Nightbred(17)
She smelled Lucan before she saw him leaning against the hood of her car, and glanced at her watch.
“It’s one twenty a.m.,” he informed her.
“So it is.” She noted the scowl on his face, and recalled her promise. “You didn’t have to come after me for being late. I’ve got a case—”
“You forever have a case, Samantha.” He sniffed. “Why do you come here? The place reeks of death. I’ll have to direct Burke to burn your clothes again. Perhaps I’ll have him incinerate the entire contents of your wardrobe.”
“The garrison should enjoy that.” He sounded seriously annoyed, borderline angry, which posed a direct threat to windows of the morgue, the surrounding buildings, and every car in the parking lot. “If I say that I’m sorry for losing track of time, do I get to keep my clothes?”
His expression thawed a few degrees. “You wouldn’t mean it.”
She thought of the horror that had been Noel Coburn. “Tonight I would.”
Lucan extended a gloved hand. “Come here.” When she reached him, he folded her into his arms. “Now I shall have to burn my clothes,” he grumbled against the top of her head. “And have the Ferrari sterilized.”
She glanced past him at his gleaming red sports car, which he loved almost as much as sex. “I’ll drive back in the Porsche.”
“I think not.” He plucked the keys from her hand and pocketed them. “Burke can collect it in the morning.”
She drew back a little. “Why are you in such a rush to get me back to the den of iniquity?”
“Why are you reluctant to return?” he countered. “Have I given you cause?” When she didn’t answer, he sighed. “Samantha, my patience does have very well-defined limits with which you are intimately acquainted. Now tell me what is the matter before windshields commence exploding.”
Confronting him about interfering in her investigation might result in the same, so she tabled that for now. “Nothing is wrong, really. The flowers were beautiful, and very romantic, but having them delivered to the squad room was a bit over-the-top.”
“Flowers.” He frowned.
“If I were a secretary, I’d love to find four dozen roses in a crystal vase sitting on my desk every day,” she assured him as she watched his face. “But I’m a cop, and it’s not a cop thing, and you have no idea what I’m talking about.”
“Not in the slightest,” he agreed. “Someone using my name sent roses to your work?”
“There was no name on the card,” she admitted, “just a note.”
He nodded. “What color were they?”
“The roses? Red, I guess. Look, it was probably Burke,” she lied. “Why don’t we head back to the club?”
“We will,” he said pleasantly, “as soon as you tell me what the note said.”
“It said ‘Have a nice day.’” She heard her windshield crack, and winced. “Fine. Whoever sent them thinks I make their heart burn. So I guess I have a new secret admirer.”
His eyes turned to chrome. “Not for long.” He took out his mobile and pressed one number before lifting it to his ear. “Garcia? Roses were delivered to my sygkenis at the station. Contact the florist; I want the name and address of the man who paid for them. Yes. By sunset.” He switched off the phone and gazed down at her. “You will leave this to me.”
“Dwyer is dead.” Saying the name of the man who had harassed her, assaulted her, stalked her, and ultimately ended her human life made her feel sick. But Lucan had endured worse at the hands of a former friend turned Brethren agent. “So is Leigh. Don’t let the past play games with your head.”
“Such sweet concern.” Lucan put his hands on her waist and lifted her up to his eye level. “I daresay you do love me.”
“Oh, yeah.” She linked her arms around his neck. “Now take me home, my man, and I’ll show you how much.”
Chapter 5
“So Richard offers rule of Ireland in exchange for some lost baubles. If I’d known that was the sole requirement, I’d never have crossed the pond.” Lucan rolled up the summons Jamys Durand had given him and passed it to Burke. “I thank you for delivering it. Shall I have young Chris drive you back to the airport?”
Jamys hesitated. To remain in South Florida long enough to search for the Emeralds of Eternity, he would have to request permission for an extended visit. Lucan would want to know why, and if he told him the truth, it would probably result in a call to Thierry Durand. The moment Jamys’s father discovered his son had joined the quest for the lost gems, he would order him back to North Carolina.