Command Indecision (Lexi Graves Mysteries) (14 page)

"Shoot."

Color me surprised. I must have caught Delgado in a good mood. Note to self: find out how that happened and how to replicate it. I explained my sister's position quickly and what she needed, adding that it was with Solomon's approval. When I was finished, there was silence. Perhaps I'd pushed my luck? "Is that okay?" I asked, waiting for the rebuff.

"Yeah. It just makes me mad that guys turn into asshats and blame it on their women."
Delgado’s voice was heavy with loathing. Sore point?

"Uh..."

"I'll get my stuff and put her system in today," he added gruffly.

"Thanks," I said and Delgado hung up. I turned to Solomon. "Delgado is going to play hero."

Solomon barely glanced up.
"Good for him."

"Yeah." I dropped into the armchair and picked up my book, putting a little space between us. After a while, Solomon
went over to the kitchen and when he returned, it was to place
a coffee cup in front of me, the swe
et scent of vanilla hanging in the air around us
. He didn't say a word as he
started to tap the keys
. That was fine by me. Companionable silence was just fine.

I called Serena back that evening to find out if Delgado had done his job. Not that I was checking up on him so much, but the Ted thing creeped me out. My soon to be ex-brother-in-law was an asshole, but I'd never have put him down for common violence, especially since he was a lawyer, and well, should have known better.
It didn’t strike me as a coincidence that he’d left the scene rather than getting caught. Knowing him, he’d probably say Serena did it herself out of spite.

But even worse, I seethed at the idea
he could have hurt my baby niece. What if she had been in the room when the brick
flew
through the window? I shuddered. I couldn’t bear thinking about it.

When Serena picked up the phone, t
here was the sound of laughter in the background
rather than the quiet I expected.

"Sounds
like you're having fun," I said, puzzled.

"I am." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Did Delgado fit the security system?"

"He did. It's great.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Every window and door is alarmed and wired to the Solomon Agency. I can't believe he got it done so fast. He was just telling me all about a security detail he did in Panama when you called. You never said he was so funny, Lexi!"

Huh? Delgado? Funny?

"He's still there?"

The surprise in my voice clearly didn't filter through
to Serena. "Yes. We just opened
a bottle of wine."

Double huh. On the plus side, I pitied Ted if he decided to turn up tonight while Delgado was there. Perhaps it was a good thing Serena had company.
On picturing Ted skulking around the house in the dark and coming up against the brick wall that was Delgado, I couldn’t help but smile.

"Victoria okay?" I asked.

"Peachy. She spent twenty minutes bouncing on Antonio's knee and then she fell asleep."

Though the idea of Victoria bouncing on
Antonio's
knee brought a smile to my face, my heart burned. I missed Victoria. I had a bunch of other nephews and nieces, but there was nothing like a baby to tug the heartstrings. Given my current state of romantic strife, she could very well end up being the last baby I got to cuddle. Big wah.

"Okay, well, I was just checking in.
I’m glad you’re okay. Talk soon?
"

"
Great!
Later, Lexi."

I stared at the phone as Serena hung up. I had the funny feeling that I interrupted the best night Serena was having in a long time. Not that I could object to that because Serena deserved happiness after everything she'd been through. When she was pregnant, she confessed to me that she'd wanted to be a mom for
a long time, but the process—a sick-inducing thought—had
taken longer than she thought. Her dicks of employers had
subsequently
let her go; even though she'd put virtually every waking hour into the company since she joined. To make matters worse, she suspected Ted was having an affair, something I had to confirm.

Since then, Serena's life was one of ups and downs. She filed for divorce and started her own accounting business. She put up with Ted playing nasty purely because she had a baby with him. I couldn't imagine how tough it was for her, because if there was one thing Ted hated, it was
not
being in control
. H
e seemed determined to punish Serena for his own shortcomings.

If
Serena was having a good time with Antonio Delgado,
if she got to take a little time out from Ted's nastiness, then I was happy for her.

