big mistake.”

“Maybe. In any case, I need you.

“No way.”

“Please, I’m beggin’ here. Do it for Michelle.”

“Oh, great, bring out the guilt artillery.”

“I’m down on one knee.”

---