“How?”
“Are you trying to be difficult?”
“It must be the idiot in me,” Mandy teased.
“We’re just stacking them in ‘helpful’ and ‘not-helpful’ piles right now.”
“How do you know if it’s helpful?” Mandy asked.
James shrugged. “I think it’s easier to discover what’s not helpful.”
Mandy reached over, tugging a sheet of paper from one of the piles. “Is this helpful or not-helpful?”
James glanced at the pile. “That would be the ‘not-helpful’ pile.”
Mandy scanned the page. “You don’t think it’s helpful to know that John Madison is the primary account holder on all three of the sheriff’s department’s bank accounts?”
James frowned. “Where does it say that?”
Mandy pointed.
“Huh.”
“Yeah, I’m not such an idiot now, am I?”
James scrunched up his nose. “If I give you a massage later, will you let go of the idiot stuff?”
“I want a really long massage,” Mandy countered.
“Done.”
“I want a bath, too.”
“Done.”
“With bubbles.”
“Done.”
“And you have to watch Jaws with me later in the week,” Mandy pressed.
“Baby, I’ll watch Jaws with you every night. That movie makes your randy.”
Mandy smirked.
“What is it with you and that movie?” Grady asked. “James told me about the underwear.”
James ran his hand across his throat in silent warning, but Grady pretended he didn’t notice the gesture.
“What underwear?” Mandy asked suspiciously.
“The Jawesome ones,” Grady replied.
Mandy scowled. “You told him about my underwear?”
James bit his lower lip. “In my defense, the conversation was actually respectful to you.”
“My underwear is respectful?”
“In the context we were talking? Yes.”
“Huh.”
James fixed Grady with a scorching look. “You are going to pay for this.”
“It was respectful,” Grady said. “He told me that it was those underwear that made him realize that he was ready to settle down.”
James’ face was burning as Mandy looked him up and down. “Really?”
“If you’re wondering, I’m regretting saying it now,” James said.
“Yeah, now you’re going to have to watch the Jaws sequels, too.”
James blew out a sigh. “Fine. The one where the shark eats the helicopter really isn’t that bad.”
“The shark eats a helicopter?” Finn asked. “That’s cool.”
“It doesn’t get really bad until the shark follows a family from Maine to the Bahamas and then attacks a bunch of kids on a giant banana,” James said.
Finn was flummoxed. “A giant banana?”
“This time it’s personal,” Mandy said, grinning as she repeated the tagline from the movie. “That flick is awesome.”
“You mean it’s Jawesome,” Grady teased.
Mandy rolled her eyes, ignoring him. She focused on Sophie, who seemed lost in thought. “What is it?”
“Why would John Madison be the primary on the sheriff’s department’s accounts?”
Mandy shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Who is the primary on Judge MacIntosh’s accounts?”
“He is.”
“And that would be the same with all the judges, right?” Sophie asked.
“As far as I know. Why?”
“I don’t know,” Sophie said, shaking her head. “Something just doesn’t fit about this. Why would it be different at the sheriff’s department?”
“You said there was something weird about Madison’s relationship with Sheriff Morgan,” Grady said. “This is just another example of that.”
“Yeah,” Sophie said. “I need to ask the sheriff about it.”
“So, ask him,” Finn sad. “Isn’t that your job?”
“If I ask him, then he’ll know that we’re onto something,” Sophie said. “I have to ask him – but it’s more important to ask him at the right time.”
“And when is the right time?” Grady asked.
“I don’t know,” Sophie said. “Let’s see what else we can find.” Sophie paused, the overwhelming urge to be part of the family’s jocularity overtaking her. “Maybe James should let Mandy be the brains of their partnership tonight, though. He doesn’t seem up for the task.”
Grady guffawed as Finn rolled over to his side, laughing.
Sophie risked a glance at James. She was worried for a second, but then she saw the small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “I can’t argue with your logic.”
Nineteen
Grady and Sophie woke up twined together the next morning. They’d returned to her place after midnight, both bone tired from searching through the documents, and fell directly into bed. Despite their exhaustion, the duo managed a brief burst of lovemaking before falling asleep – both of them reaching for each other wordlessly and succumbing to their combined passion.
“Morning,” Grady murmured when he felt Sophie shift next to him.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t. I was already awake.”
“Then why are you laying there with your eyes closed?”
“I’m hoping that, if I pretend to be asleep, you’ll pretend, too.”
Sophie laughed. “I have to go to work today.”
Grady sighed deeply. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
“Don’t you have work to do, too?”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
“James has been giving me leeway over the past few days so I can focus on you,” Grady said.
“Me?” Sophie’s heart rolled.
“I mean your case,” Grady corrected.
“How am I a case for you guys? It’s not like I’m paying you,” Sophie said, trying to tamp down her sudden disappointment.
“Maybe we’re just good guys,” Grady suggested.
Unfortunately for Sophie, she was starting to believe that was the truth. “I need to take a shower.”
“Do you want help?”