Even if it was weird.

As I stared out the window, it struck me suddenly that everyone was happy except me.

Lily and Jord were not only dating, but going at light
speed, given how much time they now spent together. Garrett had always been madly in love with Traci. Daniel had Alice.
My parents had each other.
And where was I? Miles from home, boyfriendless again, and with a man that I didn't quite know what to do with.

Well, I had some good ideas what I could do with him, but none which could get around the fact that in the morning, he would still be my boss. And if I ever wanted more from
my relationship with
Solomon,
such as it was,
I doubted it would be a rebound screw. That would only insult us both.

I could wallow in despair, and be angry with my lot, or I could fight back. Just because Maddox apparently didn't want me, didn't mean I couldn't be happy. I had girlfriends, I had a life. I didn't have to hide under my duvet and cry for the next six months, even if a bit of me really, really wanted to.

Instead, as Solomon bent his head over the laptop, his fingers flying across the keys, I called up my text messages and shot off a message to Lily suggesting a girls’ night out when I got back
to town
. Two minutes later, Lily agreed.

See? It was easy. I could fill my life with enough stuff that I wouldn't have to miss
Maddox. Eventually, he would just fade away like a bad memory and I would be fine. It would be easy.

Solomon looked over and smiled, dazzling me momentarily with his handsome looks.

Yeah. Easy, like one, two, three.

Chapter Ten

When quiet descended over the office a few seconds after the doorbell announced someone's entrance, I couldn't help turning around to see who precipitated the sudden silence. Standing at the counter was a slim, angular woman in her twenties.
W
avy
,
pale brown hair, subtly highlight
ed in caramels, hung around an oval face that framed reddened eyes. A brightly colo
red,
silk scarf was wound around the woman’s
neck
with the ends tucked inside her denim jacket.
Her eyes darted
from the floor to the desk, as she gulped, then
all over the office
, seeming to look for something, or someone
. She laid a leather purse on the reception desk and waved,
then
started to smile, but seemed to give up
as the edges of her lips returned to the default grim line
.

For a moment, I couldn’t place her, although I was sure I should know her face.

"Roxanne!" Ruth swept over,
taking control of the situation, and answering my unasked question.

"Who?" I mouthed to Gretchen. Not that I needed to
know, of course
. I knew. Roxanne Connor
, Jillian’s sister, was high up on my list of people to talk to, to
find out if she knew anything about her sister's murder. Lucky me, she was in the office, which made nailing her down so much easier.

"Jillian's sister," Gretchen whispered, confirming my suspicion.

I nodded, pretending to turn back to the spreadsheet that I'd been assigned. Row after row needed to be filled in with data; and it was my job to extract the information
from the thick stack of papers
, update the spreadsheet and send it to Ruth for checking. It was about as much fun as a paper cut. As I bent my head over the sheaf of papers, I listened in to their conversation,
which took place just a few feet away at the reception desk
.

"All Jillian's personal things were packed away. I think your parents have them," I heard Ruth tell her. "I don't think there was much. She kept a tidy desk."

"I know. I saw the box, but I was looking for something else," Roxanne explained in a low voice, barely audible from where I was sitting. "Maybe if I could look through her desk?"
she asked in a hopeful, plaintive voice.

"I packed her things myself. There's nothing left," Ruth insisted. From the corner of my eye, I saw Ruth do a half turn towards me, showing Roxanne that her sister's desk was now occupied again. By me.

"I meant on her computer. She told me she was going to email me something and I never got it," Roxanne said, her words sliding together as she rushed an explanation.
Her breathing accelerated slightly and she gulped again. A hand darted through her hair, pushing it behind her ears. If she weren’t standing in the spot where her sister was murdered, a spot that would understandably make her tense and nervous, I would have assumed she was lying.

I saw Ruth's shoulders do a quick rise and fall
before I pretended to pore over the paperwork
. "Her log-in was locked. You know, I couldn't give you access anyway.
Base policy.
Did you try her folder on the shared server?" she suggested.

