was related to the investigation. The look in her eyes told him this wasn’t the time or place. She was in no mood for it. His gaze darted away from hers, and his body stiffened. “What are you doing there?” He scanned over what she had written. “Addie, I already told you, you can’t get involved in this investigation. You’re the prime suspect, and all the evidence points to you.”
“I think I already blew a few holes in that evidence you so smugly thought you had. Tell me, is it your ‘off-duty’ FBI agent girlfriend who’s calling the shots?” Her fingers hooked air quotes. “From how she’s conducting herself, I’d say she’s trying to smear my name instead of finding out who’s really behind what happened.”
“Why would she do something like that?” Marc pierced her with a glare. “She’s as professional as they come. I’ve allowed her to become involved because she offers a new perspective on investigations from her experience working with the FBI. She’s been very valuable in pointing out some areas we should take a closer look at.”
Addie crossed her arms over her chest. “She missed the lack of footprint evidence in the soft soil under the window.”
The tips of Marc’s ears turned cherry red.
“Plus,” she said, waving her hand at the board, “if you look at this with a logical eye and not an emotional one, it’s clear that someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make it look like I am the thief. A position she appears far too ready to embrace, for whatever reason.” She leaned across the desk, her eyes fixed on his. “I’d say she’s too emotionally involved with this case because she’s emotionally involved with you. This is the perfect way for her to squash any feelings you might still have for me that could cause you to second-guess your commitment to her.”
“Addie!”
“Think about it. She knows you’re dedicated to your law enforcement career, and by accusing me of theft and possibly murder, it’s a heck of a way to make sure you wouldn’t have any temptation or thoughts about trying to make things work between us again.”
Marc’s gaze dropped. His fingers slid across the brim of his cap. “Is there a chance that could ever happen?” he asked, looking up, his eyes searching hers.
“Look, Marc, part of the problem with us was that as long as I played by your rule book, we were good, but as soon as I didn’t, you had an issue with it and could turn downright nasty, like now. You could never handle the thought that I might have a few rules of my own, and they may not be your idea of protocol but they did get results, didn’t they?” Her eyes flashed. “So that’s exactly what I’m going to do here, with all this.” She waved her hand toward the board. “I think we both knew deep down that it would never work out between us in the long run. We wanted different things in life. And here we are now, and it looks like we both ended up getting what we wanted, just not together.”
“You’re right.”
“Yup, and Ryley seems perfect for you.”
“She is,” he said, squaring his shoulders, “and I’m hoping you and I can move past what happened between us and at least go back to being friends.”
“Friends?” She snorted. “I wanted that, too, but then you arrested me for theft and possible murder. Not to mention the horrible way you’ve treated me through all this. And now . . .” She shouldn’t have enjoyed Marc’s flinching jaw as much as she did. “I don’t know, maybe we will be friends again in the distant future. Until that frosty day comes, I first have to prove to you that the evidence you think you have against me actually leads to the real thief and killer.”
“As your friend, I’ll tell you again: Stay out of this—more than ever before because you are the suspect right now.”
“Then I have nothing to lose, and it makes it more imperative that I do a little digging on my own.”
“I think I’d better leave now because I really don’t want to have to cuff you again, and if I stay any longer and you say much more, then I’ll have to.” Marc spun around and thumped into Simon’s chest. Marc’s head ticked in a curt nod as he pushed past him.
Chapter 20
“What was that all about?” Simon studied Addie’s heat-reddened face.
“Never mind him. Did