Dance With Me - By Hayden Braeburn Page 0,37
tilted her head the other way, her black hair swishing against the chair. “I don't blame you for doubting me.”
Cassidy's bittersweet chocolate eyes widened. “You don't?”
“Why wouldn't you doubt me? I am the daughter of a convicted felon, accused of a terrible crime, and we just met, what, a week ago?” Cassidy started to protest, but Kat rolled over her. “I respect you for doubting me, for looking after your brother.”
She might, but Mason hadn't, not in the slightest. “Now, wait a minute, Kat,” he said from his seat on the couch.
“No, you wait a minute,” Kat rebutted, fire in her blue eyes. “Your family loves you, and they're protective of you.”
“I jumped to conclusions,” Cassidy said.
“You were worried.”
Cassidy shook her head and turned her attention to Mason. “I went to Dad and asked him to stop you from marrying her.”
“What did Dad say?” Mason asked, a smirk on his face. If anyone had his back on this it would be his father.
“He told me you were a grown man, able to make your own decisions.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He also told me he didn't think Kat was a drug dealer.”
“That's because I'm not.”
“I know. Priscilla planted the drugs, didn't she?” Mason pursed his lips so tightly they were white at the mention of Priscilla, she wished she hadn't said anything. “God, Mase, I am so sorry. She said she'd do anything to be with you, but I didn't think...” she trailed off.
These Everetts and their misplaced guilt. “It wasn't your fault, Cassidy, just as it wasn't Mason's fault,” Kat jumped in.
“If I had known, I could've done something,”
Kat shot a look at Mason. “Didn't we just have this conversation? You two are more alike than you realize.” She toyed with the pillow in her chair. “Even if you had said something, Priscilla is rich, and her family is powerful. What are the chances someone would have listened?”
“She poisoned Melanie,” Mason said.
“And you couldn't prove it,” Kat replied.
“No, but I still should have said something.”
“To whom? To me?” Cassidy asked. “I wouldn't have believed you. I would have asked if it was food poisoning or the flu or something.”
“Is Visine really even considered poison?” Kat asked.
Cassidy nodded. “It's bad stuff. It can even cause blindness and seizures.” She turned her dark eyes to her brother again. “She Visined your last girlfriend?”
“Yeah, she did. That's why you didn't know about Kat until this week.”
“You've been keeping the love of your life a secret for over a year because of Priscilla?” She stood then, gesturing wildly with her mug. “How?”
“Planning. Very careful planning.”
“I am the worst sister in history!” She placed the mug on the coffee table before taking the few steps necessary to reach her brother. “Please forgive me, Mase,” she pleaded when she wrapped him in a hug.
“Always.”
~*~
Drew Polanski rubbed his damp palms on his chinos. The two men sitting across the table from him were nothing if not intimidating, and he didn't even have anything to hide, not really. “Yessir, Ms. McClaren had been acting strange,” he answered.
“How so?” Reid asked.
“She asked if I was a hunter just the other day. Said she had a cat problem.”
The two detectives exchanged a look. “A cat problem?” This time Ian asked the question.
“Yeah. She wanted me to kill it, I think.” He shrugged. “I told her to call the ASPCA.”
Reid cracked a smile. “Good for you.”
“I wasn't about to kill an cat, feral or otherwise. I high-tailed it outta there after she came on to me, though. Another weird thing.”
“She came on to you? How so?”
“I think she just really wanted me to help.” He held up a hand. “I'm not a cheater. I love my girlfriend.”
Ian forced himself to keep a straight face. “No one thinks otherwise.”
Drew rubbed his hands on his thighs again. “Am I done now?”
Ian jerked his chin toward the door. “Sure thing.” He handed his card to the nervous young man. “Call me if you think of anything else.”
As soon as the door shut, Reid let out a laugh. “Wonder what he was hiding.”
“I'm betting it was pot,” Ian speculated. “Even if he had agreed to shoot Ms. Nemecek, he'd never have hit her.”
“Boy was shaking like a leaf. You believe his story?”
“I do.”
Reid pulled his notepad out of his pocket. “What day did Polanski say he was propositioned?”
“Two days ago.”
“So, after getting turned down by her assistant, she decided to take matters into her own hands?” Reid asked.
“It's