Page 10 of Sinful Promise
“So… best behavior?” He fakes a grin and takes a large step back. “You want kiddie gloves while you grieve?”
“I want you to stop looking at my wife when she’s got no clothes on.” I slap the center of his forehead and head into the hall.
I want to go to her. To hold her warm body before she dresses and our day begins. But though I make it most of the way, the trilling of cellphones pulls me up short.
Not just my phone, but Fletch’s too.
“Fuck.”
I keep walking, since I’m this close, and stop in the doorway of our bedroom to catch the last moments of Minka stepping into panties and pulling up a pair of silky black trousers.
She glances across in silence, her eyes perusing my shirt, just like I hoped. But in the recesses of my mind, I hear Fletch’s responses.
“Reporting.”
“Muir Road.”
“Detective Archer Malone will attend, too. I’m with him right now.”
My phone cuts out, since my partner already accepted the case on our behalf—all before breakfast—and I keep studying Minka. The simple white bra she clips into place, and the cream blouse she pulls from our closet.
“Holy shit, Arch!” Fletch crows after killing his call. “You’ll never guess who is dead.”
Minka’s eyes, chocolatey brown and devastating enough to convince me to commit murder, watch me. Like she knows what he’s about to say.
It’s easy to guess, really.
“Laramie Fentone!” Fletch concludes. “That rapist motherfucker bit it overnight, and we’re running the case.”
Minka’s cheeks pale, but as she buttons her shirt, her fingers remain steady. Unshaking.
“He was in a safehouse,” Fletch continues. “No oneknew the address, but he’s dead, and that other detective can’t run it.” He wanders to my end of the hall, but he’s done teasing; he doesn’t stretch to see into my bedroom. “In fact, the way I see it, Detective Franklin has just landed himself on the suspect list.Shiiiit.”
“Oh good.” I turn from Minka and fold my arms carefully so I don’t spill my coffee. “You wanna investigate a cop and drag internal affairs into this? You know I love that shit.”
He has the decency, at least, to blush. “We’ll run the scene first and see what we see. Hey, Doctor Dimples,” he raises his voice for Minka to hear. “You wanna be our medical examiner? Keep it in the family, like old times?”
“Yeah, she’ll—”
“No thank you, Detective.” Minka comes to the doorway, then passes me, ignoring me like she’s oblivious to the way my heart stutters in my chest. “It’s a conflict of interest,” she says, leaving the hall and moving into the living room to meet her second in charge. “I was working the Fentone case alongside Detective Franklin, so I can’t be your M.E. on this one.”
“Uh… excuse me?” I charge forward and stop to find Minka stepping into flat shoes. “I’d like to work with you on this one, Mayet. We want the best.”
I’d rather you run the fuckin’ case than risk another medical examiner breaking it open and landing us both in a federal penitentiary.
“Professional request,” I grit through my teeth. “Chief.”
“Professional response.” She grabs her phone from the counter, then her briefcase from the floor near the door. “I said no. I have a building to get back in order, a staff member returning to work after the death of a family member, and an email brimming with bullshit.”
“And the mayor,” Fletch adds unhelpfully. “He wants your attention, too.”
I firm my lips and burn my partner with a stare.
“I wish you both well with your case.” Turning back and snatching up her keys, Minka finally approaches me and presses a kiss to my jaw. “Do the job, Detective Malone. If you land another case and require my expertise, you know where to find me.”
Turning on her heels and summoning her assistant, Minka passes the fridge and grabs a protein shake… her breakfast replacement. Then opening the apartment door, she glances back with puckered lips and blows an air-kiss. “I love you, Detective.”
“Awww.” Fletch slaps a hand to his chest and swoons. “I love you too, Doctor! I thought you would never notice me.”
