I frowned at him. “What are you doing?”
His throat bobbed, and I noticed the crimson blush that colored his throat and cheeks.
I couldn’t hold back a huge grin. “This place a little too racy for you, Officer Flint?” I backtracked and grabbed the fuzzy handcuffs, twirling them around one finger. “I thought you used this stuff every day?”
He blinked rapidly. “Not—not like those.”
I chuckled and tossed them back onto the table. Oh, so innocent and sheltered. Wonder what that must be like?
I shot Peter a flat look and waved him toward me. “Come on, nothing’s going to bite you.” I winked. “Unless you’re into that.”
I led the way toward the door in the back, not waiting for his reaction—though I was pretty sure I’d just made him blush even deeper. Why did that give me such a zing of pleasure?
“I bet this is the darkroom.” I pulled the door open and blinked as my eyes tried to adjust to the deep shadows inside. Peter stepped up behind me and reached overhead.
Clink.
Red light blanketed the closet, and Peter released the chain on the bulb, which swung over my head. I stepped inside with Peter and Daisy right behind me. Tubs of liquid covered a table to the right, with a sink and a stack of photos to the left. Magically moving photos hung from lengths of string, like clothes on a line.
I hiked my brows at a woman posing on the bed in black lingerie. She rolled over, whipped the bed frame, then clawed at the camera. I grinned back at Peter as I tapped the photo. “Bold moves.”
His throat bobbed, eyes wide. He blinked rapidly as he took in all the purring, posing, winking ladies in the pictures, then his gaze dropped to his shiny black shoes.
I bit back a smile. “Does this embarrass you, Officer Flint?” I planted a hand on my hip. “I’d have thought a beat on the streets of the Darkmoon District would have hardened you to such wanton women.”
“It’s not that they’re—er—” He cleared his throat, eyes still down on his feet. “Wanton. It’s just—”
I grinned and arched a brow. “Yes?”
He glanced up at me. “It’s just that these women didn’t intend anyone but themselves, Bim and… and whoever the photos were meant for, to see them.” He gave a small shrug.
I felt some of my glee at his embarrassment fade. Okay, that was actually kind of… respectful. I took a deep breath, then let it out. “Fair enough. But I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that we need to look through these.” I spread my arms wide at the dozens of women in these pictures. “These are our suspects.”
Peter’s lips quirked to the side as Daisy sniffed around the perimeter of the closet. “Our suspects?”
A little embarrassment stung my own chest and my cheeks warmed. “Look, you hired me to work the case.” I shrugged. “You don’t want my input, that’s fine.”
I crossed my arms and half turned from him, pretending to study a photo of a woman writhing around on the tiger skin rug. Still, I could feel Peter’s eyes on me. I rolled my own and turned to him. “What?”
He pressed his lips tight together in an amused smile. “I thought you didn’t want to be here.” He took a few steps closer and the dark, red-lit closet seemed to shrink around us.
I craned my neck to look up at him. “I don’t. It’s a job.” I shrugged and tried to act nonchalant, though my chest grew tight as he neared. “I’m just here for the money.”
“But you’re coming up with theories.” He smirked. “I think you’re enjoying yourself.”
My eyes widened as he looked down at me, his gaze focused on mine. What was happening? I spun partly away from him and hugged my arms tighter around me. “You wish.”
I arched my brows, keeping my gaze pointedly on the photos in front of me, though I couldn’t have told you what any of the women looked like. “I’ll just stick to reading animal minds, then.”
Urg. But I just couldn’t help myself. I spun back to face him. “Just one thing. Maybe someone’s husband or boyfriend… or girlfriend… felt like Bim had exploited their lady.” I tapped a stack of photos on the table in front of me. “Or maybe Amelie LeBec’s husband found out about her secret photo session for her secret lover and decided to take his anger about the affair out on Bim.” I flashed my eyes at Peter. “Come on. We’re clearly onto something here.”
He chuckled. “We can do our best to figure out her clients for the last few months and see if any one of them had issues with her.” He turned and scanned some shelves packed with supplies and file folders. He lifted his chin. “She must have a planner… or a contact list.”
He reached up and lifted a camera from a shelf, then held it to his eye. He spun to face me and pointed the bulky black device with the glowing blue bulb at my face. “Smile.”
“Ah!”
The bright blue flash blinded me. I pressed my eyes shut tight as a burned-out image of Peter and the camera floated across my vision. “Snakes!” I pressed the heels of my hands to my closed eyes.
“Flotsam.” A clunk sounded as Peter set down the camera. Two warm hands cupped my shoulders. “Sorry, Jolene.” He let out a little groan. “I didn’t mean to hit the button.”
I nodded, but didn’t say anything else. If blindness was the price I had to pay to get Peter’s strong hands on me, it might be worth it.
A knock sounded on the metal door from the hallway, and Peter and I stilled.
“Hello?” an unfamiliar male voice called.
I fought to peel a fluttering eyelid open. “Who’s there?” I hissed.
Peter drew his wand and turned his back to me. “Let’s find out.”
26
THE BLACK ENVELOPE
“Hey, Bim.” The man’s voice echoed through the large, open loft
