Free SEE HIM DIE by Debra Webb Page B

muddled thoughts. “I guess your car is in the shop?”
    “For the next few days.”
    “I can pay you now if you don’t mind taking a check.”
    He held up his hands. “Like I said, we’ll work out the arrangements when this investigation is cleared up.”
    “Okay.”
    A beat of silence followed and Julie wished Marie would say something.
    “Well, I’ll get back to surveillance if you don’t need anything.”
    “Thank you, Detective,” Marie said. “You let us know if
you
need anything. Water, coffee, a sandwich.”
    He nodded before turning and walking away. Julie closed the door and locked it. Maybe she would actually sleep tonight and dream about something besides blood and death.
    “He’s got a thing for you.”
    Julie blinked. “What?”
    “Detective Duncan has the hots for you.”
    Julie frowned. “What’re you talking about?” The last twenty-four hours had apparently been too much for her friend as well. Evidently, Julie wasn’t the only one who’d lost her mind.
    “I saw the way he looked at you,” Marie argued. “I heard the way his voice changed when he spoke to you. He likes you.”
    “We scarcely know each other.” Julie waved her friend off and headed for the kitchen. She suddenly felt like she could actually eat. “I rear-ended his Mustang.”
    “And,” Marie said pointedly, “he’s in no hurry to settle up.”
    “Detective Duncan,” Julie said just as pointedly, “is simply being nice.”
    “Whatever you say.” Marie opened the fridge door and grabbed a beer. “But I’m right.”
    Julie grabbed a beer for herself. “Just remember that guys like the detective have never found me attractive. I was too busy with my nose in a book and my fingers on a calculator.” Her husband was dead. They shouldn’t even be having this conversation. Then again, why not? Austin had stopped being her husband months ago.
    “This one,” Marie gave her a nod, “definitely finds you attractive.”
    If Marie was right, Julie absolutely had the worst timing in the world.
    Her estranged husband had just been murdered, and she was either a prospective suspect or a potential victim. Either way, she was a person of interest.
    She supposed she wouldn’t know which until she was either arrested or dead.
    God help her.

 
     

Chapter Eight
    Sunday, June 28, 12:30 a.m.
    Blake stood on the opposite side of the street and watched the house belonging to Julie Barton’s friend. He couldn’t sit in the car any longer and he’d lost count of the times he’d walked the block. Drawing in a deep breath, he propped against a tree in the darkest area he could find and fixed his attention on the window of the room where Julie was sleeping.
    His gut tightened. He did not want to feel sympathy for her and somehow he did. She’d looked so tired and so afraid tonight. He hoped she’d hired herself a damned good attorney. He was surprised she’d offered to pay him for the damages to the Mustang. Had she come into some money since Wednesday? Randall Barton had visited her. Maybe the two of them had planned Austin’s murder. Was her innocent act, just that? Jealousy followed immediately by fury jolted through Blake. He had to get his head on straight. All these months he’d been watching the Barton brothers and Julie. He’d learned nothing that would help prove Randall killed his brother. What he had learned was that he couldn’t keep his head on straight around her.
    A shadow passed across the window of Julie’s bedroom, drawing his attention there. Damned sheer curtains didn’t give enough privacy. He’d watched her silhouette exactly this way night after night the first few months he was in Mobile… until she’d gotten too deep under his skin. He pushed off the tree and started pacing again. He’d watched her until he couldn’t bear to look at her anymore.
    How could any woman married to a Barton look so damned vulnerable and innocent?
    Part of him wanted to believe she wasn’t involved in the