Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) - Karen Rose Page 0,53

got creative. The ‘chai’ became ‘chee.’ It was probably easier for them to say.”

“Yeah. And because ‘chai-co’ sounds stupid.”

“Truth.” Croft smiled at the sight of two kids playing in a neighbor’s front yard. “This is a nice neighborhood.”

“It is. I see those kids sometimes when I jog. They’re very sweet. They did a lemonade stand last month to raise money for a sick classmate.”

Croft turned her smile his direction. “Did you buy any?”

“Of course.” He chuckled. “It was awful. They added ten times more sugar than they should have. But they looked so hopeful, so I drank it and bought more. Which I poured out as soon as I got around the corner. I was worried about a sugar coma, but Liza assured me I’d be fine.”

Croft was quiet for so long that he glanced over, only to see her shaking her head. “We don’t know a lot about the Chicos’ current management, but it’s thought that lower-tiered workers rose up through the ranks. Not a coup, really. More that they filled a power vacuum when the old bosses were arrested and deported.”

“And DJ Belmont is one of theirs?” he asked.

“That’s what I’m going to find out while you’re tracing Cameron Cook’s e-mail. It would help if I had a photo of Belmont. Can you send me a still from the video once you get it from Mr. Gray at the office building?”

“He sent it already. It’s in my inbox. I’ll forward it to you as soon as I check on—”

He slowed in front of his house, frowning at the Jeep sitting in his driveway. He’d seen it before—the night before, when Mike the Groper had brought her home. From their date.

“She’s got company?” Croft asked casually.

Tom swallowed the growl that rose from his chest a split second before Croft would have heard it. Keep it together, Hunter. Liza is a grown woman and can see who she wants to. But it felt wrong. Really wrong. “It would appear so.” He pulled behind the Jeep and put their Bureau SUV into park, leaving the engine running. “I’ll just be a moment.”

Not waiting to hear Croft’s reply, he jogged up the front walk. But when he’d gotten to Liza’s front door, he hesitated. What if she was . . . busy?

The very thought made his gut hurt, but he needed to know that she was okay, so he lifted his fist to knock.

The door opened before his knuckles hit, startling him into taking a step back. Then a very deep breath, because Mike the Groper stood there, smiling congenially.

“Tom! We didn’t expect you.”

“I . . .” I what? Didn’t expect to see you, either? “I’d like to speak with Liza for a moment.”

Mike leaned forward, his brows crunching. “She’s resting,” he whispered. “I put her to bed when she got home. She looked a little shocky to me. I think this morning’s close call shook her more than she wanted to admit. But I’m sure she’ll be fine. I’ll tell her you stopped by.” He started to close the door.

She told you what happened?

No. No way. That wasn’t possible. Liza knew the Eden investigation was under wraps. He shoved his foot over the threshold just in time to stop the door.

“It’s official business.” Which was mostly a lie, but at this point, he didn’t care. “I need to talk to her myself.” He shouldered the front door open, Mike too surprised to give him any resistance. “I know my way around.”

Mike opened his mouth to argue, then snapped it closed. “Fine. I’ll wait down here.”

Yeah, buddy. You do that.

Tom took the stairs two at a time, slowing when he reached the hall upstairs. He’d helped her move in, so he knew where her bedroom was. He’d even been in it a few times, when she had woken screaming from a nightmare that she wouldn’t discuss, no matter how many times he’d asked.

That Mike the Groper had been here, too, even if only to tuck Liza safely into bed . . . Well, he didn’t like it. At all.

He started to knock on her door, then stilled. He could hear her, and she was crying. Still.

Goddammit. He felt horrible, made worse because he didn’t know what to apologize for. Carefully he knocked.

“I’m fine, Mike,” he heard her say. “I already told you that. You can go home now.”

That made Tom stand up straighter, and the tension released its grip on his chest. “It’s me, Liza. Can I come in?”

Silence met his ears.