Pauline let out a string of curses that at one time would have shocked Miranda. Now, it wasn’t anything she hadn’t heard before. And the look in the woman’s eyes—yeah, she’d seen that look before, too.
Miranda tensed, readying herself for the inevitable. Pauline darted toward the open door that sat behind her desk. Right into the parking lot.
Miranda shouted, almost in unison with Knight. She rounded the counter.
Knight vaulted over it in a rather impressive display, cutting her off before she could get to Pauline. If she’d had time, she would have enjoyed watching the long, lean body in action. Miranda was only steps behind him as he bolted out the door after the woman.
Pauline Beise was middle-aged, overweight, and significantly out of shape. Did she seriously think she could outrun two FBI agents? Miranda had seen some stupid things out of people since she’d started with the bureau, that was for sure.
Not to mention that Max was waiting. For this very possibility.
Pauline took one look at the tall man waiting, his arms crossed over his hard, broad chest, and she squealed. Stopped.
So abruptly that Knight almost crashed into her.
Miranda pulled her cuffs. “Pauline Beise, you’re coming with us. You’re going to answer a few questions.”
“Am I under arrest?”
“Not yet. But you are a person of interest in the death of Helen Caudrell.”
“I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“But you know who did?”
“I want a lawyer.”
Knight smirked at Miranda, a rare smile revealing surprisingly sexy dimples and perfect, white teeth. Of course, he would have a perfect smile. “No problem. Miranda, you want to do the Miranda?”
Well, so Knight had a snarky sense of humor in there, too. Would wonders never cease?
Miranda turned toward the woman she’d known since she’d been all of nine years old. Pauline Beise had not aged well. At forty-nine, she looked ten years older. Weathered and rough, even though her clothing seemed neat. “It would be my pleasure.”
24
Knight was an idiot. In the Wyoming sun, Miranda Talley just looked confident, beautiful, and…perfect. He was an idiot. There was no denying that fact.
He resisted the urge to snarl at her.
Instead, he turned to Pauline. “We’ll need to call someone to lock up your building for the day.”
“Unless you want one of us to do it for you?” Miranda asked in that maddeningly calm, pleasant tone. Knight wondered how long it had taken her to perfect that. It was just designed to get under people’s skin. Deliberately.
“Screw you, bitch. You were always a bitch. Just like your grandmother. Everyone always saying how perfect your family was. Even my daughter wouldn’t shut up about you and the great Flo Talley.”
“Grandma is well-liked in Masterson, isn’t she? Pauline, would you like Max here to lock up your store while we talk? He’s pretty reliable.”
“I have nothing to say.”
Pauline reached out and shoved her knee toward the taller woman. Dr. Talley expertly blocked the kick with one arm.
“There we go. Look at that. Assaulting a federal officer,” Agent Jones said. “Looks like I’ll be locking up the shop, after all. Miranda, feeling a bit wounded, are you?”
“It’ll take me days to recover. Pauline, we’re going to have a talk.”
“I’m going to sue!”
“You go right ahead. I’m sure the bureau would be more than willing to pass the matter over to our legal team. You know how the government can be—always willing to keep the lawyers employed,” Jones said mildly. “I’m a lawyer myself—and they’re always after me to work overtime.”
“Max has a great sense of humor as well as a pretty smile,” Miranda said. “Watch your head. You’re going to sit here for a while.”
An hour later, Miranda stood chatting with the local sheriff. The man was about Knight’s age and seemed more cowboy than cop. Much like Joel Masterson.
Knight watched the man speaking with Miranda, trying to see if it was just him who was drawn to her like an idiot—well, Knight and Gunderson—or if she had that effect on random men out there.
She looked good today. She wore black trousers like those he’d seen on every other FBI agent he’d ever worked with. It had snowed the evening before—he’d heard her borrow the coat from one of her cousins. It was dark purple and made the red in her hair far more noticeable. The tight braid she’d pulled the ridiculous mass of hair into emphasized her face.
Even the glasses highlighted the prettiness of her eyes. When she smiled at Sheriff Karr, Knight’s gut tightened. The other man didn’t seem affected by her at all.
He knew exactly what it meant.
He was attracted to Miranda Talley. No denying it any longer.
Knight’s fingers went to the scar as his irritation deepened. His best bet was to avoid Dr. Miranda Talley as much as humanly possible. Before he did something absolutely stupid.
25
Sheriff Karr locked up the Olde Thyme Flea Market and offered to transport Pauline the long drive to Masterson County.
Jac was digging into Paula Smith’s finances. She hadn’t paid taxes under her social security number in fourteen years. Nor, apparently, had she paid taxes on the false social security number she was using, either. Jac had made noises about tax fraud and even identity theft. Jac was on the trail, and she wouldn’t stop until she had answers she wanted.
Pauline wasn’t going anywhere.
Miranda was more than glad to let the sheriff have that little duty. Pauline hadn’t shut up since she’d finished Mirandizing her. And it all had to do with how horrible Miranda’s family had been to hers.
Pitiful.
If anything, Miranda’s grandmother had been perfectly cordial to the Beises, welcoming Monica into her home every time. Miranda’s grandmother had even bought Monica’s softball equipment when they’d been fourteen, and Luther Beise hadn’t been working due to an injury.
Maybe that was it? The resentment
