A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram #2) - Darynda Jones Page 0,96

and smooth as ever. “I do not really feel that way about your hair.”

Holy crap. He could read her mind.

“Also no,” he said.

She straightened. “No what?”

He stood to tower over her. “I cannot read your mind.” He really could. When he lifted her chin and bent closer, their mouths almost touching, Sun was ninety-percent certain she ovulated. “Though I’d give anything for that ability.”

A breathy laugh escaped her. “You’d rue the day. Trust me.”

“Not likely.” His gaze dropped to her mouth just as Quincy came over the radio.

“You two done?”

Sun pivoted away from Levi like she’d been caught in the act itself.

“Because we secured the men following you like five minutes ago.”

She cleared her throat and pressed the talk button on her mic. “How many?”

“Two,” Rojas said. “They supposedly don’t know where the other guy is.”

Quincy came back on, “We called in the staties to check out their hotel in case he stayed behind. They’re coming out here, too. Hope that’s okay.”

“It’s more than okay. Not sure what we can hold any of them on, but it’s worth a shot to try to find out their end game. Did Zee have to shoot anyone?”

“Not today, boss,” she said almost sadly. It was a joke. Sun saw firsthand what it did to her the last time she had to take down a perpetrator.

“You guys okay to get them back to the trailhead?”

“Ten-four on that,” Quincy said.

“They’re hog-tied, boss,” Zee said. “I can stay on you. Watch your six, just in case.”

Levi grabbed the backpack and Sun ripped it out of his hands. “Nah, stay on them, then hustle up with the ATVs when the state police get here.”

“Ten-four.”

With the stalkers out of the way, they could continue their journey to the boys and, hopefully, get some answers.

“I want a do-over,” Levi said. After stuffing their water bottles into the backpack, he stole it once more and secured it on his shoulders. “I felt my performance lacked authenticity.”

Unfortunately, Sun responded before giving it much thought. “I doubt your performances are ever found lacking, Mr. Ravinder.” When her words sank in, she froze for a solid minute, then started forward, suddenly eager to be on her way.

Auri turned to the tapping on her window a microsecond after her grandmother left her room with her lunch tray. Finding dead bodies got her all kinds of special treatment. She’d give it five stars. Highly recommended.

She hobbled over and opened the window. “Cruz, what are you doing here?”

“Checking on you. I got your texts.”

“Sorry. I just had to tell you about last night. Why aren’t you in school?”

“Why aren’t you in school?” he asked, his mouth pressed together on one side, forming a lopsided grin that made him so handsome, it hurt her heart.

“Either way, you will not believe what happened.”

“You found a dead body,” he said.

She frowned. “How did you know?”

“It’s all over school.”

“Of course it is. Come in.” She stepped aside so he could scale the tower wall and enter her fortress of solitude. Also, mixing up fandoms was a specialty of hers.

“I can’t, Auri. I have to respect your grandfather’s wishes.” He paused, his serious expression almost comical, then added, “And you. As a friend and as a woman, I have to respect you.”

She offered him a look of bemusement before catching on. She rolled her eyes. “My grandpa is standing right behind me, isn’t he?”

Cruz nodded.

“Can he hear me?”

He nodded again.

“That’s what I meant, Cruz. Go to the front door and let my grandparents know you’re here to see me. They won’t mind.” She turned to her grandfather who’d totally invaded her space bubble. “Right, Grandpa?”

His lashes narrowed on them. “I’m going to pretend I fell for that.”

“Thanks, Grandpa!”

Cruz went around and was shown in the old-fashioned way, which was way easier on the shins. They lay on her bed, Auri under the covers and Cruz on top, and talked for the next hour nonstop.

“I’m going to confess everything,” she said to him, “to Mrs. Fairborn. I’m going to tell her why we broke into her house, how it was all my idea, and how I was going to turn her in for being a maniacal serial killer.” She hoped Cruz would understand. “I can’t send her to prison, Cruz. She’s too old.”

“I don’t think they would send her to a regular prison. Maybe they have one for the elderly that has a bingo palace.”

“I’m not sure I want to take that chance. I do want to get that necklace, though. And