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He jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran around to the passenger side just as she got there.
“Morning, girlfriend,” he murmured.
“Morning, boyfriend,” she countered with a smile ghosting her lips. “What happened to the Kia Souless?”
“I told Crew to get me something that would fit my undercover persona better. The Kia only fit if I was pretending to be a gay stripper, but since I’m stepping into the role of an over-protective, dominating boyfriend, I figured a truck would be more believable.” He let out an “alpha-male” grunt.
“You should’ve picked a Ford then. You know, a lifted truck with the big knobby tires and big metal balls swinging from the rear bumper.”
He laughed. “Hey, I didn’t get a choice. Really, I’m just glad to have a truck. I even like it. Rides nice.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” she said, handing him her travel mug while she hauled herself into the passenger seat.
Once she was settled and strapped in, he handed back what was strong coffee by the smell of it and slammed the door shut. He power-walked around the front of the Toyota and climbed into the driver’s seat.
As he pulled the seatbelt across his body, he asked, “Where did the congregation go that used to be here?”
“They built a much bigger, more modern church down the road. One of those big mega places with all the fancy shit.”
He put the truck in reverse to back out of her driveway and onto the road. “At least you’ve got quiet neighbors.”
“For the most part.”
“What does that mean? Is the cemetery haunted?”
Her delicate laughter filled the truck cab. “Do you believe in spirits?”
He glanced over to see her studying him as he drove. “Do you?”
“No. But you won’t catch me wandering through the cemetery after dark.”
“Your place is surrounded by graves, Mel. That short stone wall isn’t going to stop the spooky afterlife from floating over to your side of it.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shrug. “No place is perfect, right? The truth is, I fell in love with it when it came on the market. It had been previously refurbed into a residence perfectly and, luckily, it also was in my price range. The best part is, the location is peaceful.”
“When was it built?”
“Methodists built it in 1867.”
“Damn.” He was right about the 1800s. “I can’t wait to see the inside.”
“You’ll have to wait for an invite first.”
He glanced over at her again with a cocked eyebrow. “What do I have to do to get one, girlfriend?”
She had been staring out of the passenger window and when she turned toward him, she wore a teasing smile. “I’ll give you a tour tonight when you bring me home. As long as Cookie shows up tonight. If she doesn’t, I might just roll out of the truck and right into bed. I can’t take much more of this.”
“Did you get any sleep at all?”
She took a long swallow of coffee, then sighed. “About three hours.”
“You know, you could’ve slept in this morning and I could’ve put off checking the videos one more day.” He really shouldn’t delay but would. For her.
She scrubbed at her forehead. “I want to hit the pole before the doors open. Dancing helps keep my head on straight, puts me in a better mood and somehow gives me enough energy to power through my shift.”
He got it. Working out did the same for him and also helped him focus. But he also didn’t want her dropping from exhaustion.
Keeping his eye on the road, he reached over and snagged her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You need to take care of yourself.”
“I also need to keep squirreling away money so I can get the hell out of The Peach Pit.”
“But pulling doubles so often might kill you before you get to that point.”
“The long hours are also fattening my bank account. That fact helps keep me going.”
“A fat bank account isn’t going to matter if you’re six feet under like your neighbors.”
Her fingers stiffened in his, so he let the subject go. Like he planned, he’d have a word with Saint as the “concerned” boyfriend.
When he pulled into the back lot at the club, it was empty as expected, except for the piece of shit Astro Van.
He picked a parking spot on the opposite side of the lot and shut off the engine. He twisted toward her in the quiet interior. “Did you eat breakfast, or do you want me to grab you something?”
Her blue-green eyes softened. “I ate, but thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do for you for agreeing to help out our task force.”
“Believe me, I want those fuckers to go down as much as you.”
He pressed his lips together at the intensity she said that. It made him even more determined to make that happen.
