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“Why don’t you do it?”
“First I’m going to see if I can make some money. I’d rather be rich than famous.”
Chapter 4
Kaden dismissed any hope of locating the sheriff on a Sunday. He would have to return later to speak to the man. And there was no use trying to track down anyone in the coroner’s office. It would take time to properly ID the body and determine the cause of death. Something he probably should have thought of before jumping on a plane and then driving to Pike like a bat out of hell.
That didn’t mean that he was willing to return to Madison and sit on his ass, however. He might not have any detective skills, but that wasn’t going to stop him from poking his nose into the investigation.
But where did he start?
He glanced toward the woman watching him with a steady gaze. His heart did a crazy zigzag in his chest. He’d spent the past seventeen years surrounded by the most beautiful women in the world. But there was something about Lia Porter . . .
She was a tantalizing combination of small-town girl with an elusive hint of mystery that challenged him on a primitive level. As if she was daring him to discover the truth beneath her easy smile and bright green eyes.
With a shake of his head, Kaden dismissed his bizarre fascination. “Can you give me directions to where the skeleton was found?”
She nodded, almost as if she’d been expecting the question. Probably because there was nothing else he could do. Not until the temporary sheriff decided to open his office.
“I can take you.”
He arched a brow, caught off guard by the offer. “What about your store?”
“It’s always slow on Sundays. I just keep it open in case someone needs something on their way home from church. Wayne can lock up whenever he’s done mopping the floor.”
Kaden hesitated. Not because he didn’t want her company. Just the opposite. He very much wanted to prolong his time with her, but having her around was no doubt going to cause all sorts of distractions. Still, she was a potential eyewitness to Vanna’s disappearance.
Who better to show him where and how it happened?
“Actually, that would be great.”
“I’ll let Wayne know I’m leaving.” With brisk movements, she grabbed her purse from the desk and headed out of the office. Kaden followed behind, waiting in the narrow hallway as she disappeared into what he assumed was the storage area. A couple of minutes later she reappeared and moved to the coatrack next to the back door. Choosing one of the heavy parkas, she pulled it on and bundled herself in a heavy knit cap and matching gloves. She was clearly prepared for the weather. Unlike him. “My SUV is parked in the alley.”
Opening the door, she revealed the large vehicle with the words Porter’s Grocery Store painted on the side.
“I rented a Jeep, but I left it next to the courthouse,” he told her, grudgingly climbing into the passenger seat as she slid behind the steering wheel and started the engine. It wasn’t often he rode shotgun. Like never.
“I don’t mind driving.” She put the SUV in gear and bumped her way out of the snow-packed alley. “It’s not far.”
Kaden settled back in his seat, studying her delicate profile as she turned onto Main Street.
“Why do I get the impression you prefer to be behind the wheel instead of me?”
“You’re from Hollywood. How much driving do you do in the snow?”
“I’m in Vegas now,” he reminded her.
“Same thing.”
That was true enough. Hollywood and Vegas had a lot in common, including a lack of ice-coated roads. In his mind, however, they were worlds apart.
“But I’m originally from Madison. I’ve had plenty of practice driving in the snow.”
She shot him a glance that revealed she wasn’t impressed with his argument. “How long since you’ve lived there?”
He took a second to do the mental calculations. “Seventeen years.”
“That’s a long time.”
