Harlequin Intrigue April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 Carol Ericson (short books to read TXT) 📖

“C’mon over.” Jake scooted his chair closer to Kyra’s. “I’m glad Kyra was here to help out. I didn’t realize you were going to be so late.”

“Had some leads on the identity of our Malibu fire victim.” Billy clicked his tongue as he pulled up a chair and squeezed next to Jake. “Nothing panned out. That poor woman still doesn’t have a name.”

“You checked out the missing persons report that looked promising?”

“Chased it down. Showed the sister a picture of our victim, and she failed to make the ID.”

“He doesn’t seem to be targeting runaways, does he?” Kyra drummed her fingers close to Jake’s hand. “Marissa and Kelsey weren’t runaways.”

Billy lifted one shoulder. “Maybe he’s not targeting anyone. He sees an opportunity and takes it. That’s why the West Hollywood area is so important. Kelsey got a piercing at Rachel’s shop, and Rachel’s phone was stolen by the killer, or at least someone connected to the killer.”

“I think that was definitely our guy on the phone last night.” Jake clicked the mouse. “You ready to put eyeballs on this?”

He’d queued up the video to start seconds before Rachel entered Uncommon Grounds. When the action rolled, Jake poked his finger at the screen. “You can see her arm behind this guy in line.”

Three sets of eyes studied Rachel’s progress through the line and her turn at the counter.

“Wait,” Kyra shouted, and both Jake and Billy jumped. “She has her purse open to get her wallet. That looks like the edge of a phone right there.”

As Jake leaned in, he felt Kyra’s warm breath on his cheek. “You’re right. That’s her phone. Good job.”

Rachel shoved her card in the chip reader and pulled it out. She tucked the card back into her purse without touching her phone. She stepped out of the camera’s view to wait for her drink.

Kyra sighed. “Anything could be happening off camera.”

Rachel reached in to grab her drink, and they couldn’t even see her purse or her other hand.

Kyra circled an area on the screen that showed Rachel’s other arm behind her body. “She could be holding a phone there.”

“We can ask her.” Jake backed up and snapped a picture of Rachel’s open purse with a gleaming corner of her phone visible. “I told you, she’s a bright girl. She might remember what happened in the coffee place the moment before or after she picked up her drink—someone bumping into her, some distraction. I’ll give her a call when I can.”

Billy stood up and stretched. “You canceled the task force meeting today?”

“I figured everyone got a good update in here. I’m going to get on the phone with the Sheriff’s Department and let them know we’ll be nosing around Melrose.”

“And I have a few clients to see later.” Kyra shoved back from the desk, linked her fingers and stretched her arms in front of her. “Thanks for allowing me to view the footage.”

“You provided some good insight. I don’t think I could’ve made out anything in a woman’s purse.” Jake felt Billy jab two fingers between his shoulders, and he shrugged him off.

Kyra pushed to her feet and patted her purse. “I left the case for my sunglasses in your car.”

“I’ll take you down to get them.” Jake flicked a finger at the printouts in Billy’s hand. “You have everything you need?”

“I sure do.”

Jake walked Kyra from the room, and they went down to the parking lot. He unlocked the car, and she ducked inside to retrieve her case.

She held it up over the roof of the car. “Got it.”

“Where’s your car?”

“I parked it on the street. The lot was crowded, and I didn’t want to take up a space.”

“I’ll walk you out there.” He ignored the look she shot him. He knew it was still daylight and they were in front of a police station, but old habits died hard.

“Not necessary, but okay.” She retrieved her car keys and jingled them. “No keyless ignition for me yet. My car’s ancient.”

When they got to the curb where she’d parked her car, Kyra slid forward and slammed her hands against the passenger window.

“Are you all right?” Jake grabbed her arm. Her skin felt clammy beneath his touch.

“I—I’m fine.” She twisted away from him and pushed off the car, where her hands had left moist prints on the glass. “I’m so clumsy, I slipped on the curb.”

The last thing he’d call Kyra Chase was clumsy. Jake glanced down at the perfectly dry curb without a crack in place. Behind his own sunglasses, he watched her smiling lips tremble.

“You don’t seem fine. Did you almost faint or something? Do you want me to get you water?”

“For a little slip?” She clicked the remote on her key fob. “I’m good. Thanks again for including me today.”

She stood with her back against the passenger door, her shoulders squared, a bright, fake smile plastered to her face.

“I’ll make sure you get to the other side okay.” He cupped her elbow and walked her around to the driver’s side.

She slid into her car and slammed the door on him. When she started her engine, she buzzed down the window. “Thanks, again.”

Jake nodded and hesitated, but Kyra pulled out her phone and bent her head over it, her fingers tapping furiously.

He forced himself to walk away from her car. He couldn’t stand there all day looking at her through the window. Raising his hand, he stalked back to the station parking lot. Before he walked into the building, he twisted his head to the side to find Kyra’s car still idling at the curb. The white oval through the window looked like her face.

She was still watching him?

When he walked into the station, Jake bolted up three flights of stairs and charged into the lunchroom, which had a view of the street.

As he squinted through the tinted glass, Kyra got out of her car, went around to the passenger side, crouched down and reached beneath the car’s