Sophie glanced at the clock. “I better not,” she said. “If you help, I’ll be late.”
“When do you have to be to the office?”
“I’m not going to straight to the office today,” Sophie said. “I have to go to a funeral first.”
Grady stiffened. “Who died?” Why didn’t she tell me someone died?
“A local fireman, Ed Reid,” Sophie replied. “He was the one who died in that apartment-building fire last week.”
Grady ran his hand up and down Sophie’s naked back. “Was he a friend of yours?”
Sophie shook her head. “I never met him. I have to cover it for the newspaper.”
“Oh,” Grady said, sighing in relief. “I thought you were going because it was personal. I didn’t realize you were going for work. It’s got to be tough to go to a funeral and have to cover it.”
Sophie shrugged. “In some cases? Yeah. Like when a teenager is killed in an accident, or someone is murdered, it becomes intrusive when it’s one of those things. This is different.”
“How?”
“This is kind of a … show,” Sophie said. “Every fireman not on duty in the county will show up in their dress uniform. They’re expecting photographers and reporters. They want Ed to be revered as a hero. They want him to get a lot of attention. In cases like this, we’re feeding into what the public – and the fire department itself – wants. They want the attention. It’s like a public feeding frenzy.”
Grady raised himself up on his elbow, pressing a kiss into Sophie’s shoulder. “Your job sucks sometimes, doesn’t it?”
“Sometimes,” Sophie agreed. “I think that can be said of any job, though.”
“Well, I guess I’ll leave you to your job then,” Grady said. “I have some things I want to run down today anyway.”
“Like what?”
“I want to see what I can find out about John Madison.”
“What do you think you’ll find?”
Grady shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s why I have to look.”
Sophie reluctantly pulled away from Grady and climbed out of bed. “If you promise to be quick, you can take a shower with me.”
Grady smirked, following her wordlessly.
FUNERALS are sad – even when they’re for show.
While Ed Reid’s family had hosted a private event for the fallen hero earlier in the week, the tears were just as fresh and real at this public funeral, Sophie figured. His wife, a thin, blonde woman, looked frail and weak as she was led down the aisle by two of Ed’s firefighting brethren. His daughter, a blonde teenager, was devoid of makeup and already had tears cascading down her face as she followed behind.
Sophie sat through the funeral, taking the occasional note, making sure to seclude herself in the back of the room so she wouldn’t intrude on anyone’s grief. When the funeral ended, Sophie moved outside – interviewing a few tearful residents – and then waiting for the casket to be carried out by the uniformed firemen’s procession.
Sophie was surprised when two men moved in behind her. She glanced up, recognizing two sheriff’s deputies right away. Mike Monahan and Trevor Gold were both lieutenants. They’d been with the sheriff’s department longer than Sophie had been with the newspaper. While she wasn’t particularly familiar with either of them, she hadn’t had any nasty run ins with them either.
“Deputies.”
“Ms. Lane,” Gold said. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m just covering the funeral for the Daily Tribune,” Sophie said. “It’s big news when something like this happens.”
“I’m surprised you have the time to cover this, what with all the mudslinging you’ve been throwing in the sheriff’s department’s direction these days,” Monahan challenged.
“I don’t consider it mudslinging,” Sophie said, meeting his gaze evenly. “I consider it doing my job.”
“I guess that’s how you can sleep at night,” Gold sneered. “You lie to yourself.”
“Lieutenant Gold, I would think you’d want me to uncover the truth,” Sophie said. “Isn’t that what being in law enforcement is all about?”
“Not your kind of truth,” Gold said. “Your kind of truth comes in the form of lies.”
“The money is missing,” Sophie countered. “That’s not a lie. I’m not the one covering something up.”
“The sheriff didn’t take it,” Gold replied. “He’s a good man.”
“I’m not saying he isn’t,” Sophie replied. “Someone else could’ve taken the money.”
“Who?” Monahan asked.
Sophie considered pressing the issue. Why not? “Why is it, do you think, that James Madison is the primary account holder on all of the sheriff’s department’s accounts?”
Monahan furrowed his brow. “What?”
“Oh, now you’re going to blame it on John?” Gold said. “That’s just rich.”
“John is a good man,” Monahan said. “You shouldn’t throw stones – especially given your unsavory ties.”
“Meaning?”
“Weren’t you raised by the Marconis?” Monahan asked. “They’re mob.”
“That’s funny,” Sophie said. “They’ve never been convicted of anything.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re not mob,” Gold said. “Just that they’re too smart to get caught.”
“We’re all entitled to our opinions,” Sophie said stiffly. She’d heard numerous aspersions cast on her foster family throughout the years. It was better not to engage in situations like this.
“Some of us get to print our opinions in the newspaper as fact, though, don’t we?” Gold said.
“I don’t print my opinions in the newspaper,” Sophie replied. “That would be an editorial. I don’t write editorials. I print facts.”
“The sheriff didn’t steal any money,” Gold seethed.
