Free 2 A Dyed Blonde and a Dead Body by Cindy Bell

then answered the phone.
    “Malonie,” he said with more animosity than was meant for the caller. “Are you certain?” he asked with a slightly milder tone. “Make sure you have that information on my desk by the morning. Right, yes, we'll need to change the status of the case. Thank you.”
    He hung up the phone and slid into the driver's seat of the car. He tossed his phone into the console between the seats and grasped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white as the skin pulled taut.
    “Can you please tell me one thing Bekki?” he asked through gritted teeth. Bekki braced herself, prepared for a lecture, or worse, for Nick to make it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her.
    “Anything,” she agreed nervously.
    “How is it that you are always right?” he demanded and shot a glare in her direction.
    “Nick it's not what you think…” she started to defend herself, and then blinked slowly. “Wait, what did you say?”
    “You heard me,” Nick said smacking the heel of his palm against the steering wheel. “How am I supposed to get it through your head that what you're doing is wrong, if it always turns out to be right?”
    Bekki fell silent as she wondered just what kind of game he was playing. Was he trying to get her to confess something? Was it some kind of trick?
    “Well?” Nick asked again. “Any explanation?” he narrowed his eyes.
    “I just like to get to the truth,” Bekki said quietly.
    “I see that,” Nick nodded and wiped his hand across his face, rubbing lightly at his eyes as he did. “I sent in the note for handwriting analysis. I just got the results.”
    “Oh?” Bekki asked.
    “The note was forged Bekki, it wasn't written by Lydia,” he shook his head in disbelief. “You were so sure this whole time.”
    Bekki was silent as her heart thumped against her chest. “Can they tell who wrote it?”
    “Not without a sample to compare it to,” Nick explained. “But it certainly means that the case will be looked at more closely now. Thanks to you we already have a suspect.”
    “Why does it seem like that doesn't make you happy?” Bekki asked hesitantly.
    He sighed and stared through the windshield. “Bekki I just don't want you to put yourself in these dangerous situations. What if it hadn't been Dan that walked in? What if it had been Julie? Do you think you're immune to danger?”
    Bekki shook her head. “Of course not. But I can take care of myself, Nick,” she said firmly.
    “Until you can't,” he said sharply. “Then what? I'll be showing up to investigate?”
    “Nick, I was never in any danger,” Bekki said, her eyes narrowed with determination. “Lydia was the one who was in danger, and no one was there to help her. No one was there to stop it from happening.”
    “What makes you so different from Lydia, Bekki?” his voice raised some as he struck the steering wheel hard with his palm again. “That's my point. What makes you different from her?”
    Bekki sat back in her seat, a little startled by his anger. She lifted her eyes to his and spoke with pure confidence.
    “I have you.”
    Nick grumbled and tightened his lips into an even line, but she could see the warmth rising in his eyes. “Well, I guess we should get back in there and start an investigation,” he sighed.
    “We?” Bekki asked hopefully.
    “Yes we,” he reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 
    ***
    Nick knocked on the front door of the bakery, but no one answered. The door was locked.
    “Dan must have left,” he frowned. “I'll have to get someone over here to open the door,” he pulled out his cell phone.
    “Or...” Bekki drew out her word with a subtle smile.
    “Or,” he frowned and then rolled her eyes. “All right fine, but just this once.” Bekki smiled and deftly withdrew the hair pin she had recently discovered doubled very well as a lock pick. She fiddled with the knob until the lock gave way.
    “You really are good at that,” Nick said