"Yes, but I couldn't find it. That's why I thought it might be on her computer here."

"Sorry, I wish I could be more help. Was it something important?"

"No," said Roxanne, but I couldn't help thinking she sounded disappointed. "It was just a file. Nothing important."

The knowledge of a file lurking somewhere was interesting, especially if it was something important enough for Roxanne to want to locate now
, despite what happened to her sister
.
The more I thought about her demeanor, the more
I was certain Roxanne was lying. Her voice started off nervy and became even more so the longer her explanation ran on. Whether she was lying about the existence of the file, or what was in it, I wasn't sure.
Whatever the ruse, she definitely wanted access to the computer I currently used.

"I wish I could help," Ruth said again.

"It's no problem. Really," said Roxanne, backing away towards the door.
She gave Ruth a little wave and pulled her scarf tighter before reaching for the door handle. At the same moment, the handle turned, and the door opened.

I watched as Roxanne
jump
ed backwards
and a man entered. A flash of panic streaked across her face as she
darted sideways
, nodding at the newcomer before circling around him and walking hurriedly out the door
, her grip tightening on her canvas bag
.
I shifted in my seat, and a
couple
of
minutes later
, Roxanne
passed the office window on the other side of the building, her head down, shoulders hunched as she
buttoned
her jacket against the cold wind
that had been blowing steadily since the morning
.

I glanced back over my shoulder at the man who
spooked her, but he was deep in conversation with Ruth, asking something about consignment dates and fulfillment that simultaneously boggled and bored me.
H
e noticed me looking and nodded, then Ruth said something I couldn't quite hear, but I figured was about me, seeing as she called me over.

"This is
Sergeant Jack Hoag
," she said.
Hoag
reached a hand over the desk, shaking mine
as I came to a stop on the other side. His smiling mouth revealed
a perfect row of white teeth. With his tanned, good looks and short
sandy
blond hair, he could have been the poster child for the Army, the type of soldier they wanted on recruitment billboards.

"How's life on base?" he asked me pleasantly
, his eyes indicating he wasn’t just being polite, but friendly too
. "Ruth says you're new."

"Fine. I'm glad to find a job so quickly."

Hoag
cut a glance at Mitch's office where the boss was working his way through a mound of paperwork. "Handy that there was an opening," he said, then shook his head, the smile dropping as he realized what he said. "Terrible business with Jillian. I'm glad they've got that son of a bitch locked up where he can't hurt anyone else."

"You really think this Tate guy did it?" I asked.
I twirled a finger through a lock of hair and wished I had some gum to pop.

Hoag
gave me a
n
incredulous look
as he lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug
. "Sure. He was practically caught red-handed and he's as good as admitted it."

Ruth glanced up from the papers she assembled. "Oh?" she said, surprised.
“He did?”

"He hasn’t said he's innocent,"
Hoag
said, by way of explanation.
He placed his forearms on the desk and leaned forwards, apparently in no hurry.
"If I was innocent, I'd be yelling it to anyone who’d listen. Now don't worry, ladies, he's going away for a long time."
He gave us a reassuring nod as his eyes flashed from Ruth to me.

“Well, that’s good to know,” said Ruth, but she didn’t seem too sure. She finished assembling the file and slid it over the countertop.

H
oag tucked
the file
under his arm
and signed his name against the receipt. "You'll all be at the homecoming shindig on the weekend?
” He stood up straighter, looking between the two of us, and raised his voice. “
Gretchen, you're gonna come, right?"

"Sure," called Gretchen from the back. I think she blushed at the Adonis smile he flashed her.

"Great. Take care now. See you
again soon
." He waved as he exited, all smiles and handsome features.

I turned to Gretchen, nudging Ruth in the side with my elbow. "I think someone's sweet on
Sergeant Hoag
," I said loudly, and was rewarded by Gretchen
flushing
red and fanning herself with a used envelope.

