Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh

Author:Tamara Leigh [Leigh, Tamara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-56165-7
Publisher: The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group
Published: 2007-08-15T04:00:00+00:00

I’m glowing. A nice feeling, even if off-putting. Though a voice in my head warned time and again about letting my guard down, I enjoyed Lisa’s company—so much that after The Coroner ended, I lingered and we talked. Of course, it helped that she didn’t probe further. It was nice. Just two friends—

I open my eyes where I press my forehead against the steering wheel and stare into the dimness. Friends. Did I really think that? Me. Lisa. Friends? That’s moving fast. We’re two women with something in common, namely The Coroner, and that’s all. Forget that we’re the same age, grew up together, were once great friends, both fell away from our beliefs, and now waitress at the same café. The Coroner is all we have in common.

And I’m lying through my teeth—er, thoughts. As much as I don’t want a friend my own age, the feeling of fullness in my heart is nice.

A tap on my window makes me jump, and I snap my chin up to meet Maddox’s gaze on the other side.

Heart whacking against my ribs, I press the button in the door and lower the window. “What are you doing here?”

He folds his arms on the opening. “I was on my porch when you drove by five minutes ago. When you didn’t get out, I thought there might be something wrong.”

I stare into his night-darkened face. “Nothing’s wrong. I was just…”

What’s that smell? Cologne? No. More pleasant. Sharp. Crisp. Clean.

I peer nearer, and light from the porches up and down the street catches in his hair. It’s damp, meaning he must have recently climbed out of a shower, and the scent is some brand of manly soap. Very nice. Uh… just an observation.

“You were just what?”

“Thinking.”

He lights the face of his watch. “Out later than usual. It’s past eleven.”

“I was out with—” I scowl. “How do you know I was out later than usual? Are you spying on me?”

“Just observant.” His eyes scan our sleepy little neighborhood. “Around here, it’s an event to see or hear anything after nine. So where did Stephano take you?”

“Stephano?” I blurt out.

He smiles. “Never mind. Just checking.”

That was a tricky way to discover if I was out with Stephano. And he does have reason to think it possible, as Stephano continues to pay me more attention than our working relationship warrants. I glower. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“You’re right. Sorry.” His face is too shadowed for me to tell if it reflects remorse, but I’ll bet it doesn’t.

I grab my purse, but as I reach for the door handle, he pulls it open. I swing my legs out, and he closes the door behind me.

He looks up. “Nice night.”

“Yeah.” I step past him and cross to my porch, only to halt when I catch sight of what sits beside the door. I’d know that shape anywhere. And the colors inside, dimmed though they are by the night. In fact, were I a dog, I could probably smell them through the container.

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