It's Been a Long, Long Time by Janet Raye Stevens

Author:Janet Raye Stevens
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Janet Raye Stevens

12

We made our way back down the alley, finding a somewhat mangled bag of sandwiches near the opening, along with Sully’s Stetson. I considered kicking the thing into the gutter where it belonged but bent to scoop it up instead, handing it to him along with the bag.

“C’mon,” he said, putting the hat on then tipping his head in a westerly direction. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Talk about what?” Not the kiss. I had a feeling talking about the kiss might lead to more kissing, so a good idea to avoid the subject.

“Talk about who killed Murph, and our plan is for tonight. Come with me to the hotel.”

He was serious. And completely loopy if he thought Millie would be hunky dory if he brought an unexpected guest home for lunch. Not just any guest. The woman he’d abandoned her on the beach to run off with. The woman he planned to run off with again, to confront a gang of jewel thieves.

“Uh, no, Sully, you’re not going with me tonight.”

“The hell I am. I’m a cop. A man’s been murdered. I am not passing up the chance to look his killer in the eye.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? It’s too dangerous for us to be together.” In more ways than one, as I’d just learned from that heated clinch.

“I heard. A vague warning of an uncertain doom.” He scowled. “How do you know you didn’t just stop that prediction cold by stepping in front of the knife?”

He had a point. Had my rash action changed his fate? Could it be as simple as that? “I don’t know. Fate’s a demanding beast. It will find some way to get what it wants.”

“Not if we know to be on the lookout for it.”

“Sully, please—”

“Beryl, do you remember back in Ballard Springs when you told me that Jake fella was after me? You wanted me to run and hide.”

“I remember.” I flushed with warmth as the moment came back to me. Sully’s fire, his bullish protectiveness that had kindled a fire in me that had never really gone out. Never would go out. “I also remember you strutting out into the street, daring the boogeyman to come and get you.”

His eyebrow danced in amusement. “The plan worked, didn’t it? We got him in the end.”

He’d conveniently forgotten the long, treacherous road we’d taken to get to the end of that drama. And, though we didn’t know it at the time, Sully had never really been in danger. This time was different.

“Beryl…” His voice shifted into his specialty whipped butter persuasive mode. “You know me. You know I don’t hide from trouble or run away from what scares me. I face it, and I know you have the strength to face it too. There’s a killer out there and the way I see it, we’re both at risk. I learned something besides how to kill and never volunteer for anything in the Army. I also learned you have to watch each other’s backs.

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