Gretchen turned to watch
Hoag
walk past the window, following Roxanne's dire
ction
. She gave him a finger wave as he passed by and sighed as he blew a kiss in return,
then waved cheerfully before crossing over the street
. She spun in her chair to face us. "Okay," she said, "I wasn't going to tell anyone, but
Jack
Hoag
and I are sort of dating."

"No!" Denise turned to her, disbelief in evidence on her face "You and... him?"

Gretchen’s face fell and her forehead knitted into a cross frown at Denise’s tone.
"Yeah. Why not?"

"Well, he... uh..."

Gretchen's
momentarily
happy face
continued to
crumble. Walking over there, I perched on her desk
and let my legs swing
. "Tell me how you snapped up that fine piece of man hunk," I demanded, before Denise could put her foot in it. I winked
at Gretchen
. "Just in case I ever get single again."

"As if!
" Gretchen snorted.
Yeah, she had a point. Who would leave Solomon after
managing to catch
him? Well, I
hadn’t
managed to catch
him, I had to remind myself, as a strange twinge pulled in the pit of my stomach. I ignored it as Gretchen
shook out her hair with a wriggle of her head and wrinkled her nose at Denise. Then she turned her attention back to me and Ruth, who had come to a stop behind me.
"It was just last week actually,” she said in a conspiratorially low voice. “
We were at Jillian's wake."

"He came onto you at Jillian's wake?" asked Denise in a disgusted tone.

"No!" Gretchen protested
with a shake of her head
, turning b
ack to Ruth and me. "Well, maybe,” she conceded, “but he was really nice about it.
I was upset and he passed me a tissue and we got
to
talking; then he said why don't we go see a movie? Take our minds off it... poor Jillian. So, I said 'sure, why not?' and the next night, we went out to a movie. Then last Friday, we had dinner and he was so sweet and..."

I
dipped my head towards her and loudly whispered,
"Did he kiss you?"

Gretchen giggled. "Yes. Ohmigod! He knows how to kiss, like
knows
." She flashed wide eyes at us.

D
enise snorted and muttered something derisory about
Hoag
smooching his way around the base.

"You're just jealous," Gretchen snapped.

The edges of Denise's
nose twitched. "Of you and Mr.
Dumb and Blond?"

"At least, he pays attention to me," Gretchen fired back, promptly turning her back on Denise, who made a scowl that could peel wallpaper.

"Where's he taking you next?" Ruth asked, deflecting whatever Denise was about to retaliate with; then, in an aside to me, "I live vicariously through other people."

Yeah. Me too. We shared a smile and turned to Gretchen
, waiting expectantly
.

"Some bar off base
in Chester
that he said I'd love. We're going on the weekend."

"Sounds great," I said, sliding off the desk. "I hope you have a brilliant time."

"And tell us every detail next week," added Ruth.
Obviously r
emembering I'd been hired to cover Jillian's part time hours, she said, "We'll rehash it for you if you're not in, Lexi."

"Awesome."

"Not that she'll need to listen after a week
end
with her hubby," giggled Gretchen.

I grimaced as I s
lid off the desk and crossed to my own temporary one, slipping onto my chair and tucking my legs under
neath. I hadn't asked Solomon if we were supposed to be staying on base and keeping up the charade for another weekend. I suspected it was a case of suck it up, part of Solomon's mission to stay “in character,” and also so we could snoop
when the majority of the civilians were gone
. My first day at his agency, he carefully explained that weekends and evenings were not off limits in the course of a job, a downside that was negated by the lie-ins and time off when business was slow.

I had a sudden yearning for my bed, a night out with Lily
,
and my mother's roast chicken. I wanted to pull a blanket up to my chin and watch trashy television on the couch while eating cake. I wanted my whole family around me, arguing through dinner, and I wanted to bounce baby Victoria on my knee and cuddle her tiny little body.