Page 45 of Luck of the Devil (Harper Adams Mystery #3)

He grinned. “Nothin’ like you.” A fondness covered his face as he said, “She’s sweetness and sass all rolled up into one.”

I couldn’t help laughing. “No one’s ever accused me of being sweetness and sass.”

“I know what you’re thinkin’,” he said, resting his glass on his knee, “but there was never anything between us. She was a friend of a friend, and while I confess that, in the beginning, I helped her because of her friend, in the end, I helped her because she’s a genuinely good person who deserves good things. ”

Further proof he had a good heart, but I was smart enough not to say what I was thinking.

“Neely Kate is perfect for Jed,” he said, his face glowing with fond memories.

“It took me a while to realize it, but to be fair, she was married to her deadbeat husband when she walked into our lives. Then, later, her husband left her high and dry, practically days after she’d nearly died miscarryin’ their twins, so when she asked me to help find him so she could serve him divorce papers, I readily agreed.

She deserved better. Carter drew up the divorce papers. ”

“He left her after she almost died?” The guy sounded like a complete jackass.

“And he was a polygamist.” He added dryly, “But he got his in the end.”

“Neely Kate got her divorce and took him to the cleaners?”

“It’s a long, complicated story, but basically, no. Her no-good husband was murdered.” He took a sip of his water.

Had James killed him? The question hung in my head, but I realized I wasn’t as horrified by the possibility as I would have been a month ago.

As he lowered his glass, he made a face, then added, “I suppose I should add he wasn’t murdered by me, nor did I have anything to do with it.

” His gaze lifted to mine, and for a second it felt like time froze.

He was only a few feet away, but it felt too far.

I wanted to be next to him, hell, I wanted to be on his lap.

The heat in his eyes suggested he wouldn’t push me off.

But the fact he felt the need to clarify reminded me I had a secret of my own. And I couldn’t follow through on my need to be closer to him until I made my confession.

But I wasn’t ready. Not yet. So, I forced myself to focus on what he said. “Wow. That had to mess Neely Kate up.”

“It was rough, but she had Jed to help her through it.”

“Did you cut Jed loose before or after Neely Kate’s wayward husband was murdered?”

“Before.” He took a breath, then said, “Neely Kate had gotten into some trouble in Oklahoma after she graduated from high school, and she caught wind that someone was digging into it. Jed knew how hard it was for her and wanted to go with her. So I told him he had to choose—Neely Kate or me. I’d hoped to God he’d choose Neely Kate, and he did.

” A sad smile tugged at his lips. “Smart man.”

Was the sadness because he’d lost his best friend in the process? Or was there a small part of him that had hoped Jed would choose him?

How many people had chosen him? Or maybe a better question was how many people hadn’t ? He’d spent most of his life pushing people away, partly to protect them, mostly to protect himself.

I understood that well enough. I’d lived most of my life that way too.

“I should add,” he said, his gaze fixed on his water glass. “In full disclosure, Neely Kate is J.R. Simmons’ illegitimate daughter.”

My mouth dropped open.

He finally looked up, his expression carefully guarded. “I didn’t know when I first met her. Hell, she didn’t know either. It all came out during the whole Simmons mess. And none of this has anything to do with her.”

I nodded. “Thanks for telling me.”

But if he was sharing things to earn my trust, it was time for me to come clean with him too.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” I said, summoning the courage. He’d just opened up to me—trusted me—and I was about to blow it to hell. But I couldn’t let him confide in me without telling him about my call with Deveraux.

His face shifted from open to closed, like a door slamming. “Go on.”

“Last week, while we were working the Hugo Burton case, I made a call.” I grimaced.

“J.R. Simmons’s name popped up, and you weren’t totally forthcoming with information.

I’d searched the internet for clues that might clue me into why Simmons might have been in Lone County, and his name lit up like bonfire with links to Fenton County. ”

“Go on,” he said, his tone still chilly. Not that I blamed him.

“Your name came up too, which seemed odd, and again, you weren’t forthcoming, so I decided to talk to someone who might have more insight.” I gave him a pleading look. “I was hoping to get something that would help me solve the case.”

His eyes were so cold, it felt like the temperature of the room dropped ten degrees.

“I figured who else would know the facts better than the man who brought charges against him?” I paused, realizing this confession would probably change everything between us. James would likely kick me out of his house and tell me to go fuck myself.

He’d have every right to do it, but I had to tell him anyway.

I held his gaze, hoping he saw how much I regretted my decision. “I called Mason Deveraux.”

He swallowed, then said, “I see.” The betrayal in his eyes was nearly my undoing. “And did you talk to him?”

“He called me back right before I found out about my mother,” I said. “I didn’t call him back. And I didn’t hear from him again.” I paused. “Until today.”

His silence was deafening.

“He was the one who kept calling while I was sleeping.”

“Did you call him back?”

“No, but I was concerned, because he shouldn’t have been so persistent. He called me this afternoon after you left, after our fight.” I took a breath. “I knew I had to answer and try to appease him, so I took the call.”

“And…?”

