Free Uncovered by Linda Winfree Page A

sturdy flashlight aloft, he followed her. In the back bedroom, she gathered an armful of textbooks and added a navy fleece and stuffed unicorn to the mix. Edgy impatience crawled down his spine. Sweet Jesus, she was taking her sweet time, picking up the kid’s stuff.
    Catching his eye, she shrugged. “She’s had it forever and she’s lost without it.”
    “Anything else you need while we’re here?” His phone buzzed against his waist, and he pulled it free, flipped it open to read the naughty little text message from his wife.
    Holy…
    Allison had to hurry it up.
    “I think this is…oh, wait.” Juggling the books, she pointed back down the hall. “I can’t remember if I grabbed pajamas earlier. Would you mind pulling some from my top drawer?”
    Impatience burned under his skin, and he smothered it. This mess wasn’t her fault, and the discovery of the remains had thrown her life into uproar enough. The light filtering in from the mercury lamp over the backyard kept him from stubbing his toes on the massive cannonball bed that dominated the room. He pulled the dresser drawer open and snagged the sleep set lying on top.
    She waited at the doorway and he reached for some of what she held. “Here, let me take the books.”
    “Thanks.” She handed them over. With her arms full, they got a little tangled, and it took him a second to extricate his wrist from her hand.
    He opened his mouth to ask if there were any more needed items and closed it. He was ready to get home, damn it.
    His phone vibrated along his belt again. He tilted his head toward the front door. “It’s getting late. Let’s get you out of here.”
    Her laugh trilled as she picked her way through the dark living room. “It’s barely eight thirty.”
    Shit. They’d put Lee down at…aw, he was screwed. Or rather, he wouldn’t be if he didn’t get Allison the hell out of here, fast.
    “I should really buy you a coffee or something.” Allison stopped at the bottom of the steps while he secured the house. “I think this counts as above and beyond the call of duty.”
    She had no freakin’ idea.
    He had to wait for her to unlock the damn car before he could settle the textbooks on the backseat. She tossed the other items on the cluttered passenger seat and turned to look at him, her arm resting along the open door.
    “Well, thank you again. You’ll call me, won’t you, when we can come back?”
    “Sure.” He flipped through his keys. “Good night.”
    “Good night, Tick.”
    He made sure her car started and she pulled away before he headed in the other direction. Luckily, he caught all the traffic lights on green and ten minutes later pulled to a stop in the driveway. The back door opened as he climbed from the truck. Caitlin leaned against the porch column.
    Tick strode up the brick walkway. “Tell me he’s still asleep.”
    “Out like a light.” She shook her head, shivering a little in the cold air. “What took you so long?”
    “You don’t want to know.” He bounded up the steps, pausing just long enough to sweep her up into his arms. Inside, he pushed the door closed with his foot.
    On a soft laugh, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer. “Well hello, Rhett.”
    An answering chuckle rumbled in his chest as he carried her through to their bed. “Come on, Scarlett, and I’ll show you just how much I do give a damn.”

    Madeline parked next to Ash’s decrepit Ford, nerves she hadn’t felt since she was a fifteen-year-old girl fluttering low in her belly. She was late—the crime scene investigation had dragged way past the end of her shift. She’d called Ash to cancel dinner with a distinct sense of regret. He’d surprised her by telling her to come when she was ready; dinner would wait.
    She couldn’t remember the last time a man had been so understanding about the demands of her career.
    Um, probably because that had been never?
    Sucking in a deep breath, she swung out of the car. It was cold, her