LITMIR.BIZ

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to know about running the store and eventually I bought her out. So I teach crafts instead of reading. How come you didn’t go to college like you planned?”

      “Who says I didn’t?”

      She turned and regarded him, letting her slow perusal express what she wanted to say. Nicki would have sworn he blushed.

      He crossed his legs at the ankles and leaned against the wall. It bothered her that he could look so sexy and so at ease when she was so desperately aware of him on every level.

      “Life may not have turned out like either of us thought it would,” he said, “but you could still go to school now.”

      “So could you.”

      “Nicki…” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

      Alex had great hair. She remembered how much she’d liked running her fingers through his thick waves.

      “You’re still very beautiful,” he told her.

      The unexpected compliment left her speechless. Especially since he sounded so sincere. His eyes watched her with a hooded expression as he tucked a thumb into the waistband of his jeans.

      “Do you ever think about us?”

      The slow drawl of his voice sent remembered shivers of awareness skittering along her nerves.

      “No.” The lie tripped off her tongue. He tipped his head to the side in an expression that clearly said he didn’t believe her.

      “I have. More than once. You were the only good memory I took with me when I left Fools Point.”

      Before she could reply, someone hammered on the rear door. Alex slipped inside the bathroom without a word.

      Nicki opened the back door, expecting Officer Jackstone, and came face to face with Thad Osher.

      “Ms. Michaels.”

      Nicki squelched a shudder of distaste.

      “Are you going to let me come in?”

      If only she could say no. She stepped aside and Osher entered, sweeping the room with a hard look. The look he gave her was just short of a leer.

      “Nice.”

      Nicki swallowed a retort. She wouldn’t achieve anything by baiting him. Sergeant Osher lived for conflict. She gave him silence.

      Osher scowled. “Tell me what happened out back.”

      “I have no idea.”

      “You telling me you didn’t hear the shots?” His eyes narrowed.

      “I am if you’re asking.”

      “Ms. Michaels, someone fired several rounds into your building. Be hard not to hear the shots when one of ’em struck right outside your door.”

      “Not if I was in the bathroom with the water running and the door closed.”

      “Is that right?”

      He moved closer, deliberately violating her space. His eyes dared her to move away. Though he repelled her, she lifted her chin defiantly. “Yes, that’s right. And if you put that hand on me, you’d better be preparing to take me to jail.”

      Osher hesitated, his hand raised in midreach.

      “Because I guarantee you, I’m going to scream bloody murder.”

      He dropped his hand to his side. “Now why would you want to go and do a thing like that, Ms. Michaels?”

      “Because I don’t like being touched, Sergeant.”

      He squinted at her. Anger added tight lines around his mouth and eyes. He wasn’t going to take this rebuke any better than the others she’d given him on those rare occasions when their paths had crossed. Nicki only prayed that Officer Jackstone was still outside and near enough to hear her if she had to make good on her threat.

      “Really? You don’t like being touched, huh?”

      “I don’t like her being touched either.”

      Alex’s low drawl sent her spinning around. He leaned against the wall in another negligent pose, but Nicki knew him well enough to know that Alex seethed with controlled tension.

      “I especially don’t like her being touched by you,” Alex added.

      “Well, well, well. Isn’t this cozy?” Osher gave her an evil glare and then turned his entire focus on Alex. “We’ve been looking for you, Coughlin.”

      “Looks like you found me.”

      “Yeah.” Osher drew his weapon.

      Nicki’s mouth dropped open in stunned shock. “What are you doing?”

      Osher didn’t look at her. “You’re under arrest, Coughlin.”

      “What for?” Nicki demanded. “He didn’t do anything.”

      “Suspicion of murder.” He spared Nicki another glare. “I knew there was a reason you didn’t pick him out of the lineup.”

      “There was. I couldn’t identify him.”

      Osher sneered. “Right. We’ve got hard evidence this time.”

      “That’s not possible,” Alex said calmly.

      “You shoulda’ been more careful, Coughlin. You tore your shirt on the fence the other night. We matched the fibers.”

      “Even if you matched fibers, which I doubt, I could have torn my shirt at any time.” But he had started to go over the fence after the figure running away and his shirt had snagged.

      “Tell it to your lawyer. That gave us enough to get a warrant to search your place today.” Osher smiled triumphantly. “And your car, which has been impounded along with your motorcycle. Bet you’ll never guess what we found.”

      “Dust bunnies?”

      “A gun, smart guy. One with several rounds fired. One that is the same caliber as the one used to kill Thorton Biggs. Want to take bets this will turn out to be the murder weapon?”

      Alex straightened. “Not unless you planted it yourself.”

      “Turn around and put your hands on the wall,” Osher snapped, suddenly all business. “You know the drill by now, Coughlin.”

      Slowly, Alex turned around. Nicki watched in horror as Thad Osher walked toward him. “But, Alex didn’t do anything!” she protested.

      Osher shot her a look of scorn. “I’ll deal with you later, Ms. Michaels. Aiding and abetting is—”

      In that moment, Alex erupted in a blur of action. He spun around so fast, Nicki barely saw the foot that caught Osher in the chest. She flattened herself against a shelving unit as the two men grappled. It was quickly apparent that Thad Osher was outmatched. Alex brought his hand down in a blow that sent the gun spinning across the floor, almost at Nicki’s feet. Without hesitation, she kicked the weapon under the shelving unit.

      The fight was over in seconds. Osher lay doubled on her floor dry-heaving while Alex ran out the front door.

      Nicki hesitated. Osher groaned. A trickle of blood ran from his nose. She ran to the back door and flung it open. Officer Jackstone was talking to the woman who ran the beauty shop two doors down. Nicki motioned him urgently.

      “Ms. Michaels?”

      “Alex just decked Sergeant Osher.”

      “What?” He pushed past her. She followed more slowly, trying to get her emotions under control. She needed to be calm while she decided what to tell them.

      Osher was pushing himself to his feet and cursing loudly when she got inside.

      “The bastard took my gun,” he told Derek Jackstone.

      “He

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