“Where are you thinking of going?”
“Miami. Daniel said a friend of his owns a condo there you can stay at. It’s not being rented right now so there will be no connection to your family.”
“Miami? Okay.”
He paused, suspicious. “You gave in really quickly.”
“You were expecting an argument?”
“Yes.”
“Look, I want to be smart. And I’ve already talked to a friend of mine. He’s going to take over the case with Leo Tizon. Leo is fine with it.”
Even if he hadn’t been, Carson was getting her out of here. Still, she had a kind of gleam in her eyes that made him wary. “What are you planning?”
Her eyes widened as she gave him an innocent look, but he did not buy it for one second.
“Fine.” She let out a little huff. “Eileen Bentley is in Miami. I can talk to her in person.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You’re trying to put me in an early grave.”
“Look, she’s the last person I saw before that guy broke into my house.”
“Julian already talked to her,” he said. “He interviewed her thoroughly.”
“Talking to her again won’t hurt,” Julian said from his desk, which was pushed up right against Carson’s. “She was nice enough but not overly talkative. I feel like she might’ve been holding back. Not about her attorney’s murder or anything, but maybe something to do with her husband?” He shrugged as he fixed his attention on Sienna. “If you get anything useful, let me know.”
Sienna looked positively smug as she smiled at Carson. “See? You can keep me safe and we can get some work done too. It’s a win-win.”
He shot a look at Julian, who just lifted a shoulder.
“Let’s get you packed and get out of here,” he finally said. He wasn’t letting her go see anyone when they were in Miami, but that was an argument he’d face once they got there. Sienna was just going to have to let his people do their jobs.
To his surprise, Sienna linked her arm through his as they headed out of the station.
Ah, hell. How was he going to keep his hands off her in Miami?
* * *
“So why don’t you work for your brother?” Carson asked as they headed down the highway. After packing and tying up a few loose ends, they’d gotten on the road. The drive would be over five hours, but with Miami traffic, probably longer. But the farther they could get away from here, the better.
“I don’t think I’d make a very good security professional.”
He snorted softly. “Don’t be a smart-ass. Not for Brodie. Why not work for Daniel doing what you do now? Just in a corporate angle.”
“He’s offered me a job a few times.”
“No kidding. That’s why I’m asking. Kathryn told me he’s offered you a job at least once a month and you always turn him down.”
“He told Kathryn that?”
“Of course. He wants you working for him. Why wouldn’t he? You’re smart and driven.” He’d never worked with her personally, but he knew she’d assisted the PD on a few cases and everyone had great things to say about her. “Imagine how much good you could do with all of his resources. Right now you’re basically a one-woman show… You know what, never mind. You’d probably take over the world if you started working for him.”
She let out a low laugh, the throaty sound going straight to his dick. He rolled his shoulders once. Being in close quarters with her was wreaking havoc on him.
“What about you, you plan on being a detective forever?”
“I don’t know, honestly. Right now I like it. I’ve got a good captain, but work life is long and I don’t like the thought of locking myself in to one job forever.” Something he’d never told anyone before.
“So how is it having Daniel as a brother-in-law?” she asked slyly.
He laughed lightly. “I never had a problem with Daniel. Okay, for the most part I didn’t. Not until I thought he screwed up with my sister. But he treats Kathryn well and I see the way he looks at her.” Daniel would never hurt her, not intentionally anyway. The man worshiped the ground Kathryn walked on.
“I know, right? They’re kind of disgusting and I say that in the nicest way possible.”
He laughed, liking this easy camaraderie with her. Sienna challenged him, but at the same time, things were so easy between them. He wished… Hell, he wished a lot of things. Like he could figure this woman out. Figure out how to get her back in his life in a way that didn’t involve an investigation.
“Shit!” she yelped just as a big semi swerved in front of them.
Grasping the wheel, he jerked to the left to avoid a collision. His gaze snapped to the right, then left side mirror. Lines of cars were in both lanes behind them. Hell. He couldn’t avoid it.
When the semi jerked wildly, its back end fishtailing, he winced and veered into the next lane of traffic. It was either that or a head-on collision.
Horns honked as the semi hit a truck’s back end.
Gripping the wheel tight, he cut off a car, went flying into the median even as he pressed on the brakes. Damn it! He twisted at the last second, his side taking the brunt of the impact as they rammed into the guardrail.
The impact rattled through the vehicle, the airbags popping out with a whoosh.
They shuddered to a stop as the semi plowed ahead, crashing straight over the guardrail and smashing into the ditch between the opposite sides of the highway. Smoke billowed out from under the hood, a wild plume of it.
Cars behind them had all slammed on their brakes but it was a miracle no one had hit them from behind.
“Are you okay?” Trying to shove the airbag out of the way, he looked Sienna over.
“I’m good. How about you?” She looked him up and down too, scanning for any injuries.
“I’m fine.” But his truck wasn’t. Smoke was billowing out from under the hood too and when he tried to start it, the engine didn’t turn over.
“I don’t think we’re making it to Miami tonight,” she murmured.
Yeah, he didn’t either.
Chapter 9
“Just get in your bed,” Sienna said in a grumpy tone.
Carson glanced over from the hotel window, let the curtain fall back into place. After the accident, they’d had to wait for the scene to be cleared, to deal with insurance, to make a report and then get a ride to the rental place. His truck was being towed back home to his normal mechanic, and right about now he was glad for insurance because they’d made things as easy as possible. Instead of driving into Miami tonight, they’d opted to grab dinner and stay in the nearest decent hotel.
But he couldn’t stop pacing, couldn’t stop looking out the window. “I don’t like that our plans have been derailed.” It had truly been an accident, but all the same, things had changed and an uneasy sensation had settled in his bones.
“I know. And we can just leave now if you want.” She was sitting up in one of the two queen beds, her laptop on her lap.
“No. We’re both exhausted.” He stretched out on the bed parallel to hers, knowing he wasn’t going to sleep well, but he didn’t want to make her endure the rest of the drive this late at night. They both needed rest.