Deadly Intuition(44)

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.