“Josie?” he asked, giving her an affectionate squeeze. “I know that I’m not the best singer, but I’ve never caused anyone to start crying before.”
She laughed.
“There. That’ much better.” He kissed the top of her head.
Shocked, Josie lifted her head and met his gaze again. The air in the room thinned while her heart thudded against her chest. When a magnetic force pulled them together, a voice in her head warned her to resist, but it was no more than a whisper.
Her gaze fell to his lips when his warm breath brushed against her face. Butterflies she had long forgotten began their wild flutter seconds before William’s soft lips pressed against hers.
The familiar taste of him was the sweetest homecoming she could have ever imagined. While her mind filled with exploding fireworks, her resistance melted like wax. There was no harm in stealing this one moment in time, she convinced herself.
Josie pressed closer and opened her mouth to his probing tongue. Everything about him and this kiss felt right despite the fact that she knew it was wrong. As abruptly as their kiss began, it ended. “Sorry,” William said, breaking way. “I shouldn’t have done that.” Disappointment stabbed her heart as humiliation burned her face. “What did I do?”
“Nothing.” William stood from the bench and the room chilled. “it’s not you. It’s me. I….Don’t worry. It won’t happen again,” he said.
Before Josie had a chance to reply, William turned on his heel and left her alone in the room.
For that she was grateful. It meant that he never saw the tears that slipped from her eyes.
Chapter 18
It was another chilly morning as Detective Delaney and Simmons huddle together while they watched a pair of paramedics lift a gurney into a waiting ambulance.
“Well, you were right. There was another body,” Tyrese said, sipping his morning coffee.
“Just not the one we were looking for,” she said. As she crossed her arms, her gaze swept across the accident scene. Only the rear end of a silver Mercedes stuck out of the lake. An odd place for a car. “Any theories?” Ming asked. “Not yet, but check with me after the caffeine kicks in.” “Always a possibility. Not too many people decide to take a drive into a lake. No one I know anyway.
Frustrated, Ming turned and faced her partner. “I give up. Why did you drag me down here? This is Gwinett County. Out of our jurisdiction.” Wearily, he nodded toward the vehicle. “Look at the bumper. See anything familiar?” Sighting, she turned back around and scanned the car’s back bumper, however nothing jumped out at her. She shrugged, “What?” “Don’t tell me you’re losing your touch,” Tyrese snickered. And then she saw it. A silver sticker that read, ‘Keystone M.D.’ “Bingo.” He patted her on the back. “Sorry, I’m all out of door prizes though.” Ming started toward the ambulance. “Who is it?”
“Ambrose Turner, according to the driver’s license. Police detective Cathy Lansing called out department when she saw the sticker. Said that she remembered seeing something on the news about our investigation at Keystone.” Ming nodded. “So is this our baby?” “Not officially, but it probably will be before the day is out.” “Two Keystone doctors,” she whispered to herself. “What the hell is going on here?” “I don’t know. Maybe we’re off the mark thinking the Keystone murder is tied in to the Thornton case,” Tyrese said. “And Conan’s twin theory.” He chuckled. “Even farther off the mark.” She folded her arms as she watched a team arrive to recover the sinking Mercedes. “Maybe it was just an accident.” “The bullet in the back of his head says otherwise.” Exasperated, Ming turned on him. “None of this crap makes any sense.” He held up his cup. “No yelling. I’m still waiting for the caffeine to kick in.” Ming shook her head and stormed past her partner. “We’re going to start over.” “Meaning?” Tyrese’s long stride struggled to keep up with hers. “I want another interview with everyone we walked to in the Thornton case. All this is related somehow. I just know it.” “We’re supposed to be looking for Michelle Andrews, remember?” “We are.” She continued to their car. “As a matter of fact, I think it’s time we paid a visit to the Ferrell Estate.” “I’m sorry, Ms. Ferrell, but your passport has expired,” Rhonda, according to her Delta nametag said politely. “What do you mean?” Michelle pressed down on the rim of her sunglasses to glare at the smiling woman. “It says so right here.” Rhonda pointed to the line in the little blue book. “It expired six months ago.”
“Michelle’s eyes followed the woman’s finger, and her heart sank at the printed expiration date. “Well, can’t you just renew it?” she asked irritably. “My flight leaves in thirty minutes.”
Rhonda’s smile lost a little of its luster. “We don’t renew passport, Ms. Ferrell. We’re not a government agency. We do have a concierge service that might be of assistance to you. You may not be able to get your passport today, but with the proper paperwork, they could probably express a renewal within five to seven days.”
“Five to seven days,” Michelle thundered. “I don’t have five to seven days. I have a plane to catch in thirty minutes.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. But there’s nothing else that I can do. Your passport has expired.” Rhonda handed the small book to her.
“Angry, Michelle snatched the passport. “Thanks for nothing,” she seethed, and crammed everything back into her purse. She leaned down, grabbed her carry-on bag, and stormed out of line.
“What now?” she asked herself.
Minutes later, while she was scrounging around for the airport’s concierge, she realized that her luggage had boarded the plane. “I don’t believe this.” She stomped her foot and stifled a scream.
When she finally found the concierge and gave him a blast of her temper, she received the same information Rhonda had imparted.
“What exactly is considered the proper identification?” Michelle asked.
“You just need to bring a certified birth certificate and a current, valid driver’s license,” a smiling Ned said.
Michelle’s heart sank to her knees. “I have a valid driver’s license.” She reached into her purse for the stolen license she’d lifted from Josephine.
“You’ll still need a birth certificate,” he insisted. “You are a US citizen, aren’t you?” “Yes, but…” “Then you’ll need a birth certificate to leave the county.” Michelle clenched her jaw and fought the urge to snatch the short man from over the counter.
Once again, she turned in a huff and stormed off. An hour later, she was back at the Ferrell Estate. However, she was surprised when her taxi rolled up next to a Buick Regal. “That will be fifty-eight twenty-five,” the cab driver informed her. Michelle reached for her purse but her attention was drawn to the two figured at her doorstep. “Fifty-eight twenty-five,” the irate man said again. “Just a second, Mohammed,” she snapped. “It’s Rasheed.” “Whatever.” She paid her tab and opened her door. When she stood, she finally recognized the tall Asian woman waiting for her.
Trouble.
Michelle drew a deep breath and raised her chin. She slid both her purse and her carry-on bag over her shoulder and closed her cab door.
Delaney smiled as she folded her arms across her chest. “Been on a trip?”
“I don’t see how that’s any business of yours.” Michelle joined the two blue suits and slid her key into the lock. “It’s not my birthday, so to what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Humph. I would’ve thought you’d asked whether we’ve found your sister,” Delaney said.
Michelle opened her door. “You don’t look like the bearer of good news.” She stepped inside and left the door open so her uninvited guess could follow her. “Wow.” Delaney said. “Nice place you have here.” “Thanks,” Michelle droned in a bored voice. She set her bags on the foyer’s table. “And empty,” Delaney added. “I always figured a place like this would be crawling with servants.” “I’m in the middle of hiring a new staff,” Michelle lied. “Does your shadow speak, or is he just arm candy?”