He had such a nice mouth.
She jerked her eyes up, but not before he caught her ogling.
The toad had the audacity to wink.
Miss Eva set a carafe of coffee in the center of the table, ending the silent exchange. “I’d offer my old clunker, but today is my day to deliver meals.”
Sam tackled her food, trying to corral her roller coaster emotions. “I won’t need it long; couple of hour’s maybe.”
“No problem. Lot of paperwork to do. Should be in the office all day.”
“Do you know who she is yet?”
Eva voiced the question Sam wanted to.
“Not yet.” The teasing note in his voice vanished. “Some leads, though.” He ducked his head and continued eating.
For reasons she refused to examine, Sam wanted the teasing Coop back. “I just hope Alice doesn’t see me drop you off at work.”
When he looked up, she managed a tentative smile. “Who knows what the rumor mill might generate then.”
“I really think I should drive you.” Coop snapped his seat belt as Sam got behind the wheel. “The killer is still out there.”
“We’ve been through this already. I’ll be fine. I have Jack with me.” She slid her hands along the rim of the steering wheel, and glanced around the interior. “This is an eighty-nine, right?”
“I’m impressed. Most women wouldn’t know that.”
“My brother has one. His is two-tone brown. I love this baby-blue and white, though.”
“Flattering my ride won’t change the subject.”
She backed out of the drive. “We’ll be fine.”
He didn’t miss the note of exasperation in her voice. “Call me as soon as you get there and when you leave.”
“I will.”
He saw the tightness in her jaw, reasoning her patience ran low. Too bad. She’d just have to get over it. “Sure you can find the place?”
She glanced his way, spacing her words evenly. “I am sure. Your directions are very explicit.”
“You have my number programmed into your phone?”
A perturbed smile showed the slightest dimple in her right cheek. How did I miss that?
“Yes. I will call if I get lost, have a problem, to say I’m there, and I’m headed home.”
“Good. And –” He paused his instructions to answer the phone. “Delaney.”
“Detective Rollins, Dallas PD. Lana Watkins isn’t your vic.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Spoke to her myself. Most likely her roommate, Joyce Ayers, though. Seems she borrowed the ‘vette for the weekend. Emailing you a picture and pertinent info now. ”
“Thanks.”
“We did secure some DNA stuff just in case. Wanted to let you know.”
“Thanks.” Coop ended the call and dropped the phone on the seat beside him.
“Bad news?” Sam kept her eyes on the road as she eased her way through a school zone.
He leaned back in the seat. “Wasn’t who we thought, but we may have an ID today.”
At a four-way stop sign, she glanced his way, head shaking side to side. “I just don’t understand this kind of violence.”
“Me neither.”
“You’ll get who did this,” she said firmly.
“That’s a lot of confidence in someone you don’t trust.”
The tightness in her jaw was the only indication he struck a nerve.
