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“Me too.” To tell her that HPD might show up tomorrow, expecting to interview Xavier, but that he didn’t plan to allow it. There was no reason to give HPD the opportunity to haul Xavier in for questioning where he might be in danger. Burke also told them that the Paul Lott impersonator might have been looking for Xavier’s burner phone. “So we’re both up to speed.”
“Plans for tomorrow?” Val asked.
Gabe and Patty sat on the edge of the other bed. “Yes,” Gabe said. “I’d like to know, too.”
Molly was afraid to sit. Exhaustion was already shutting her body down. If she sat, she’d be out in a second. “I want one of us to be present when Cornell Eckert is arraigned tomorrow.”
“I will,” Val said. “You can stay here with them. If Eckert pulled a gun on you yesterday, he’ll recognize you tomorrow in court. I don’t want whoever hired him to be able to follow you back here.”
Molly weaved on her feet. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Val arched a brow. “Anything else before you fall over?”
“Yeah. I want to take Xavier back to his old neighborhood tomorrow. We need to know where the victim lived. I know he was young when it all happened, but he might remember.”
Val winced sympathetically. “That’s going to be hard on him. Pictures won’t suffice?”
“A lot of those areas have changed since Katrina,” Molly said. “Xavier might not recognize it from photos.”
Val frowned. “He might not recognize it in person, either.”
“I know,” Molly said. She’d thought of that already. “But the victim is the center of everything. Once we find her, the connections to all the other players will be clearer.”
Val nodded, but looked skeptical. “It’s worth a try, I guess. You’ll have support?”
“I think just me. It’ll be better if Xavier’s not with an entourage. He’ll attract attention.”
Val frowned. “Burke’s not going to let you go alone.”
“I’ll talk to him tomorrow, after I’ve slept.” Molly rubbed her forehead. A headache had taken root. “I’m not sure when Eckert is scheduled to be arraigned, but it’s normally first thing.”
“I know,” Val said gently, then lifted her voice to call to Patty. “Let’s let these two sleep.”
Patty kissed Gabe’s cheek. “I’m next door if you need me.” She waved at Molly on her way out. “Thank you for keeping him safe.”
Molly smiled. “My job and my pleasure.” She waited until the door to the adjoining room closed behind them, then sank to the bed. “I’m running on fumes. If you don’t mind, I’ll take the bathroom first.”
Gabe made an after-you gesture. “Molly? Where do you want me to sleep?”
She paused in midstride. And really thought about her answer. She could say that sharing a bed would help her protect him better, but they both knew that was a big ole lie. So she went with the truth. “With me? I can’t promise anything’s gonna happen, but it would be nice to hold you and—”
He was at her side in a moment, his finger pressed to her lips. “Holding you is exactly what I want, too.” Moving his finger from her mouth, he cupped her cheek in his palm. “And when you wake up, maybe to kiss you again. That’s all.”
She nuzzled into his palm. “That sounds perfect.”
Fifteen minutes later, under the covers and nearly asleep already, she felt his arm curling around her waist, his body spooning her. He smelled of minty toothpaste, the hotel’s vanilla-scented soap, but mostly of himself, all spicy and clean. He kissed her temple, slipping his hand under her T-shirt to rest on her stomach while murmuring in her ear. “Sleep. Val is on guard duty. Let go and sleep.”
The rumble of his voice and the touch of his hand sent a shiver across her skin that was a wake-up call. Plus the reminder that Val was—at the moment—responsible for standing watch had her remembering that kiss in the office. That she wasn’t technically responsible for Gabe’s safety—at the moment—was a really flimsy technicality for excusing what she was about to do, but she couldn’t make herself care. Gabe made her want... all kinds of things.
Suddenly sleep was the furthest thing from her mind.
“Don’t want to now,” she murmured back. “Got a sexy man in my bed.” She rolled to her back, staring up into his face. His hand had splayed wide over her stomach, his thumb tantalizingly close to the curve of her breast. Just a little higher, Gabe. Please? “You’re perfect, you know that?”
“I’m far from perfect. You’re pretty damn close, though.”
She rolled her eyes. “Shut up and kiss me, Gabe.”
And he did. Sweetly at first. Chastely. More like the first kiss they’d shared. But then he made a needy sound deep in his throat.
