“She claimed she called references and the past employer, but if she didn’t, she wouldn’t admit it, and I doubt she ran a background check. Can you run one for me?”
“I’ll call an old contact in Houston. That’ll be quicker, but we need to keep this between us. I don’t want folks thinking I’ll run a check on every Tom, Dick, and Harriet if they ask.”
Five minutes later, AJ thanked his acquaintance. “Something turned up in McKenna’s background.”
Damn. Pain squeezed Zane’s chest, followed by a numbing cold flowing through his veins. How could he have been so stupid, so blind? He forced the words out. “What did you find?”
“Cash went missing from the company she worked for. She was the main suspect and was questioned several times.”
Stolen money, and now his grandmother’s antique diamond pin was missing. “Was McKenna arrested?”
AJ shook his head. “The police lacked evidence. She was fired, though.”
He’d actually believed McKenna’s open and honest routine more than anyone he’d met. How funny was that? Betrayal crashed through Zane, followed by anger, sharp, paralyzing, and overwhelming.
“If you suspect a crime’s been committed, I need to know.” AJ leveled him with another damned unnerving cop stare.
“There hasn’t been.” At least he couldn’t swear one had, and he refused to accuse anyone, especially McKenna, without evidence. ’Course, if she’d stolen from her last employer and gotten away with it, what were the chances he’d find evidence this time? “The minute that changes I’ll let you know.”
“Anything I can do for you as a friend?”
“Not unless you can fix stupid.”
*
As McKenna droveto work, the warm, bubbling feeling that exploded inside her last night still had her smiling this morning. Last night erased any lingering suspicions about whether Zane was the womanizer her father was. He possessed a character, an honor, her father never would. When their tall, pretty, brunette waitress had flirted with him, Zane hadn’t noticed. To make it clear they were together, when she returned with their drinks, he’d clasped his hand with hers.
And Erin. For the first time in McKenna’s life, someone ignored her baby sister, and chose her. She’d shed the pain and insecurity she’d felt all her life last night. No longer would she allow her little sister to relegate her to less-than class status.
Secondly, last night convinced her she was in love with Zane.
But knowing the fact failed to change anything between them. When Ginny received clearance to go back to work, probably next week, Zane would return to California. She wouldn’t cry, at least in front of him, beg him to stay, or nag him about keeping in touch. She’d gone into their relationship knowing what the future held, and despite her changed feelings, she’d honor her promise. She’d smile and say maybe they could see each other when he visited Ginny.
She’d have wonderful memories of Zane, but her life would go on, and she’d be forever grateful to him. He’d taught her having a career didn’t mean sacrificing her personal life. He’d shown her a man could want a smart, driven, successful woman.
What a load of crap, him leaving would crush her, but she’d keep telling herself she’d be fine until it became a reality. But for now, she’d enjoy every second she had left with Zane.
McKenna unlocked the office, stepped inside, and gasped. Furniture had been pulled away from the walls. Garbage cans emptied on the floor. Cabinets stood open and had been rifled through. Her desk drawers lay open. Her heart hammering from fear that whoever had done this was still here, McKenna tore outside to discover Zane exiting his pickup.
“Zane, we need to call the police. Someone tore up the office.”
“I did.”
“What? Why would you do that?”
“We need to talk.”
There were those words again. She searched his face. His eyes could only be described as cold and hard. Then his right eye twitched. Pair that with his stiff posture and how awful the conversation had been the last time he said those four little words, and her chest tightened, pinching her heart. Something was very wrong. “Tell me what happened.”
“My office, or rather my grandmother’s. Now.”
When he started to walk away, she grabbed his arm, halting him. “Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it together.”
He jerked away. “Now that’s funny. Probably the biggest joke you’ve told yet.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Tell me about your last job in Houston.”
