She took a deep, calming breath of the jasmine-scented air opened the glass door and stepped inside. The plump middle-aged lady at reception glanced up. “Can I help you?”
“I’m Rosa Reed and am here to see Detective Belmonte. I called earlier to arrange an appointment.”
“Yes, he did mention he was expecting you.”
The woman led Rosa down a hall and through a large room containing several cubicles where officers were tapping on typewriters, rustling papers, or talking on the telephone. It was a scene very familiar to Rosa.
Miguel had a private office partitioned from the rest of the officer stations by a frosted-glass wall and a wood-veneer door which was opened wide. Through it, she saw him at his desk talking on the telephone. Seeing him for the first time in a shirt and tie in his position of detective made her breath catch in her throat. The last time she remembered feeling this sensation was when she’d first laid eyes on him in his soldier’s uniform.
Winston had never had that effect on her. Poor Winston. Still, Rosa was sure she’d done the right thing by not marrying him. Her only regret was that it had taken too long for her to realize that he wasn’t the man for her.
Miguel stilled when he spotted her, his eyes lingering for a moment. A smile came a second too late as he gestured for her to take a seat in the chair across from his desk.
Like most detectives’ offices, this one was austere and efficient. Blinds on the window were closed against the mid-morning sun. Several metal filing cabinets lined the wall, and above Miguel’s desk hung a framed diploma from the Los Angeles Police Academy. Rosa idly looked for a picture of his fiancée, but Miguel didn’t have personal objects in view.
“Sorry about that,” he said as he hung up the phone. He walked out from behind his desk.
“Don’t apologize,” Rosa replied. “I’m grateful you made time to see me at such short notice. I know you’re busy right now.”
“Yes, I am, but it’s nice to see you. Besides, it’s not often we get a visit from a foreign dignitary here at the Santa Bonita Police Department.”
“Well, I’m not exactly the Queen, but I am quite famous, you know.” Rosa adopted a mock posh accent while batting her eyelashes and pretending to fluff the back of her hair with her left hand. “Well, at least my Aunt Louisa thinks so,” she quipped, which caused him to laugh.
Why did he have to be so blasted easy to talk to? Rosa wished they could just have a pleasant social visit over drinks and dinner with an easy, satisfying conversation. Instead, she had to broach a subject she was loathe to get into. Might as well jump right in.
“Miguel, I’m sorry about that phone call you got from the mayor’s office today.”
“It was actually Police Chief John Delvecchio who received the call. But yes, I know all about it.”
“Of course, well . . . as you know, my aunt can be quite obstinate and sometimes loses sight of propriety.”
“Your aunt is an interesting woman.”
“And very persuasive. I want you to know that I had nothing to do with that, and I’m not keen to join any investigation whatsoever. I know that the case has now been labeled as suspicious, and that you and your team are more than capable of solving it. I’m afraid I would probably just get in the way.”
“Oh, I doubt that very much.”
Rosa blinked back her surprise. She’d expected him to agree. In case he’d missed her point, she pressed on. “Furthermore, I am here on holiday, of sorts.” Rosa shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.
Miguel cocked his head as he leaned casually against his desk. “Of sorts?”
“Yes, of sorts.” There was no way on God’s green earth she would ever tell him the real reason she’d come to California. “How am I going to relax and be part of a murder investigation at the same time? Honestly, I don’t know what my aunt was thinking.”
Rosa was determined to make it easy for Miguel to reject her. Then she could go back to Aunt Louisa and say she’d tried but had been dismissed.
“I want you on this case. The chief agrees with me.”
Rosa stared back, stunned. “What?”
“It’s up to you, of course. You have to decide what you want to do on your holiday-of-sorts. But for my part, I want this case solved quickly and accurately, and I’d be a fool to dismiss your offer to assist. Your reputation at Scotland Yard is stellar. Yes, we called.”
“Oh,” was all Rosa could say.
“We have a suspect being held, but there are many questions still unanswered.” Miguel rubbed the back of his neck. “This is a relatively small town, Rosa. Now, I’ve never been to England, but I know they drive on the wrong side of the road—”
“The other side of the road,” Rosa interjected. “Not the wrong side.”
Miguel’s lips twitched, and Rosa caught a glimpse of a dratted dimple.
“Yes, right, and, for reasons unfathomable to me, they eat a lot of something called steak and kidney pie. But I’m afraid that’s where my knowledge ends. Experience has taught me, in towns like Santa Bonita, people tend to feed on their own drama. Help from someone with an objective perspective like you would be appreciated.” He folded his arms as though waiting for her response.
Rosa was speechless. Not only was his response to Aunt Louisa’s intrusion unexpected, but also, she felt a disconcerting bubble of pleasure. The thought of working with Miguel tickled her belly. She stared back at him. “I hate steak and kidney pie.”
Those adorable dimples made a full-on