“I told him I was sorry for bothering him, but the case was closed, and I didn’t need any information. He said I’d mentioned Simmons, and he was curious about whether I’d found a connection. I told him no. I didn’t want him to know.”

“I see.”

For the first time since we’d started this conversation, heat filled my voice. “Actually, I don’t think you do . You think I did it to protect my father, but I did it to protect you .”

For someone used to schooling his emotion, he had a rare lapse. Surprise covered his face, but then he quickly covered it with a mask of indifference. “How does that protect me?”

“Because, if I told him about Simmons investing in Burton’s property, I was afraid he’d start digging.

” I pushed out a breath of frustration. “Any other prosecutor would have let this go the moment I said the case was closed, but Deveraux was on this like a dog on a bone. He kept asking me questions about how the case was resolved and stating how convenient it was that the men responsible for Burton’s death were dead, and he’s right,” I said.

“But it was a cold case and Matt Jones was glad to clear it off his desk, so he took everything that happened at face value.”

His mask didn’t waver. “Again, how did you protect me by covering up Simmons’s involvement?”

“I’m getting to it. It didn’t make sense that Deveraux was so invested in finding out if Simmons was involved.

Simmons has been dead for years. Deveraux’s the lead prosecutor for the state.

He doesn’t have time to fuck around, and he couldn’t bring charges against a dead man.

Which means he wanted to know for another reason.

The more I tried to dodge him, the cagier he got.

” I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t trust him. I suspect he’s after you.”

He sat back in his chair, giving the impression that he’d relaxed, but I knew better.

“You’re right. He has a vendetta against me, so once he heard Simmons’s name, he probably started salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs.

” He took a beat, then his tone lowered.

“What did you tell him about Simmons when you made the original call?”

“I left a message with his assistant and said Simmons’s name had come up in regard to a case I was working, then asked him to call me back.”

“And when did my name come up?”

I swallowed. If I ever wanted him to trust me, I had to be honest. The irony was my honesty would probably break my ties with him forever. “When I left my message, I said I’d seen your name associated with Simmons’s arrest for murder and kidnapping. That’s the only thing I said.”

“What about Rose Gardner?” he asked, his face a blank.

“I mentioned her name too,” I said. “I thought he might return my call if I made the connection, given their history.”

“Go on.”

“But when he called me back today, I avoided using her name, worried in hindsight that it might be a touchy subject. He was the one to bring her up. In fact, he called me out for purposely not mentioning her by name.”

He just watched me, waiting for me to finish.

“When I took his call, I was polite and professional, but as the call went on, I realized he was interrogating me. So, I was short and told him my only job had been to find Hugo Burton’s body, and once he was found, I’d let the sheriff’s department take over.

He said he’d asked around about me, and he found it surprising I’d let it go so easily, but I reminded him I no longer work for law enforcement and that the sheriff’s department wouldn’t have welcomed my interference.

” I released a breath I’d been holding in. “In any case, I don’t trust the man.”

He gave me a cold look. “You could have asked me, and I would have told you he’s a bulldog when he gets set on something.”

“Really, James?” I asked with plenty of attitude.

“And you would have told me? Because when I asked you about the case last week, you told me jack shit.” When he remained silent, I let out a bitter laugh.

“Exactly. Look, I understand you have your secrets, and believe it or not, I respect most of them. But I needed answers about Simmons that very few people had, and when you refused to confide in me, I went to what I saw as the next best source.” I shook my head.

“I never considered the fact that the man might have a vendetta against you.”

James’s countenance seemed to soften, but his eyes were still closed off. “You’re right. I should have shared more.”

“I regretted calling him almost immediately after I placed that original call.” I leaned forward, my tone insistent. “I know you’re after the person who took Simmons’s place, and if Deveraux starts sniffing around, it will make it harder.”

His brow shot up in mock surprise. “You expect me to believe you prefer my way of handling it to Deveraux’s by-the-books approach?”

“Were either of the two cases we worked together by the books?” I countered.

“I could have turned you in for the Sylvester brothers’ murders and I wouldn’t have been held accountable.

” I drew a breath. “I’ll be honest, at the time, I didn’t understand why I didn’t turn you in, but I was never tempted to report you.

And you and I both know we violated quite a few rules while investigating Hugo Burton’s disappearance. ”

He cocked his head, his face still a mask of indifference. “Much to your reluctance.”

“But I stayed anyway,” I said, then my tone softened as the truth sunk in. “I stayed.”

At the time, I’d told myself I was cutting corners to solve the case, but if I were totally honest, that wasn’t the only reason.

Something flashed in his eyes that looked remarkably like panic, but it was gone just as quickly. He stood. “It’s been a long-ass day. I’m goin’ to bed. The guest bedroom is the one in the front.”

I stood too. “Do you believe me?”

“Do I have reason not to?” he countered, one brow cocked.

“I have no intention of betraying you, James,” I said solemnly.

He gave me a sad smile, then shook his head. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” And with that, he turned and walked down the short hall.

I stayed in place until I heard the soft click of his door, wondering what he’d meant and why it scared him.