Page 33 of Girl Between (Dana Gray FBI Mystery Thriller #5)

George stood back, a smirk of awe permanently plastered to his face as he watched Dana Gray effortlessly charm his family. She’d won over his sisters when she’d replied to their gossip in Creole. And now, she had every NOPD officer in attendance eating out of the palm of her hand.

Well, almost everyone.

Officer LaSalle was grilling Dana, currently testing her knowledge of local folklore and legends. In George’s opinion, she passed with flying colors, but as usual, LaSalle continued to prod, asking questions about Dana’s past cases.

“Have you been following the Reaper proceedings in D.C.?” LaSalle asked.

Dana’s jaw ticked almost imperceptibly. “No.”

“Really? You worked that case, didn’t you?” LaSalle pressed.

Dana’s knuckles whitened around her beer bottle. Noting the tension, George stepped in. “Alright, LaSalle. This is a party, not an interrogation.”

The young officer shrugged. “I was just curious. You don’t mind, do you, Dr. Gray? ”

Dana shook her head, but her body language said otherwise. Looking at George, she asked, “Is there any of that stew left?”

He laughed. “It’s called gumbo, and there’s plenty,” he said, placing a hand on her lower back to usher her away from LaSalle.

“Sorry about LaSalle,” George said. “She’s one of the best officers we have, but she comes on a bit strong.”

“It’s fine,” Dana said, passing George her beer so her hands were free to fill another bowl with gumbo.

“A little better than room service, huh?” he asked, watching Dana sigh with delight as she inhaled her meal.

“Okay, you may have been right,” Dana admitted. “I haven’t tasted spices this addicting since Coop’s.”

George beamed. “Somebody knows her gumbo.”

“This is Coop’s?” Dana asked. “I thought your mother made everything?”

George smirked. “She’s a hell of a chef, but nobody does gumbo like Coop’s. It’s Cadie’s favorite restaurant. They catered everything tonight.”

“I knew I liked your sister,” Dana said, before diving back into her bowl.

“If you think the gumbo is good, you need to try their Cajun fried chicken.”

Dana’s nose wrinkled. “I’m a vegetarian.”

George bit his lip, trying to hide his grin.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“No,” Dana insisted. “That grin means something.”

“Nothing bad, just that you might need to get a hall pass on your vegetarianism tonight.”

She frowned, looking down at her now empty bowl. “What’s in the gumbo?”

“Let’s just say Thumper wouldn’t approve.”

Dana paled, and George took the paper bowl from her, dumping it in the trash as he led her to the dance floor before she could overthink it .

“You good?” he asked as he twirled her around.

“Mm-hmm,” she replied unconvincingly.

“You sure? Cause I’ve seen that green look on your face before. It was right before you made a beeline for my bathroom.”

“Don’t remind me,” she groaned.

George laughed, twirling her again. When he pulled her back toward him, he said. “I dated a vegetarian once. Rule of thumb, in Nawlins, it’s best if you don’t ask what’s in a recipe.”

“Lesson learned,” she said.

“It was one night. The rabbits will forgive you,” he teased. “Besides, I dare say it looked like you were enjoying yourself.”

He watched her fight a smile. “I know what you’re doing.”

“What’s that?”

“Trying to charm me with your family and friends so I’ll agree to work this case with you.”

The fast-paced song they’d been dancing to ended, replaced by the slow melody of Harry Connick, Jr. crooning, “It Had to be You.” George pulled Dana closer.

He settled her arms around his neck, before resting one hand on her waist. He used the other to lead her around the dance floor. “Is it working?” he asked.

“Is what working?”

“Are you charmed?”

Her lips quirked up. “Maybe.”

He met her beautiful brown eyes and forgot himself for a moment. “Okay, maybe that was my plan. But would that be so bad?”

“That depends,” she said, seeming as caught up as he was as they swayed to the music under the canopy of white lights and stars that had begun to wink into the night sky.

George moved closer, letting his lips graze Dana’s ear as he spoke. “On what?”

“On how involved you need me to be.”

“It doesn’t have to be anything official. Let’s just spend some time together, look into the mask, see where it takes us. If we solve a case, make my city a little safer in the process …” he shrugged. “Seems like a win to me. ”

Her words were soft, hesitant against his neck. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”

He pulled her even closer, letting his eyes close as he inhaled the scent of her hair. The heat of her against him was alluring. He reveled in the feel of her for a moment before speaking. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re ready for, and we’ll do that.”

She pulled back, not to escape him he realized, but to gaze into his eyes. Whatever she was about to say caught in her throat, silenced by the ringing of George’s phone.

A split second later, a cacophony of ringtones interrupted the pleasant atmosphere of the backyard.

George knew even before looking at the dispatch number on his caller ID that the evening’s festivities were over.

With a nod of apology, he excused himself from Dana and answered the call. “What is it?”

“We got another body, sir.”

“Another?” George asked, his eyes flicking up to meet Dana’s. “You mean like the Casquette Girl?”

“Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?” he demanded.

“I think you need to see for yourself, sir.”

George sighed. “On my way.”

He looked across the backyard to where his sister stood with Neville.

Generations of military and police breeding had made all the George siblings used to such interruptions, but it didn’t make them welcome.

Without a word, Cadie placed a kiss on her fiancé’s cheek and nodded her silent command to her brother— be safe.