Blink of an Eye (Kendra Michaels #8) - Roy Johansen Page 0,22

boy what he wanted this time.”

“He seemed polite but not that eager to work with me. I only hope that he lets us get our foot in the door when the action starts.”

“I do, too. You know I’ll be there for you,” Metcalf said sincerely. “What’s next?”

“I’ve just finished packing my bag, so I’ll go down and say goodbye to Olivia. Then I’ll head back to L.A. to Jessie’s house. We’ll probably both grab a nap and then set out to retrace Dee’s steps for the last few weeks. This kidnapping was too well planned not to have been heavily researched. Which means that she had to have been followed, and there’s a chance someone will have noticed who was doing it.”

“That may mean a lot of legwork. I could do some of it on my own time.”

“Hey, I may take you up on that.” But not unless she found it absolutely necessary. She was very touched by the offer, but she wanted to use Metcalf only in an emergency. “I’ll let you know.” She headed for the front door. “I have to leave now. I’ll stay in touch.”

“You do that.” He paused. “Does Lynch know about Dee?”

“I told you, I haven’t talked to him since he left. Was I supposed to send up a flare? It’s not as if he could do anything from some mountain in Tibet.”

“I just thought you’d want to let him know,” he said quietly. “He’s always been there for you during the rough times. I think this is one of those times.”

“Well, this time he’s otherwise engaged. We’re both adults with our own careers and I can’t expect anything else. Jessie and I will do fine without him. Bye, Metcalf.” She ended the call.

Everything she had said was true, she thought as she went down the staircase to Olivia’s condo. But it didn’t stop her from feeling a little lost without Lynch. No, a lot lost. The sadness and panic when she thought about Dee were there every moment, and being with Lynch usually seemed to ease any loneliness or pain.

Which meant she was entirely too dependent on him. This might be the learning experience she needed. What she’d told Metcalf was correct.

She and Jessie would get along fine without Lynch.

* * *

Kendra followed Jessie to her home in Venice, a beach community within sight of the Santa Monica Pier. Jessie’s small two-story house was a comfortable distance from the tourist-plagued boardwalk, situated along one of the community’s many charming canals. The waterway was lined with tufts of tall grass and a variety of colorful plants, each chosen according to the whims of the individual homeowners.

Kendra looked up at the house as she climbed out of her car and joined Jessie on the sidewalk outside. “I can’t believe I’ve never been to your place before.”

Jessie shrugged. “You’ve been to my office. That feels more like home to me.”

“I don’t believe that. This is amazing. Right on the canal. How did you find it?”

“It found me. Or its previous owner did, right before he was killed by his girlfriend and her Zumba instructor.”

“Seriously?”

Jessie nodded as she unlocked the front door. “Yep. And after I cracked the case, the man’s son gave me a sweetheart deal on the place. Trust me, I couldn’t have afforded it any other way.”

Jessie pushed open the door and punched the entry code on her alarm keypad. Kendra looked around the foyer and living room. The open layout gave her a view all the way back to the floor-to-ceiling windows that perfectly framed the small yard and canal outside.

“Beautiful.”

“Thanks. By the way, the previous owner’s body was found just about where you’re standing now.”

Kendra looked down at the Italian tile. “FYI, if you ever decide to sell this place, you should let the listing agent do the talking.”

“Probably a good idea.” She was suddenly grinning. “Nah, I was just kidding you. He was killed outside, near the beach. Though it probably wouldn’t have bothered me. That only happens when it’s someone I care about. I’ve lived side by side with murder and death from Afghanistan to the Hollywood Hills since I was a teenager. I’m not callous about it, but I accept it.”

“Particularly when you decide you want to freak me out?” Kendra asked dryly.

“Yep, particularly then.”

Jessie flipped on the lights, giving Kendra an even better view of the place. While her office had a 1940s retro vibe, the house was funky chic, with tasteful splashes of color accenting adventurous furnishings