Perfect Night (Mason Creek #4) - Terri E. Laine Page 0,45

go canvas the town for more video, but the autopsy had begun. If I waited, I should have what I needed for a formal investigation.

“There’s something you should know,” she said, untangling herself from me. She waded away, putting space between us, and I didn’t like it.

“Evan came to the bar today and he wasn’t alone.”

“This is when you gave the ring back to him?”

She grinned. “Oh, it should be news in town. Least of which was that he admitted to me the ring didn’t have a real diamond.”

“Asshole.”

“No, it’s fine. Honestly, I felt better. I thought I was hurting him when I wasn’t. He didn’t love me. He loved the idea of me. The native backwater girl whom he could show the world through his prism. My dad had been right about him all along.”

“I’m still, sorry. You deserve better.”

She shrugged. “A learning experience. Besides, I have you.”

I swam in closer and kissed her because I couldn’t stop.

She grinned and held up a finger. “You’ll want to know this. The interesting thing is Darcy acted like she knew him.”

“Okay,” I didn’t see where she was going until I did.

“Like she really knew him. She dared me to choose between the two of you as if she’d be happy to take the other.”

Though I shouldn’t be shocked, I was, somewhat. “Darcy told me she had a thing with the mayor.”

Emma gave me a look like I was dense. “The mayor’s too full of himself to settle down. I don’t know. But Darcy seemed a little too sure of herself.”

Would Darcy sleep with Emma’s fiancé? I wanted to think no, but that wouldn’t be what any other investigator would consider if they didn’t have a close relationship with her. It was time I had a talk with Darcy.

“I’ve got to get to the bar,” Emma said. “Jack and I have come to an understanding, but I don’t know how long it will last. I’ll see you later,” she said.

We got out of the water and used towels I had in the back of my car. I was prepared for almost every situation, including a change of clothes.

“Will I see you tonight?” I asked.

When she looked at me like she did now, I lost my breath every time.

“I’ll be late,” she said.

“My door will be unlocked.”

She grinned.

I watched her drive away. Emma Hawkins was mine and she’d be my wife, even if she didn’t know it yet.

Chapter 21

Emma

It was hard leaving Aiden. A part of me had wanted to cross that finish line right there in the cove. We’d been alone, I’d been reasonably sure of that. The other part was scared. What if I didn’t live up to his expectations? It wasn’t like I had the kind of carnal knowledge about sex that Darcy did.

Though I’d told Aiden I had to go to the bar, I needed a shower after that. Only, there was a car parked in front of my house. It wasn’t close to my neighbors. Whomever it was, wanted to see me.

I got out knowing that the out of state license plate could only be one person.

“Were you with him?” Evan’s car door had opened the minute my feet hit the pavement. “Have you been screwing him this entire time?”

I didn’t want to have this conversation especially out on the street. No doubt, my neighbor, Ms. Watson, was watching from her window. But I also didn’t want him inside my house. I didn’t like the hate beaming from his eyes.

“What does it matter? You’ve been screwing Darcy.” Though I’d angrily threw that at him, I honestly didn’t care if he had.

“If you’d pry your legs open more than just occasionally, I wouldn’t have to fill my needs elsewhere.”

There were so many things I could say, like if he’d been good in bed, he wouldn’t have to pry my legs open. But I was done with the conversation.

“No worries now. You’re free to screw whoever you want.” I left him standing on the street or at least I tried.

He caught up to me and wrenched my arm so that I spun to face him.

“I’ve invested a lot in you,” he sneered.

“Yeah, like what the ring cost you? Twenty-five cents from the gum ball machine.” I tried to yank my arm away. He gripped tighter, pulling me closer.

“You won’t make a fool of me. We’re getting married.”

Pain hurdled through my arm where his hold felt like the Jaws of Life had clamped down on me.

“Let me go,” I seethed through