Free Sunrise in a Garden of Love & Evil by Barbara Monajem Page A

not to think about getting off. "No wonder your sister feels abandoned, with a brother like you." Her eyes flew to his. "I didn't mean that! I'm sure you care about Art. I'm not usually so rude, although you probably find that hard to believe. Not that it matters what you think, since you're such a sleaze."
    "I'm not a sleaze." Gideon shifted to give Ophelia access to Gretchen's other flank. "How about we call a truce? Play it straight with each other?"
    She wished. What a deep, calm voice. What laughing eyes. Until he saw the goddamned fangs. Until he--She shut her mind to the memories. "It's not that simple."
    "We'll see about that," Gideon said. "Is Art the one being blackmailed?"
    Ophelia fought for an answer and came up with nothing. She gathered the discarded clumps of Gretchen's hair into a pile.
    "Damn it," Gideon growled. "What's she done?"
    Ophelia shook her head. "Nothing illegal, but she thinks you'll disapprove. If you go in ranting and raving, you'll estrange her even more. You'd better leave it to me."
    "I don't rant and rave! I don't even disapprove. She's an adult. She can do what she pleases."
    "Uh-huh." Ophelia allowed herself a tight little smile. Gretchen yawned and laid her head on her paws. "Even vacuum the house naked?"
    Gideon's face darkened. "What, she told you her whole life's story in the last hour? She can do anything she likes naked, but not with the curtains open. That's just plain dumb."
    "She's trying to say something, Gideon. She got out of a bad marriage, but she's lost whatever sexual confidence she had, which I suspect wasn't much to start with. She's fighting back, but she shouldn't have to fight you, too."
    "She told you all this?"
    "Not in so many words."
    Gideon stared down at the steps, clearly fighting chagrin. "It's my fault if she's turning to strangers instead of me." A squirrel chattered along the branch of a live oak by the road. It started down the trunk, tail twitching, and Gretchen's nose came up. Gideon, too, was watching the squirrel. "What can I do for her? I admit it--apart from sex, I don't have a clue about women, and Art's not about to discuss her sex life with me."
    "Be a friend. Hang out with her. When she looks good, say so. And when you remind her to shut the curtains, make sure she knows it's not because you disapprove of nakedness, but because you care about her and want her to be safe." The squirrel reached the ground and Gretchen took off, barking joyfully, to scare it back up the tree. Ophelia chuckled. "What a darling dog." She smiled at Gideon, forgetting restraint.
    He swallowed. "Lord, you're beautiful."
    Ophelia flinched and stood up in a rush. "Art and Andrea Dukas are both being blackmailed. Andrea and her husband really are out of town, and you don't need to discuss it with Art, because I'm going after the blackmailer myself."
    Gideon stood as well, his appalled expression everything she could have hoped.
    Ophelia headed for the stairs. Back to detective work, Mr. O'Toole. Thank God.

C HAPTER F IVE
    Gideon laid a hand on the retreating woman's arm. "Hold on a minute."
    "Let go of me!" Ophelia ripped herself away from him.
    Lord Almighty. "Look, Ms. Beliveau ," Gideon tried, "I don't know what you've been through, or why you can't let yourself be pleasant with me, but my sister's at risk. If you won't tell me what you're planning, I have no choice but to take care of it myself."
    Ophelia paced the porch, fists clenched, looking anywhere but at him. Finally she said, "This may seem irrelevant to you, but I'm trying to find a way that Art and Andrea don't have to accuse this guy and expose themselves. For sure, Andrea won't do it. She'd move halfway round the world rather than risk her kids going into foster care. And Art's talking about giving up her job."
    "What? She loves her job! She's a born teacher." Gideon stifled the urge to slam his way into the house. "What's she being blackmailed for?"
    Ophelia threw up her hands. "She was doing nude modeling