They pulled apart as a group of cops came out of the police station and headed for his pickup.
He opened her passenger-side door for her before he walked stiffly around to climb behind the wheel. When he looked over at Mo, he saw that her cheeks were flushed. “About the kiss—”
She cut him off. “I liked it, okay? Let’s leave it at that for now.”
He couldn’t help his grin as he punched the key into the ignition. “So,” he said, clearing his throat. “Do you think JP might be responsible for your sister’s death?” Brick heard her settle into her side of the pickup cab. He wondered if her heart was pounding as hard as his was.
“I don’t know. I think JP’s life of privilege and his unrequited love for my sister makes him capable of murder. I want to talk to his father. The elder Jeffrey Palmer was not happy about the situation. I’m wondering what he might have done about it.”
Her cell phone rang. She checked to see who it was and quickly picked up. “Elroy, tell me you made sense of those papers I gave you.” She listened, nodding, then smiling over at Brick. “If you’re sure that’s what needs to be done. Just keep a copy of them for...insurance.” She chuckled. “No, I don’t trust anyone. And thanks again.” As she disconnected, she looked like the cat who’d eaten the canary. “We definitely should talk to Jeffrey Palmer Sr.”
“You aren’t going to tell me?”
She merely smiled. “Let’s see what Jeffrey says first.”
He liked that there was no question about them not working together anymore. They were in it to the end. He just didn’t like thinking about it ending.
“Jeffrey Palmer Sr. has a lodge near Lone Peak Mountain outside of Big Sky. I thought we could pay him a surprise visit.”
Brick smiled over at her as he started the pickup. “Lucky me, I know the way.”
“THE TRACKING DEVICE isn’t working.”
The PI sat up in bed, blinking as he tried to wake up. He’d been on an all-night surveillance trying to get the goods on a cheating husband and had just gotten to sleep when his cell phone had rung.
He started to ask, “Who is this?” but then he knew. He’d thought it was the last he’d be hearing from this client. “I put it on the deputy’s truck.”
“Well, you must have not gotten it right because I show the truck is on its way to the Midwest.”
Jim groaned. “He must have discovered it.” That could mean only one thing. “He must have caught you following him.” Silence. He closed his eyes, cursing silently. This is why he hated to have clients take over the surveillance. They thought they could do this, but often learned the hard way that it wasn’t that easy. Now his client had blown it.
“What can we do now?”
He opened his eyes, having been here before. “I might be able to find them but it will take time and money.”
“Find them. I don’t care what it costs.”
The PI smiled. This was why he always put a second tracking device on the vehicle that only he could access on his phone. He knew it wouldn’t be found because the first device was where it couldn’t be missed. Once they found the first one, they never looked for a second.
“I’ll do what I can.” He hung up and reached for his phone to check the device. It appeared the deputy was headed home to Big Sky. Turning off the phone, Jim lay back down and closed his eyes. He would let the client stew for at least a few hours before he called to inform him of the cost before he told him where he could find the deputy.
A THUNDERSTORM MOVED across the tops of the mountains, smothering the sunlight and throwing the canyon in deep shadow as they neared Big Sky.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry,” Brick said. He’d had breakfast in jail, but hadn’t eaten since.
“I’m starved,” Mo said and glanced around, surprised they were almost back to Big Sky. She realized she must have fallen asleep—and not had a nightmare. That alone surprised her almost as much as the earlier kiss. Oh, she’d known that Brick was going to kiss her. She’d been expecting it for some time.
What had come as a shock were the emotions the kiss had evoked. Not just desire. The deputy was drop-dead sexy. But the close feeling she’d felt. The safe, protected...loving feeling that had filled her. Was that why she hadn’t had the nightmare?
That she’d even come close to thinking the L word scared her. She knew his reputation and she wasn’t about to fall for him. Maybe she hadn’t had the nightmare because she knew she was close to getting justice for her sister—if not for Joey.
“I know a great place to eat,” Brick said and pulled out his phone. “I’ll get us a reservation.”
“Reservation?” She looked down at what she was wearing. “I’m not dressed for somewhere fancy.”
“Trust me, you’re dressed perfectly for this place.” He grinned at her and even the approaching thunderstorm couldn’t dampen the moment.
She smiled back at him, enjoying his enthusiasm. How easy it would be to fall for this man. She shook her head at that stray thought and realized the time. It was almost five in the afternoon. Whatever restaurant he called must have just opened for the evening.
“Great, we’ll be there in about twenty minutes,” he said into the phone and disconnected. “The special tonight is roast beef with mashed potatoes, freshly picked carrots in a butter sauce and chocolate cake for dessert.”
She groaned. “You are making my mouth water.”
“And what a mouth it is.”
She felt heat rush to her cheeks and looked away, telling herself not to get caught up
