Free Dirty Rotten Scoundrel by Liliana Hart Page A

Graves.”
    Lauren’s clear blue eyes met mine and she gave a professional nod. “If you’ll look over the warrant and make sure everything is in order we can get to the bottom of this.”
    I opened the folded sheaf of papers with surprisingly steady hands, but I didn’t really see the words on the page. The tension between Jack and Lauren was palpable and I had nothing but questions that I knew I didn’t want the answers to.
    “It looks good ,” I said, folding it back up. “Let me unlock the door for you.” I turned my back on Jack and Lauren and walked swiftly up the sidewalk where the team was waiting to get in. Agent Greer stayed at my side.
    I unlocked the kitchen door and tried not to panic as the team crowded in behind me. I stood in front of the keypad, blocking the view of the code that would let us into the basement. The door opened with a soft click and the cold air rushed over us.
    “You’re welcome to come down and observe while we remove the remains,” Greer said. “We have no intention of inconveniencing you.”
    “Thank you.”
    The lights came on automatically as we stepped over the threshold and I led them down the staircase instead of using the elevator. I showed them the freezer where I was keeping the body, the bag of clothing, and the sealed bag with his finger and the removed skin I’d had to take for the fingerprint.
    I stood off in the corner as they searched every inch of the lab and every file cabinet drawer to make sure there wasn’t further information I was keeping somewhere. I don’t know if it was divine intervention or something else at play that had made me take the boxes belonging to my parents, but I was glad we’d moved them to Jack’s.
    Jack and Lauren came down through the elevator—probably in deference to the heels that brought the top of her head even with Jack’s chin—and my gaze passed over them briefly , even though I could feel Jack’s eyes. He broke away from Lauren and came to stand beside me, leaning back against the wall in a casual pose. I crossed my arms over my chest and scooted farther back into the corner. I answered questions when they were directed at me, but mostly I was just numb.
    “You don’t have to stay here the whole time,” Jack finally said. “This could take hours. We could wait up in the kitchen and make some coffee.” Jack’s hand came up and rested on the back of my neck and he kissed my temple, but I was still stiff under his touch.
    “I’m sorry for earlier. ”
    I wasn’t sure if he was referring to our argument or how he’d reacted to seeing Lauren, so I didn’t say anything.
    “ I understand why you waited to tell me, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less that your first reaction wasn’t to confide in me but to deal with it yourself.”
    I sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “I don’t think I can talk about this now, Jack. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but the way you reacted says a lot, and you’ve made your position perfectly clear. I probably should have told you sooner. I’ll apologize for that. I’m still getting used to having someone to go to.”
    “The thing is, Jaye, y ou’ve always come to me with personal things before. I’ve been your friend longer than I’ve been your lover. The friendship part shouldn’t change now that we’re sleeping together.”
    I pressed my lips together and pushed away from the wall. “I could use some coffee. Maybe with a shot of the whiskey I keep under the counter.”
    Jack said a few words to Agent Greer and then we headed back up to the kitchen. I felt Lauren’s eyes follow us up, but I didn’t turn to look at her. She was an element of this mess I couldn’t deal with just yet.
    The kitchen was surprisingly empty considering the chaos happening below, and I went automatically to the cabinet and pulled out the coffee grounds. Jack took the bag from my hands out of self-preservation because I always made shitty coffee no matter how precisely I followed the