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“Is this your current residence?”
“Yes.”
But he’d caught her momentary hesitation. Was she lying? Or did she simply not want to answer his questions?
“Where are you staying here in Texas?”
“A rooming house in Bitterwater.”
“Why?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Why what?”
“What are you doing in this part of Texas, Ms. Diamond?”
“I told you. I’m here to—”
“Get inspiration for a winter line of clothing? I don’t think so.”
“It’s the truth,” she insisted stubbornly.
“Then what do you want with my daughter?”
She sucked in a startled breath. “I...don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His jaw firmed. She was lying. That made it real easy for him to overlook her beauty and any attraction he felt toward her.
“According to my sources, you’ve been hanging around town for two days now, watching Lauren. I want to know why.”
Instantly, she bristled. “I don’t know who told you that....”
Her voice trailed off as her head turned. Alma stood against the nearby building watching them, hands crossed over her chest while she rocked back and forth on the heels of her boots.
“Ah. The town watchdog, I suppose.”
Noah didn’t respond. He could almost see the woman’s mind at work. He’d give a lot to be able to read the individual thoughts.
“All right, Sheriff. I was watching your daughter. But I didn’t know she was your daughter.”
Another lie? He couldn’t be sure.
“I saw her in town the other day and wondered if she’d be interested in doing some modeling.”
His gut tensed. The story was plausible given the way she dressed and acted, yet her body language was all wrong. One hand flexed nervously against her side. The other gripped her wallet tightly.
“Modeling,” he said softly, as if he’d never heard the term before.
Her fingers stilled. She drew in a breath. “Yes, modeling. You know, where a person wears designer clothing for the purpose of displaying said clothing to others.”
He’d give her points for a quick rally.
“Your daughter would be perfect for the line I have in mind.”
“I thought you designed the clothing. Don’t tell me you also hire your own models.”
“I do when I see a young woman who would do justice to them,” she argued. “She’s tall, willowy, blond, the perfect image of a young, upcoming executive. She’d make an excellent model.”
“Over my dead body.”
Noah heard a murmur of assent. He glanced around and saw that Alma had been joined by two of her cronies. Great. They were starting to draw a small crowd.
“I’m going to ask you to step over to my office, Ms. Diamond. The red brick building across the street.”
She tensed. “Am I under arrest?”
“Not yet.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I want to run your identification through the computer. I’m asking for your cooperation.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then I’ll have to insist.”
Her lips tightened. She tossed her head in the direction of the onlookers. Alma looked smugly satisfied.
“Very well, Sheriff.” She reached for her briefcase.
“I’ll get that,” he told her quickly. “Head for that red brick building across the street.”
“The one that says Sheriff on the window?”
Without waiting for a response, she strode across the street, head high, her spindly high heels clicking against the pavement. He picked up her briefcase and followed, refusing to be distracted by the subtle sway of her hips. Skylar Diamond moved like a queen.
Well, she should have stayed in her own little kingdom. Darwin Crossing was his town.
The slim briefcase had no betraying bulge and not enough weight for a gun. He didn’t really think she was dangerous in a physical sense—unless he counted the sensual tug she created inside him without even trying.
Noah shook his head. The briefcase was unlatched. He hesitated only a second before lifting the flap. Papers, disks, files, notebooks. A manila file with some handwritten directions sticking out. Finders Keepers was written in a bold scrawl across one of them. Now, why did that have a familiar ring to it? He didn’t have time to read more because she reached the office door and stood waiting expectantly.
His lips curved wryly. He held the door open for her and allowed her to precede him into the office. The dispatcher, Marissa Hurtado, looked up questioningly. Noah gave her an imperceptible nod.
“Go straight back to that first desk and have a seat, Ms. Diamond,” he directed.
She paused to let her glance quickly scan the room, no doubt categorizing and dismissing the badly scarred furniture and the messy papers spread everywhere. He’d decided the papers bred in secret overnight just to frustrate him. Paperwork was the bane of his life. He set his hat on top of the newest stack and walked around his desk.
“You might want to take off your sunglasses,” he suggested as she perched stiffly on the edge of the visitor’s chair.
“Why would I want to do that?”
He indicated the overhead fluorescent lights. “No sun?”
After a moment’s hesitation, her hand reached for the glasses and slipped them off. Silvery-gray eyes met and held his gaze. “Happy?”
He tried not to smile at her sarcasm. “Ecstatic.”
“I’m so glad.”
Noah thought again that she was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. Thick, dark lashes framed glittering eyes that held just the faintest trace of apprehension. But if she was nervous, it wasn’t enough to stop her sassy mouth.
“So, now what?”
“Now I’ll run your license and see if there are any wants or warrants.”
She fidgeted and quickly stilled beneath his inquiring gaze.
“Is that a problem?”
“No. Of course not.”
Her fingers tapped the edge of the armchair. She bit down on her lower lip in contemplation, drawing his attention to their fullness and the soft curve of her mouth.