“And I never said that he did,” Sophie argued. “I merely pointed out that money allocated from the county disappeared before being registered in the sheriff’s department’s accounts. You should actually be glad that I’m investigating this case.”
“How do you figure?”
“Because that money was supposed to go for new vehicles and equipment for you guys,” Sophie said. “You’re the ones who’ve really been screwed here. You should be angrier than I am.”
“Who says we’re not angry?” Monahan asked. “Maybe we’re just angry at the right people.”
“And who are the right people?”
“Those would be those fat cats sitting up on their thrones at the county commission,” Gold said. “They’re the ones who stole the money, and now they’re just trying to use the sheriff as a scapegoat.”
“That’s possible,” Sophie conceded. “I just got a huge packet of financial information from the county, just in case that was the case.”
“And what did you find?” Monahan asked.
“It’s almost two thousand pages of stuff,” Sophie said. “I haven’t been able to go through all of it. I just got it yesterday.”
“Well, maybe you should be doing that instead of acting like a ghoul at a funeral,” Gold suggested.
“I have to go where my editor sends me,” Sophie said. “I still have to follow rules, just like everyone else.”
“Well, why don’t you focus on your rules and leave the sheriff alone,” Monahan said. “I think we’d all appreciate that.”
“You might not like what happens if you don’t,” Gold added.
Sophie froze at the words – words that were a little too similar to the email threat. Could he be the one who sent it?
Even though the day was warm, Sophie shivered – a reaction not lost on Gold. He was getting off on her rush of sudden fear, Sophie realized, puffing out his chest like he was some big, strong man. She took a step away from the two deputies. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You do that.”
Sophie took the opportunity to flee, casting a series of glances over her shoulder as she made her way to her car. Thankfully, no one was following her – at least not that she could see. Once she was inside, she locked the door and took a few moments to catch her breath. She was being silly, she told herself. There was no way that two sheriff’s department deputies – two lieutenants, for crying out loud – would be stupid enough to threaten her.
It was just a coincidence.
Once Sophie had calmed herself, she started the car and pointed it in the direction of the Daily Tribune. She had a story to file – an important one. Once she was done, she could escape to relative safety. The fact that relative safety resembled Grady Hardy was not lost on her.
Despite her best efforts, she was falling for him. That meant only heartbreak could be around the corner.
Twenty
Sophie didn’t fully catch her breath until she was in the Daily Tribune’s parking lot. She’d watched her rearview mirror for signs of someone following her the entire ride across town. There were even a few times she was convinced she saw the same dark SUV moving in and out of lanes on the highway behind her.
No one had followed her into the newspaper’s parking lot. She was sure of that.
Sophie gathered herself, grabbing her notebook before exiting the car. Marge was sitting behind the desk in the reception area, the look on her face full of disdain when she caught sight of Sophie.
“I wasn’t sure you still worked here.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Doing what?”
“Working on a story,” Sophie replied. “Something you would know nothing about, Marge.” Sophie had no idea why Marge’s negative attitude was so chafing today. Usually, she just ignored the gossipy secretary.
Today, the sight of her round face and pointed glare was just too much.
“You’re so full of yourself,” Marge snapped. “You think you’re better than everyone here.”
“I think you’re projecting,” Sophie said. “You’ve got a rich fantasy life up here, don’t you? You think you know everything that is going on, and you really don’t know anything that’s going on.”
Marge’s face colored with rage. “And you think, because you look like a model, that everyone is just going to bow down and do what you want.”
“I don’t think anything of the sort,” Sophie shot back. “I’m here to do my job, and nothing else. What bug crawled up your butt and died, by the way? You’re never pleasant, but you’re usually not this unpleasant.”
“You’ve been quite the talk around here the past couple of days,” Marge sniffed. “You probably didn’t know that because you haven’t been here, you know, doing your job.”
“And what are people saying?”
“I heard the women in advertising talking,” Marge said. “They said you were attacked outside a bar two nights ago. What? Did some guy want more than you were willing to give? Did he find out you’re frigid?”
“Who told you that?”
“That you’re frigid? Everyone thinks it.”
“Not that. Who told you about the guy attacking me with the knife outside of the bar?”
Marge shifted uncomfortably. “He had a knife? I’m sorry. I didn’t know that. The way everyone was talking, it sounded like you had just ticked some guy off at the bar and were purposefully making a scene.”
Sophie was surprised by Marge’s apology. “To be fair, he didn’t get that close to me. I was with three other women, and two of them noticed him before I did and stopped him.”
“You were out with friends on a Sunday night? I didn’t even know you had any friends,” Marge said. “I thought you were married to the job.”
Were they friends? Were they her friends? Sophie still wasn’t sure – although the pang in her heart told her that was something she actually wanted. “I haven’t known them very long,” Sophie admitted. “It was just a friendly couple hours at the bar.”
Sophie moved toward the glass double doors that led to the inner sanctum of the newspaper.
“The ad reps said something else,” Marge said.
Sophie stilled. “What?”
Deadly Intuition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 2) Page 12