Page 73 of Girl Between (Dana Gray FBI Mystery Thriller #5)

“You were pretty harsh on Landry back there,” George drawled as he followed Dana out of the Coroner’s office.

“I don’t trust him,” she said, striding toward an old green Range Rover Classic.

When she pulled the keys from her pocket and unlocked the driver’s side door, George couldn’t help his low whistle of appreciation. “This is your ride? You didn’t tell me you’re a gearhead.”

She turned to face him, looking incredulous that he wanted to talk cars after all that had ensued inside the morgue. She and Dr. Cruz had relayed their discoveries to him and Jake when they arrived. Dr. Landry had tried to chime in with his concerns, but Dana had practically bitten his head off.

“Are you seriously telling me you’re more interested in my car than what we discovered in there?” Dana yelled. “You have a serial killer loose in your backyard for God’s sake!”

“And now you’re biting my head off,” George said, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels.

“How am I supposed to act?” Dana demanded incredulously.

“I heard everything you and Lena said back there. I heard Landry, too. And …” George added, cutting off the argument Dana had been ab out to launch at the mere mention of Landry. “I’m processing all of it. That’s the job. Examining every angle, unbiased.”

“You’re a detective, not a judge. You’re allowed to have an opinion.”

“And I’ll form one just as soon as I have all the information.”

“Well, that would go a lot faster if you spent less time admiring my car.”

George smiled, shaking his head at her tenacity, which only seemed to aggravate her more. “Are you always this gung-ho to jump into action?”

“We just uncovered dozens of connected deaths. We have to do something or there will be more!”

“I know that. And trust me, I take any threats against my city seriously. We’ll nail this bastard.

But in my experience, you can do more harm than good rushing into situations without taking the proper precautions.

We have to do things by the book, make sure the evidence we have is bulletproof.

I know you have enough experience to understand that. ”

Dana exhaled deeply, releasing some of the fight that had her coiled so tightly. “I just hate doing nothing.”

“I wouldn’t call reading in the Feds nothing,” George remarked, gesturing to where Shepard was pacing, phone to his ear.

“That’s if they agreed to take this case.”

George raised his eyebrows. “Have you ever known Jake Shepard not to get the job done?” When Dana didn’t reply, he grinned. “That’s what I thought.”

The last of Dana’s anger ebbed, and she sagged against the solid body of her Range Rover.

George sidled closer, leaning against the vehicle, too.

“I imagine Shepard’s lining up the cavalry as we speak.

Before we know it, there’ll be more shiny government plates and name brand suits here than we’ll know what to do with.

We’ll find this monster, Dana. And when we do, I want to know I have him beyond a shadow of a doubt. ”

She nodded, chewing her thumbnail absently. “I know you’re right, but … ”

“But you’re no good at waiting?” he guessed.

Her gaze met his. “It’s annoying when you finish my sentences,” she grumped.

“It’s annoying you won’t tell me about this beautiful beast,” he said, thumping his palm against the car.

Dana rolled her eyes, but he caught the hint of a smile behind her moody expression.

George bumped his shoulder against hers. “Come on. Our hands are tied till Shepard gets off the phone, and you know how chatty he can be.”

That earned him a genuine smile, which had been all he’d really wanted. It was quick and fleeting, but it flooded him with warmth all the same. He knew he should be keeping his distance from the ‘complicated’ Dr. Gray, but it was easier said than done.

“The car was my father’s,” she began.

And just like that, George let himself get pulled back in.