“I’m fairly sure I paid that overdue parking ticket,” she muttered.
Noah didn’t want to like her. Especially since he wasn’t sure what sort of a threat she presented. But Ms. Skylar Diamond had a disarming way of draining the tension right out of him.
“I’ll let you know if you did in just a minute.”
She fidgeted some more as he waited for the connection. “Nope. No parking tickets. But you aren’t much for stop signs or speed limits, are you?” he asked when her information finally came up on screen.
She settled back in the hard wooden chair and regarded him coolly. The telephone rang and he heard Marissa answer.
“It’s a matter of perception,” she told him. “The New York police department can be very rigid about some things.” She sounded mildly aggrieved. “And I know I paid all those fines.”
“So you did,” he agreed. Behind her, Marissa was dispatching his deputy clear out near Butte Point. Noah frowned before returning his attention to Skylar Diamond. “No wants or warrants came up.”
“You sound surprised.”
“You never know.”
Part of him wished something had come up so he’d have an excuse to hold her until he knew what was really behind her sudden appearance here in Darwin Crossing. Alma’s suggestion coupled with the business card in her wallet brought back his earlier fears.
“So I can go now?”
The telephone rang again. He paid no attention. “In a bit. Mind showing me that card you dropped earlier?”
Her silvery eyes darkened to gray-green while her nails bit into the wooden arm of the chair.
“Yes.”
“Why is that?”
She held his gaze without flinching. “Because unless I’m under arrest, I’m going to leave now.”
“Noah,” Marissa interrupted. “I’m sorry, but Henry’s bull just took down the fence again. Jackson called it in. He says he’s going after the bull with a shotgun this time. I just sent Terry on another call out near Butte Point.”
Noah cursed. Knowing Jackson’s temper as he did, his darn fool neighbor wasn’t making idle threats. The man had no patience left when it came to Henry’s bull. If Noah didn’t want the Hatfields and McCoys reenacted in his own backyard, he was going to have to do something about that blasted animal.
“Call Jackson back. Tell him to stay put until I get there. If he fires that shotgun I’ll arrest him for disturbing the peace. I’m on my way.”
He didn’t want to let Skylar Diamond go, but he had no valid reason to hold her.
“You’re free to go, Ms. Diamond, but stay away from Lauren. My daughter is engaged to be married this summer. The last thing she needs or wants is a career in modeling.”
Her composure slipped when he mentioned the engagement. He saw an instant of shock before she rallied, blanking her expression completely. Now why should she care one way or another? The phone rang again as she came to her feet. Noah rose, as well.
“Isn’t that for her to decide, Sheriff?”
“You don’t know when to quit, do you?” But she definitely had spunk, he’d give her that.
“This isn’t the middle ages, you know. Women do have choices.”
“Noah,” Marissa called out, “that was Henry’s wife. Henry went after the bull and Jackson. She said he took his rifle with him.”
“Damn!” He didn’t have time for this, but it looked like he’d have to make time. “I’m on my way.”
He grabbed his hat, closing the distance between him and the woman. Flecks of blue and green shimmered in her eyes as excitement warred with apprehension. While she flinched slightly, she didn’t back up or lower her gaze.
“Go back to New York, Ms. Diamond. You’ve overstayed your welcome in Darwin Crossing. If I find you around town again I’ll arrest you for loitering.”
Her lips parted. For just an instant, he had the strongest impulse to taste those lips. Then sanity reasserted itself and he put his hat on and strode out the door. He heard her address Marissa before the door swung shut.
“And I thought New Yorkers had a reputation for being cold.”
Noah sprinted for the gas station and his leaky truck. So she thought he was cold, did she? Well, cold was the one way Skylar Diamond definitely didn’t leave him.
* * *
THE MAN sometimes known as Norman Smith worked the locks, cursing under his breath until he got past the last one. He had a feeling this wild-goose chase wasn’t going to be any more productive than his search of her office had been. Coming to New York had been a mistake. She’d covered her tracks well.
He’d called her office, looking for her, but her well-trained staff refused to give him any information. He’d hoped she’d left a record of her plans somewhere in her office. Unfortunately, that hadn’t proved to be the case. Getting inside the well-protected building had taken time and ingenuity, but all he’d learned for his efforts was her home address.
He’d let the rising tide of his anger get the best of him. Probably, he shouldn’t have given vent to his frustration by tearing up her office. When she found out, it would just send her deeper into whatever hole she’d found for herself. But she had to know he’d be coming after her. Surely she wasn’t so stupid she’d think he didn’t want his money back.
She had good locks, he admitted as the last one gave. And the security in her building was pretty good, as well. Not as good as he was, of course, but she was going to pay for this inconvenience. He was going to hurt her—badly. He’d already started planning all the ways he would make her pay.
He slipped silently inside her dark apartment, listening hard. There was no sound. He used his tiny pen flash to lead him to her pristine, empty bedroom. Damn it! He wanted that computer case! He needed that computer case! If she thought she was going to take his money and walk away without consequence...
