“I have a few questions for Miss Harmony.”
“Is this official business?”
“Yes, you’ll have to go Dolores.”
This wasn’t how it had been before. Grace felt the undertow had taken a hold of her foot and she was going to drown. Dolores left and Grace settled on her couch that opened to a bed. Zach stood.
“Sit.”
“No.”
“I’m not answering questions with you towering over me. Do I need a lawyer?”
He sat. “Not unless you did something wrong.”
“I haven’t. What is this about?”
“The fire at your apartment complex. Your landlord is missing and the fire started in your apartment.”
Grace put a hand over her open mouth. “I asked him to look at my stove. I thought it was leaking. Could that have started the fire?”
“We don’t know exactly how the fire started, but it wasn’t an accident. How well did you know your landlord?”
“Not well. I’d only lived there three weeks.”
Zach flipped open a pad. “You didn’t see him socially?”
“Socially? He’s married.”
His stare went through her. Then she understood him.
“Lovers. You think I was his lover? Have you seen his wife?”
“No.”
“She’s a beautiful woman. Why would he have an affair with me when he could go home to that?”
His gaze remained unflinching, but she refused to fill in the silence. So the lack of noise stretched on for a moment, Grace staring into his gray eyes. Faint lines on his granite face hinted at the character they’d show when he was older.
His olive skin was already beginning to sport a tan, which didn’t make sense if he spent the day in an office. “So he was in your apartment to fix the stove?”
“I guess. I was on my way to meet him.”
She relaxed. If this was about the fire then she had nothing to worry about. “Have you eaten?”
His gaze bounced from his notepad then to her. His eyes narrowed. “No.”
“There’s some leftover Chinese I could heat up.”
“Miss this is an official investigation.”
“So you don’t eat when you’re on duty?”
“This isn’t a social call.”
“I didn’t expect it was, but you need to eat.”
His eyes looked tired in that instant as if he’d fought too many battles that day to win this one. “Fine, but where were you earlier today?”
“You mean when the fire would have been set?”
“Yes if it turns out it was set.”
“You’re leaning that way.”
He shrugged. “Instincts.”
“Okay.”
She put the food in a microwave bowl and set it on its course to reheating. Then she wiped her hands on a towel before settling back on the couch. “I got off work about 6 a.m.”
“Did you go home?”
“No, we’d had a tough last call and I was wired. I went to the gym, worked out.”
“Anyone see you there?”
“I had to sign in with an electronic card.”
He cocked his head. “But you could have left?”
“I guess, yes, I could have. But I didn’t.”
“Then what?”
“I called Dolores and she met me at her place. She told me she was taking a half day anyway so she didn’t mind.”
“What time?”
“I’m gonna say ten or so. She may remember.”
“I’ll ask her.”
“No doubt.”
His gaze flicked back to her. She sensed something warm in his look, but he quickly buried it. The microwave dinged.
“Then after Dolores?”
“Shopping. I can show you the receipts.”
He nodded, snapped his book closed then stood. “How about that food?”
She eyed him wondering how he could bounce out of his cop persona so readily. “Food’s done then.”
He smiled. “Good, I’m starved.”
Zach dialed Ed Bauer as soon as he left Grace’s apartment. “She didn’t do it.”
“Who didn’t do what?”
“Grace Harmony didn’t set that fire.”
“What about the stuff I uncovered in Pennsylvania?”
“I don’t care. She didn’t do it.”
“Okay, but I’m not closing the book on her just because you’re dick is twitching.”
Zach disconnected and let out a loud laugh. Yes his dick was twitching
Chapter Fourteen
Grace’s cell phone rang, waking her out of an amazing dream. About Zach again.
Mark’s slurred speech brought her to full awake. Something was very wrong. Her bones told her. They ached with anticipation and not from her erotic fantasy.
“Mark? Are you drunk?”
What was going on with him? It was as if the world had leaned a little on its axis. Nothing was as it should be. She hated being confused.
“Yes, I’m sitting on the beach, toasted in several ways.”
“What’s wrong?”
She hadn’t known Mark to be a drinker. The occasional beer was the most she’d ever seen him consume. Something awful must have happened to him.
“I love you,” he said, with finality.
The words hung in her ear like a crouton that was too dry to swallow. This was not a problem she needed right now.
Her eyes fell closed. This was all happening too fast. She knew he felt this way, but why was he calling so soon? “What? Mark, what’s wrong? Tell me.”
“That’s it, Gracie. I love you and always have. I’m trying to prevent a murder, here. I’m so wracked with guilt.”
“Mark, calm down. Who is going to get murdered?”
Not another one. She’d had enough of dead bodies in her 29 years. She couldn’t handle another one.
“Oh, Gracie. You know. You always knew. Sometimes before I did.”
