Free Read Between the Tines by Susan Sleeman

hands. "Fine, I'll go. But you might want to think about working with me on this one instead of fighting me all the way."
    A flash of surprise traveled his face. "You want to work with me?"
    "Well, yeah, I mean if it meant I could catch Gary 's killer, I'd work with just about anyone."
    His lighthearted expression turned to a scowl. "I'm a law enforcement officer. You're a civilian. We'll both be better off if you remember that." He waved at my truck. "Better be going now."
    Baffled at his waffling mood, I climbed into my truck. I gave him a puzzled look then drove off. I would never, no matter the years I lived, understand the adult Mitch Lawson. For a few seconds there, he'd acted as if maybe he missed our friendship, but then the Grinch of a cop returned.
    I stopped at the gate where the guard shoved my license out his window with a scowl and warned me not to tell anyone I'd been in the lot. Good, that must mean he hadn't gotten into any trouble yet for letting me in. I assured him I would keep quiet and pointed my truck for The Garden Gate.
    The shop was quiet when I entered through the rear door. Adam's muffled voice drifting out of my office was the only discernable sound. A quick smile at hearing his voice broke out but disappeared as my deception filtered in. I had to fess up to my involvement in the murder investigation. Yet, I feared this would bring Adam the dictator back. A man I didn't want to see again.
    At the doorway, I took a deep breath and let it out. Adam stood, his back to me, one hand holding his cell, the other clasped around the back of his neck. I waited by the door as he continued his conversation. His tone was miffed, bordering on angry. A trickle of unease settled in my stomach. Probably not a good time to broach my subject. But a very good time to observe the man who was confusing me as much as Mitch was.
    The rich green shirt contrasted with the warm chocolate of his hair and fit as if tailored for him. Not ripped with a six-pack, he was toned and healthy. Slowly, as if feeling me looking at him, he turned. I expected a smile when our eyes met. Instead, he frowned and clutched a clump of his hair.
    He couldn’t know where I'd been, could he? If he lived here in Serendipity, I'd worry one of the locals had told him I was asking questions around town, but they wouldn't rat me out to a stranger.
    "Keep after it, Rhonda," he barked at his assistant. "Call me back as soon as you know anything." He clicked off and set his phone on my desk mounded in paperwork. "Where have you been? I've tried calling you for the last hour." His testy tone carried over to me.
    Needing a second to gather my courage, I pulled my cell from the belt clip and found five missed calls. I clicked through and deleted all of them before deactivating the silent mode. Looking back up, I sucked in a breath at the thunder in his eyes. I'd never seen him like this. Certainly not a time to announce my duplicity, but I couldn't lie. "My phone was on silent. I was doing something for Karen. So how did the meeting with Mitch go?"
    "He was pretty understanding, but Daisy is still a suspect. The meeting was interrupted when someone called to say they found Gary 's car. It was at his office. We rescheduled for tomorrow morning."
    How should I respond to the news of Gary 's car? With surprise? Adam would surely expect me to latch onto this comment and ask for more details. Or was it time to tell him I'd kept something from him?
    "What's up with you?" he asked, and let his eyes bore into mine. "You seem kind of jumpy. Is something wrong?"
    "I—"
    His cell rang, literally saving me by the bell. He flipped it open. "Rhonda." He listened intently, his eyes growing tighter and his free hand fisting. "Tell him I'll get there as soon as I can. And not to say anything until then." He clapped the phone closed. "Sorry, I've gotta go."
    "Something wrong?" I stepped out of the doorway to make room for him to pass.
    He came around the desk. "One of my