Alibi (Brantley Walker Off the Books #5) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,58
as night descended.
“They won’t stop until they find her,” Curtis finally told him.
He didn’t reply immediately, choosing his words carefully. When he did, he kept his voice low, even. “I don’t want her in prison, Pop. I want her in the fuckin’ ground. I don’t even care if she’s breathin’ when she goes in, I’ll shovel the dirt myself.”
Based on Curtis’s expression, that wasn’t as much of a shock to his father as he’d thought it would be.
“You and me both, son.”
Chapter Sixteen
Baz finished typing up his notes and pushed back from his desk. He stretched his neck, moving his head side to side in an attempt to alleviate the tension building. It had been a long day. Hell, a long week, and while he’d spent most of the past few days sitting in his apartment with no water and the electricity flashing intermittently, it hadn’t felt like a vacation. Partly because he’d been stranded with JJ and they weren’t exactly on good terms.
Or rather, they weren’t on the good terms he preferred them to be on. They were getting along just fine. Friends, even. They could talk and joke, but there was still a tremendous gap between where they were now and where they had once been.
As he pushed to his feet, Baz’s stomach growled, reminding him he hadn’t had lunch. He’d spent the majority of the day catching up on a few of the stragglers coming into the tip line. Nothing worth noting, but it had required a follow-up to make that assessment.
He ventured up to the loft, following the sound of busy fingers on a keyboard. When he reached the top of the staircase, he found JJ furiously typing away.
Baz cleared his throat, wanting to alert her to his presence. He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination or not, but these days JJ seemed jumpier than usual. Ever since New Year’s.
When she turned her head slightly, he asked, “How long you think you’ve got left?”
Since JJ had yet to buy another vehicle, partly delayed because of the weather, Baz was still driving her to and from the office, which meant he stayed until she was ready to go.
JJ glanced over her shoulder, frowning. “What time is it?”
“Six thirty.”
“Holy shit.” She pushed back from her desk. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
His stomach grumbled again, this time loud enough for JJ to hear. It pulled a smile from her.
“Thought maybe we could grab some dinner before we head back to the apartment?”
“You’re speakin’ my language, Detective.”
Yes, he was sure he was. For the past couple of weeks, JJ’s attitude toward him had changed. She’d shifted into friendship mode, and he could almost believe she was sincere in it. And while he appreciated the effort, even enjoyed talking to her, Baz couldn’t get past the feelings he had for her. He wanted something he knew she didn’t, and since he wasn’t willing to lose her, he’d adopted the same outlook: they would be friends.
“I can finish this up at home,” she said, undocking her computer.
“The diner?” he suggested while she tucked her laptop into her bag.
“God, yes. I heard they brought chicken livers back on the menu.”
Baz stopped, his nose instinctively scrunching up. “Nasty.”
“Oh, but they’re not,” she insisted. “You’ll have to try them.”
He was shaking his head as they walked down the stairs.
She rambled on about chicken livers, French fries, and cream gravy all the way to his truck. Once inside, she moved on to dessert while Baz listened with half an ear.
He had to admit, he had grown fond of this new development in their relationship. It was nice to not have JJ looking at him like she wanted to singe him with laser beams coming out of her eyes. But at the same time, he got the feeling there was more to this than she was letting on. More than them merely moving past his indiscretion.
Ever since the night she was attacked in her house, JJ hadn’t been the same. She found one excuse after another not to be alone, and he was beginning to think she was scared.
Not that he necessarily blamed her. She had been through a serious ordeal, one she had pretended at the time was nothing. Being bashed over the head and knocked unconscious, then drugged and doused with blood was not nothing. It was major but she still wouldn’t discuss it, keeping it all inside. He figured that was the main reason she was focusing so much on him.