Page 25 of Ice Cold Liar (Ice Breaker Cold Case #14)

Henry rubbed his head against her thigh. Not an alarmed motion. Soothing. Comforting.

Her fingers stroked lightly over him. Okay, so she did have someone on her side. “I didn’t kill Ivan.” Just so everyone could be clear. “Eb didn’t kill Ivan.”

His jaw hardened.

“But whoever set the fire at my place could have. It would have been easy enough to set the fire, then grab the bat from the back of my truck. While we were all scrambling at my place, the arsonist could have gone to Ivan’s bar.

Slipped inside. And took some swings.” Her words came out all flat and calm.

Pretty amazing given the way her insides were twisting and heaving.

“Interesting.” Madeline tapped her chin. “Do you think this mystery arsonist is the same person who killed your husband all of those months ago?”

“Certainly a possibility.” A cool retort.

“Anything is possible in this world,” Madeline agreed.

She thinks I’m guilty too. Must be really hard to be so certain that another person was a killer, but to have zero hard evidence.

Naomi was just so— done. “Did you know he was a psychopath?” Naomi asked, her voice still just as calm as could be.

“Did you know it all along? I mean, what—you’re the boss, isn’t that correct?

Hudson’s boss? Eb’s boss? So maybe you knew.

Maybe you knew that Hudson was a twisted killer, and you didn’t care because he was your weapon.

Your killer. You aimed him, you pointed him, and you got him to take out anyone in your way. ”

All traces of mild amusement fled Madeline’s face. She bounded forward. Grabbed Naomi’s hand and jerked her close.

A hard growl filled the room.

Actually, two growls. One from Henry. Sweet Henry.

The other from Eb.

Madeline immediately let go of Naomi. Blinked. A calm mask slid over her features. “Detective…” She slanted a glance toward Clark. “You need to get out of here. Shut the door. Make sure we are not disturbed.”

“But—” Clark began.

“And no fucking watching from the room next door. I think we’ve had more than enough of that, don’t you?” She shooed with her hands. “Go.”

Grumbling, swearing, he did.

Even as the door shut behind him, Madeline pulled out her phone and made a quick call.

Into the phone, she barked, “Get eyes on the detective. No one sees or hears what is happening in this room. Make certain we are secure.” She hung up.

Slapped the phone down on the table. Madeline rolled back her shoulders.

“I hate dealing with locals. Always such a pain in my ass.” She marched toward the one-way mirror. Squinted.

Why was she squinting? Naomi was pretty sure there was no way to see through the glass, at least, not from this room. “I’d like to know if a hitman is on my trail. Then I’d like to know if you knew Hudson was a psychotic killer. Two very important points.”

Eb growled again. “I want to know about those points, as well.”

“Simple questions,” Naomi continued determinedly without glancing his way. Her focus remained on Madeline. “You can answer them with a yes or with a no.”

Madeline spun toward her. Said nothing. Did that count as a maybe response? Or just a general fuck you?

“Are you going to respond?” Naomi pushed.

“Did you kill Hudson?” Madeline asked. “You confess first, then it can be my turn.”

Yep. She did not like this woman. Fact established.

“I’m getting Naomi to a safe house,” Eb said. “She’s the one in danger. She’s the one I’m protecting.”

“Oh?” Madeline’s delicate brows climbed.

“And here I thought she was the one you were going to send to jail. You’ll have to excuse my confusion.

” Her gaze was considering as it swept over Naomi.

“Must have been some, ah, intense get-to-know-you session that you and Eb have recently shared. I am dying of curiosity. How do you get men so wrapped up in you?”

“My magic vagina,” Naomi returned without missing a beat.

Eb choked.

Madeline’s jaw almost hit the floor.

“Or maybe—just maybe, and go with me on this… I’m not guilty of murder!

Maybe Eb is considering that truth. Maybe the fact that some psycho set my house on fire, stole my bat, and used it to beat a Russian gang member to death makes Eb feel like he could have been wrong about me.

” All of those factors had better make the man reconsider.

“As far as the safe house is concerned…” She honestly did not hate the idea.

Because staying in the guesthouse again?

Yeah, no. She’d prefer the safe house, thanks so much.

“I’m in.” He could give her the address, and she’d find a way to get to the location.

“I expected more of an argument,” Eb muttered.

“Then you expected the wrong thing. Tell me the house is ready right now.” The sooner she got there, the better. Though Eb could find his own place to stay. Either he was on her side or he needed to get the hell away.

He nodded. “I have a friend who has already arranged things for us.” He took her hand.

Very deliberately, she tugged her hand away from him. A friend, huh? Wasn’t she staring at his friend? “I think your friend is here. She’s standing a few feet away from you.”

“Let’s cut through the BS.”

“I would love to do that. Grand idea.”

He swallowed. “You heard everything I said, didn’t you?”

“I heard. I saw. Pretty sure that was her plan.” Do not dare shatter in front of him. “And your plan—just so we are all on the same page—was to get my big, bad confession. You were even willing to seduce it out of me, hmm? Talk about taking one for the team.”

“Eb!” Madeline’s sharp voice.

His expression turned stark. No, wrong word. Savage. “You think that’s what I did?”

“I know it. I know?—”

“Yes, there’s a hit on you.” Madeline pushed between them. Faced Naomi with blazing green eyes. “And I’m the hitman.” She yanked out her gun. Aimed it right at Naomi. “Guess what? Bang. You’re dead .”