Free Chasing Adonis by Gina Ardito

temper in check, resisting the strong
temptation to send his chair clattering to the floor in the hope of gaining
some kind of reaction out of this character. With quiet dignity, he left the
room, and strode to the entrance next door. A quick knob twist and urgent push
later, he found himself in a room swarming with swooning females.
    “Oh my God, isn’t he the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever
seen?” Andrea Parkins blew a kiss to the man on the other side of the two-way
mirror, and damned if Pha didn’t imitate the action.
    “Makes me wish I hadn’t married Angelo,” an older heavy-set
woman agreed with a giggle. “If I’d known someone like this would come along, I
might have postponed the wedding for forty years.”
    “Do you think there are more like him in Cyprus?” another
chimed in.
    “I don’t know,” Andrea replied. “But I’m gonna find out. I’m
Googling travel sites on my lunch hour and booking a flight.”
    Shane’s temper exploded. “What the hell are you all doing in
here? Out! Get out!” He grabbed Andrea’s arm as she shuffled past. “Where’s
Lou?”
    “Who?”
    “Lou Gennaro. I asked Lou to be in here while I interrogated
that guy.”
    She giggled. “For all I know, he’s somewhere in the crowd.
But if it’s witnesses you’re worried about, you’ve got more than enough. We’ll
all testify he’s innocent as a newborn babe, won’t we, ladies?”
    A chorus of “Mmm-hmm,” erupted from the gaggle of females
leaving the room.
    Good Lord, there had to be two dozen women in here.
    “Oh, he’s a babe, all right,” a husky voice called out from
the crowd.
    No, it couldn’t be. But as her face came into view, he knew
it could be, and it was. Rachel Stewart!
    “Don’t tell Jake I was here,” she whispered in Shane’s ear
as she floated out into the hallway. “I was supposed to meet him for lunch.”
    In utter defeat, Shane returned to Interrogation Room One.
“You’re free to go for now, Mr. Pha. But you may need to make yourself
available to other detectives in the future.”
    “Ah, yes.” Pha rose to his feet and brushed imaginary dust
off his slacks. “How do you say it in your American movies? ‘Don’t leave the
country.’ Never fear, Detective. Since I am beholden to Adara, you will always
know where to find me.”
    Shane shook his head as he followed. That was exactly what
worried him.

 
    Chapter Seven
     
    Shane caught up to Pha in the hallway and took his arm.
“Come on. I’ll take you home.”
    “Really, Detective.” Pha shook himself free and glared at
Shane as if he were a buzzing mosquito. “That won’t be necessary, I assure
you.”
    “It’s procedure. I brought you here; I have to bring you
home.”
    “I’m not going home. I am returning to the hospital.”
    Adara. The bastard intended to continue hovering over her,
maybe even threatening her. “Great. I need to question Adara again anyway.”
    Pha stared at him with fathomless eyes. “Do you normally
investigate automobile accidents so thoroughly, Detective Griffin?”
    Shane gave back glare for glare. “I put the same amount of
diligence into all my cases, Mr. Pha. After fifteen years on the force, I’ve
learned that what’s on the surface often belies the truth hidden below.”
    Jeez, now he’s got me talking in his stilted way.
    “Mr. Pha!” a feminine voice called out from behind them.
“Yoo-hoo, Mr. Pha?”
    Becky. Running down the front steps as quickly as the
ridiculous heels she’d strapped on her feet allowed. And was that makeup on her
face? What the hell?
    “Mr. Pha, I just wanted to say hello. I’m Becky Forrester. I
was the 911 operator who took your call this morning.”
    “Miss Forrester,” Pha intoned as he lifted her outstretched
hand to his lips. “I cannot thank you enough for your invaluable assistance at
a time when I needed it most.”
    She actually batted her lashes and emitted a high-pitched
giggle. Shane’s jaw dropped. Unflappable Becky, who had