“Let’s go back to your comment that I’ve been investigating for months and now it’s your turn.” She tilted her head in that defiant angle that was becoming all too familiar. “You investigated the alleged drowning of Jake Randolph, aka my brother, for months. And you came up with nothing.”
“Ouch.”
She took his hand in hers again, her soft skin doing alarming things to his pulse.
“Beau, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not good at subtlety or sugarcoating things. I tell it like it is. But I’m not trying to criticize you. I’m really not. I’m trying to say that, separately, neither of us were successful in figuring out what my brother was up to. It only makes sense that to view things in a new light, to make real headway, we need to work together. Be the yin for each other’s yang. Shake things up.”
She pushed herself up off the couch. “Which is why I’m going with you.”
He stood as well, towering over her, purposely using his size to try to intimidate. “You’re staying here. That’s my final decision.”
She put her hands on her hips. “If you think you’ll be able to walk out that door without me hot on your trail,¡estás loco!”
“Are you calling mecrazy?”
“That’s one interpretation,gringo.”
He threw up his hands. “Fine. You win. You can come with me. But only if you follow rule number three.”
“Anotherrule? How many are there?”
“I told you, I’m—”
“Making them up as you go,sí, sí. Comprendo. I understand. Just tell me this latest Beauism and let’s get it over with.”
She was so outrageous it made him want to laugh. He had to struggle to maintain his serious demeanor. Thiswasserious. He needed her safe and preferred that she not go with him. But she did have a point. She was the yin to his yang. Or rather, she had a different perspective than he did because of her background being the opposite of his. As he interviewed people and tried to uncover information about her brother’s comings and goings in Mystic Lake, her knowledge of her family and who they associated with could come in handy. Something he wouldn’t think was useful might end up being a key to the investigation depending on her interpretation of it.
“The rule is that if you go with me, you do exactly what I say, when I say it.”
“Control freak much?” she complained.
“I mean it, Sierra. Not because I want to boss you around. I don’t get off on that, in case you haven’t figured that out yet. I treat people with respect and expect the same in return. The reason I need you to follow my lead is to keep you safe. Period. I’m allowing you to go with me, not because of your threat but because it obviously is important to you. On the other hand, if you don’t agree to rule number three, I’ll handcuff you to the bed and go without you. Your choice.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
Her cheeks flushed. She was obviously on the verge of letting loose with one of her tirades. And while he secretly enjoyed the anticipation of finding out what outrageous things she would sayevery time she lost her temper, he didn’t have time for it right now.
“Choose,” he repeated. “If we leave now, we’ll have a good six or seven hours of daylight. That may sound like a lot, but since we arrived by boat to avoid being seen by your brother and his men out on the roads, our only transportation right now is a combination of boating and hiking. Even using some of the tunnels around here as shortcuts, that will take a big chunk of our time just getting around. And when we do go out in the open, it will only be after carefully waiting and watching to ensure that your brother and his men aren’t around. We need to leave now. I gave you your two options. Choose.”
“Okay, okay. I agree to rule number three.”
“And you’ll still comply with my earlier rules.”
“Yes, yes. I already said that.”
“Then, let’s go.” He started toward the door.
“Wait.”
He sighed and turned around. “What now?”
“I need my shoes. And I have to pee.” She ran down the hallway, slamming the bathroom door behind her.
Beau blinked, then started laughing. He laughed so hard that Sierra started swearing at him in Spanish through the bathroom door. He hadn’t missed her latest adorable tirade after all.
Chapter Fifteen
