Page 126 of Snowbound Threat

“Thank you, Detective. Seriously.”

“Yeah.” I shove my hands into my pockets. “How long are you staying in town for?”

“I don’t know. Until I get some answers, I guess. I’m hoping to be home for Christmas, but since it’s only two weeks away, I understand that might be a hard timeline to hit.”

“No cases you’re currently working on?”

She shakes her head. “Vacation.”

“Some vacation.”

“You’re telling me.” She shoulders her purse but leaves the photo on the table. “So where do we start?”

I stare at her. “We?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you came here for my help.”We? I can’t work with Beckett as a “we.” She’s too distracting. My mind will be on her the entire time, rather than the case files I’ll need to go over.

“I did. But I’m not leaving. I’m perfectly capable of helping, Detective, and I would really rather not go sit in my hotel room while I wait for answers.”

I should argue with her, but given everything I know about Beckett, that argument would fall flat. Still, how am I supposed to focus when theonewoman I can’t stop thinking about is sitting only a few feet away?

“Fine. But we do this my way, understand?”

She holds up both hands. “Understood. Where do we start?”

5.Beckett

Six hours and we’ve got a whole lot of nothing. Files lay open on the conference table, and Shawn is seated across from me, head down as he scans an inventory report from the scene of the accident.

It wasn’t something I could stomach. Especially given the photos included. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to remember Paul as he was and not what I saw on that stainless steel slab when I’d been called in to identify his broken body.

My cell dings, so I lift it and see a text from Carly. It brings a smile to my face.Perfect timing.

Carly: Hey, girl. Thinking about you. Hope all is going well with the handsome detective. Is he there now? You should send your friend a pic.

Me: You have no idea how much I needed you to text me. Thanks. I’m okay. Detective Sampson is here, too. And no, I won’t be sending you a pic.

Though the mental image of him shirtless from earlier assaults me now, and my cheeks heat. I set my phone down.

When it dings again, I don’t hesitate to pick it up.

Larry: Still waiting on your response. Hope you’re having a great day, beautiful.

Bile burns my throat, and I groan, closing my eyes and setting my phone aside to rub the heels of my palms against them. Maybe if I rub my eyes hard enough, it’ll erase his messages from my brain.

“You doing okay?”

I open my eyes, surprised to find Shawn staring at me. “Fine. Just dealing with someone who doesn’t understand the word no.” I force a smile. “I’m in need of some coffee, though.”

“Break room is straight across,” he says, pointing toward the door.

Even though coffee is the last thing my churning stomach needs, I push up from my chair. “Want any?”

Without looking at me, he raises his mug.

“Got it.”Why can’t he be at least mildly tolerable?“I’ll be right back.”