Cats, Carats and Killers by T. C. LoTempio

Author:T. C. LoTempio [LoTempio, T. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mysteries & Thrillers
Publisher: Beyond the Page
Published: 2024-02-08T00:00:00+00:00

Fourteen

I removed the safety chain from the door and swung it wide. Trent Reamer stepped inside. I took a moment to study him and decided that he definitely fit the stereotypic mold of FBI man—he could have stepped right out of an episode of Criminal Minds, from the tip of his Brooks Brothers suit jacket to his unsmiling expression. I shut the door and gestured toward the living room. “Won’t you have a seat?”

Reamer gave me a brief nod, then crossed the room and settled himself comfortably on the sofa. I hesitated, then walked over to the well-worn wing chair just off to the sofa’s left and sat down. There were a few moments of awkward silence, broken as Reamer and I cleared our throats at the same time. “It’s nice to meet you,” I managed. “Can I offer you anything? Tea, coffee, a hot chocolate, perhaps?”

“Nothing, thanks.” The FBI agent stretched his long legs out in front of him. “I’d like to talk to you about the diamond that you gave Detective Bloodgood. I have a few questions.”

“You researched the diamond already? Wow, that’s amazing.” As the agent shot me a sharp look, I added quickly, “I only meant that you work pretty fast. I just gave Josh that diamond last night.”

Reamer’s lip quirked slightly. “We are supposed to work fast, Ms. McMillan. We’re the FBI, after all.”

I felt my cheeks start to flame. “Of course,” I murmured. “So I guess it was a real diamond? One from the robbery?”

Reamer was spared answering because my doorbell jangled most insistently at that precise moment. I excused myself, got up and went to answer it. Josh stood on the threshold, and he wasn’t smiling.

“Where is he?” Without waiting for an answer, Josh pushed past me and went straight into the living room. He walked over to stand in front of Reamer. “I thought you were going to wait for me to pay a call on Shell, ah, I mean Ms. McMillan,” he said, not bothering to hide the trace of annoyance in his tone.

Reamer shrugged. “You mentioned you had a pile of paperwork to do. I thought it might save some time if I spoke with her alone.”

As Josh continued to glare at the FBI agent, I cleared my throat. “Why don’t I make us all some hot chocolate?” I suggested. Without waiting for either of them to answer, I turned on my heel and disappeared into the kitchen. I poured water and cocoa mix into three mugs, stirred them and put them in the microwave. I got out a tray and arranged a plate of tea biscuits on it. The timer dinged and I took out the mugs, squirted a dollop of whipped cream onto each, and then carefully carried it into the living room. I noticed that Josh was now seated next to the FBI agent on the couch, and they were deep in conversation as I entered. They both jumped up, but it was Josh who took the tray from me and set it down on the low coffee table.

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