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“What?” My heart skips as I lean closer as though to hear her more clearly. “Excuse me?”
“He told me he asked you out to dinner, but you said no.” The woman shakes her head, disappointment and resentment making my stomach churn—ridiculously, considering I’m married to the other detective. “He told me you’d agreed to a date but stood him up.”
Over her shoulder, hidden from the woman’s eagle eyes, Fletch giggles in silence.
“Oh, wow. Uh… well…”
“I expect to hear of your impending maturity, Doctor Mayet. It’s not proper to play with such a nice man’s feelings the way you do.” Shaking my hand, she squeezes hard enough to rival anything that went down in the Pastore beach house this past week. “I expect better of someone so educated.”
Behind me, Archer sniggers. He wraps his arm around my torso and holds me close to his chest, but he says nothing to defend me. He doesn’t mention I’m already married. Or that I never agreed to date Charlie Fletcher.
Like a coward, a traitor, he leaves me to an old woman’s tongue-lashing.
“I-I’m sorry, ma’am.” I pass Mia to Aubree and free my other hand… in case the old woman decides to brawl, I suppose. “I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings, Miss Penny. Honest.”
In my pocket, my phone trills, saving me from a fight and sparing me from having to stand between discussions of Seraphina, Jada, Penny, and Fletch all in the same sentence.
Plus me, the alleged scarlet-lettered whore.
Checking the caller ID and noting the private number, I swipe to answer and step out of Archer’s hold to give myself a little privacy. Wandering toward a deserted pool table, I bring the phone to my ear. “This is Minka Mayet.”
“Hey,” a familiar voice murmurs. “It’s Soph. I got that information you asked for.”
“Mm?” I can’t say much. I can’t say anything at all. I’m in a bar filled with cops.
“Because it’s a sexual assault case, publicly reported, and the vics are minors, Fentone’s being moved to a safehouse for a few nights. He risks death if he goes back to his bed tonight.”
“That’s what I figured.”
Coming to stop at the pool table and turning to rest my hip against the edge, I startle when I find Archer just two feet away. His eyes on mine, his attention focused solely on the phone call I wanted to take in private. “Uh…”
“I’ve got his address,” Sophia murmurs in my ear. “The place won’t be guarded all night; it’s not that kind of safehouse. It’s just a different address for him to go to till things cool off and his face is no longer on the news.”
“Okay…”Don’t incriminate yourself in front of the cops. Don’t incriminate yourself in front of the cops. “Thanks.”
“Are you sure he’s your guy?” she asks. “A hundred percent sure?”
“Uh, yeah.” I turn from Archer and whisper, “I have a recorded confession.”
“Works for me. I’ll send his address in an encrypted message. It’ll disappear after you read it, so make sure you memorize it right away. No records will show this call was made, or that text sent. You never heard from me. I hardly even know who you are.”
“Got it,” I breathe out. “You have my word.”
“Sweet. It was nice doing business with you, Mayet. Good luck. Don’t slip with the knife.”
A soft laugh rolls along my throat. “I won’t.”
“What was that?” The moment Sophia kills our call, Archer crowds me against the pool table and presses his hand to my stomach. To anyone else watching us, we would simply appear to be a couple in love and grinding somewhat inappropriately in public. He lowers his voice and brings his lips to my ear. “Who. Was. That?”
“I got an address for Fentone.” Twisting between him and the pool table, I park my ass on the corner and look up into his intense stare.We’re just a couple in love. A couple who likes to make out in public.“I figured he wouldn’t be going back to his place anytime soon, so I asked around for an address.”
“And?” He leans in and presses a kiss to my neck. “You got it?”
“Mm. I got it.”
“And, what?” he repeats. “You’re really gonna do this?” He pulls back to study my eyes. “Tonight?”
I chew on my bottom lip and consider.
