Free Resorting to Murder (A Darcy Sweet Mystery Book 11) by K.J. Emrick Page B

JoEllen opened her eyes again the tears had dried.  Her gaze was intense, and maybe more even a little vulnerable.  "Tell me what you want me to do."
    "I don't want you to do anything. "  As JoEllen started to protest he held up his hand.  "I want you to stay here with Darcy.  I'm going to follow Carson.  I'll see where he goes and what he does.  I'll find Connor.  He has to be checking on him, wherever he's got him hidden."
    Darcy caught Jon's eye with a raised eyebrow.  This was part of the plan they hadn't discussed.  He shrugged and came back over to her on the bed, kneeling down in front of her, holding her hands.  "It's the only thing that makes sense, Darcy.  He knows you now, so you can't follow him around without it seeming suspicious.  If he sees JoEllen, he'll know we're on to him.  I'm the only logical choice.  I've got the experience with doing stakeouts and he's never seen my face."
    It was hard to argue with that.  Still, she twisted her ring around and around her finger and waited for someone to come up with a better idea.  When no one did, she nodded and leaned forward to rest her forehead against his.  They shared a silent moment where words weren't needed.
    "I'll come back to you, sweet baby," he told her, calling her by that special nickname.  "I promise."
    She followed him to the door of the cabin while he put on his shoulder holster with its .40 caliber automatic held snugly in place.  JoEllen's gun was now in the glove compartment of his locked car.  She hadn't asked for it back.  They hadn't offered.  Everyone seemed happier that way.
    Their kiss goodbye was long and slow and liquid.  It felt like it lasted forever.  For Darcy, it wasn't long enough.
    Then he was gone and Darcy was locking the door behind him.
    She stood there, collecting her thoughts and emotions, letting this crazy day finally catch up to her.  She didn't realize exactly how long she had been standing like that until JoEllen cleared her throat behind her.  "It's easy to see how in love you two are."
    Darcy didn't know what to say to that.  Of course she loved Jon.  She couldn't remember ever feeling this way about any other man, including her late ex-husband Jeff.  When she thought of Jon, her whole world seemed brighter somehow, like he made things better just by being in her life.  He was everything she had ever wanted in a man.
    But did he feel the same way?
    Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, Darcy looked away from JoEllen and went to sit back down on the bed, carefully studying the floor.  She knew she was blushing.  This weekend was supposed to be the time Jon and she needed to explore their relationship and see where they stood with each other.  She'd made her feelings clear to him.  Everything out in the open.  It seemed like he had been starting to open up to her in return, just as this whole mystery had caught them up in its tangled lines.
    Well.  Yesterday had been fantastic , at least.  Just the two of them, finding intimate ways to express their love.  Then JoEllen had come crashing into their lives and everything else had been pushed aside.  Today was almost over, and she could pretty much figure that once Jon found where Carson was hiding Connor, that would take up most of tomorrow as well.  The whole weekend was pretty much a wash.
    "I mean," JoEllen said when Darcy didn't respond, "he seems like he has…well, like he's…"
    "Got a stick up his butt?" Darcy offered, unable to keep from smiling at that image.  "It's part of his persona.  Jon sort of wears his badge like a second skin."
    "Only, he doesn't do that with you."  JoEllen drew one knee up to her chest in the chair where she sat.  "With you, he's different.  He relaxes completely when he's with you.  You guys are perfect for each other."
    Darcy considered that.  Did Jon really do that with her?  She thought about how he was now, compared to how he had been when they first met.  Stiff.  Professional and