CHAPTER 35
Suddenly, plotting murder didn’t seem so hard. At the very least, it seemed easier than figuring out how not to murder someone in real life. Because when the doorbell rang at eight thirty on Saturday morning, I was irritable enough to try.
Honestly, I was surprised Steven had bothered to use the doorbell at all. Maybe Vero’s lecture had sunk in. Either that, or the key she’d thrown in the diaper pail had truly been his only one. I nursed a cup of coffee as I padded stiffly to the door.
“You’re early,” I droned into my mug as I drew it open. “The kids aren’t—”
Nick leaned against the doorframe, freshly shaven and his hair still damp from a shower, a grin taking hold as he took in my disheveled state. “Good morning to you, too.”
I smoothed a hand through my hair, then clutched the front of my robe to hold it closed over the same sweat-soured clothes I’d been wearing the night before. “Sorry, I thought you were Steven. What are you doing here?” I pressed my mouth shut; I hadn’t even brushed my teeth yet.
“Came to see how you’re doing after last night.” His eyes dipped to my neck, and I reached to cover the nick Andrei had given me. The tiny scab was hardly noticeable this morning, but I’d just as soon forget the whole experience. Nick’s brow furrowed, his usual easy smile turning down at the edges. “How’d you sleep?”
“I didn’t. Much.” Under the pressure of my looming deadline and countless emails from my agent, I’d been up working until three. I’d hardly been conscious enough to remember to send my latest batch of work to Sylvia before crashing in my clothes.
Nick hooked a thumb over his shoulder, toward an unmarked car parked just down the street. “You can rest easier tonight. Officer Roddy’s keeping an eye on the place. Feliks won’t get within five hundred feet without me knowing about it.”
Great. Just what I needed. Maybe Officer Roddy and Mrs. Haggerty could have tea and share notes.
Nick raised an eyebrow. He bounced lightly on the heels of a pair of dress shoes. He’d ditched his usual dark jeans and Henley for a pair of steel-gray slacks and a button-down shirt. “You up for a little field trip?”
“Is that a euphemism?”
“Only if you want it to be.”
I rolled my eyes at him over my coffee and gestured for him to come in. He followed me into the kitchen.
“Good morning, Detective,” Vero said over her reading glasses and her textbook. “Help yourself to some coffee. Mugs are above the pot.” She checked him out under her long lashes and mouthed “so hot” to me while his back was turned.
“Where are we going?” I asked, feeling a little crotchety. I didn’t care how good Nick looked. Every time he showed up on my doorstep, I was just grateful he wasn’t holding a pair of handcuffs and a warrant.
Nick pulled a mug from the cabinet. “Got any milk?”
“In the fridge,” Vero said, running a highlighter over her textbook page without looking up.
“I’ll get it—” I held my breath as he beat me to the fridge, pausing in front of the open door.
“I got a call from a tech at the lab,” he said, plucking the carton of milk from the shelf. I offered up a silent prayer of thanks that there hadn’t been a bag of cash wedged under it as he splashed some in his mug. “I’m heading over this morning to pick up his report. I thought you might want to come along.”
Vero glanced up at the mention of the lab. “You go ahead,” she said. “I’ll stay with the kids.”
“But you’ve got your exams to study for.”
“Steven’s picking them up soon. The house will be quiet.”
“But—”
“You really shouldn’t pass up a visit to the lab,” she said firmly. “You might learn something interesting. You know, for your book.” She placed a particular emphasis on this last bit.
“Okay,” I conceded, infusing each word with the same added weight. “I’m sure you’ll be fine here, since Nick has Officer Roddy doing surveillance just outside.”
Vero’s mouth formed a soft oh. “That’s so thoughtful of him.” She glanced sideways out the window, lifting a little in her seat to see Roddy’s car. “Why don’t you go get ready? I’ll keep Detective Anthony company.” She shooed me upstairs, ignoring my protests. “So tell me about this Officer Roddy. Is he single?” I heard her ask as I shut myself in my room.