Part 26 (1/2)

”I love-” He stopped abruptly. Something or someone had caught his eye. And from the strained look on his face, it wasn't good. ”I'll be right back. Stay here.” He slipped out of the booth and walked away.

I was stunned. I had my back to the room so I couldn't see where he'd gone or what had captured his attention. I fell back against the seat. I'd just given him my Grandma Tillie's brooch. Laid my heart on the table, literally, and he left me sitting alone. He'd left me.

What the h.e.l.l?

I scooted across the booth and got up to find out what was more important than my peace offering. I didn't have to go far. He was at the bar, a gin and tonic in his hand, yucking it up with none other than Hagan Stone. My eyes narrowed. He hadn't had time to order that drink, he had to have swiped it from someone else. He was in undercover mode.

I adjusted my dress and smoothed my hair, which I'd left down the way Grey preferred. I moved toward the bar with laser focus.

I called up my best beauty pageant smile and pinned it to my mouth. ”Why, Hagan Stone, imagine seeing you here. Celebrating the success of the Dachshund Dash?”

Hagan set down his Scotch and stood. ”Melinda, it's so nice to see you. May I say, you look ravis.h.i.+ng. Surely you're not here alone.” He clasped my hands in his and squeezed.

I maintained eye contact with Hagan. Apparently, Grey hadn't told him we knew each other, let alone that we were engaged. ”Oh, no. I'm here with my fiance.”

I could feel Grey squirm next to Hagan. My eyes narrowed slightly. Grey was a dead man. How in the world he thought he'd get away with pretending he didn't know me was ridiculous. I looked forward to making him squirm.

”I'm sorry, have you met Grey Donovan? Grey, this is Melinda Langston. She owns the Bow Wow Boutique in Laguna.” Hagan made the unnecessary introductions.

”It's nice to meet you.” Grey held out his hand. I ignored it.

I smiled slyly. ”I must not have made a very good impression on you. We've met before. I believe you own an art gallery.”

He pretended to think about when that might have been. ”Yes, of course. You attended the ARL benefit I held a couple of months ago.”

I tilted my head to the side. ”So you do remember me?”

Grey's brow rose a fraction. ”You'd be hard to forget.”

Obviously not.

”I'm sure your fiance is wondering where you are.” Hagan said, an obvious attempt to get rid of me.

”Oh, he knows exactly where I am,” I said with a silly, girly laugh. I rested my hand on his arm. ”I did want to apologize for not being at the final race. I heard it was thrilling.”

Hagan puffed out his chest like a strutting peac.o.c.k. ”It was a real nail-biter. Great entertainment.”

I dropped my hand to my side. I could feel Grey's anxiety level rise the longer I stayed. Good. ”It's too bad about the filmmaker. I heard the TV reporter found her murdered at the chili truck.”

”I heard that. Yes, it's too bad.” His tone was as tight as his expression.

”I guess that works out well for you. You know, since she had accused you of illegal gambling and all.”

Grey s.h.i.+fted on his stool, ”accidently” stepping on my foot. I ignored him and forged ahead.

”Are you implying I had anything to do with her unfortunate death?” Hagan sputtered.

I shook my head. ”No, not at all. Did you know her camera is missing?”

”I did not.”

”I'm curious, where were you, Hagan, when she was killed?”

”I don't believe I'm obligated to answer your questions.” Hagan's face darkened, the muscles under the shadow of dark stubble twitched.

If you Googled ”killer” I imagined that was the face you'd find.

”He was with me,” Grey stated, cutting me off at the knees.

My eyes widened as my gaze swiveled between the two of them. ”I didn't realize you two were so friendly.”

Hagan shot me a smarmy grin. ”We were talking about business. A possible partners.h.i.+p.”

”I see.” I managed to maintain my composure. ”Well, I've kept you gentleman distracted long enough. Do you know which way to the ladies' room?”

Grey stood and pointed past the bar. ”I believe it's in that direction.”

I couldn't look at him. I was an emotional volcano. I headed to the bathroom to pull myself together before I blew Grey's cover. I splashed my face with cold water. After I refreshed my makeup, and paced until I was no longer furious but just p.i.s.sed off, I returned to our table. I managed to avoid the bar on the way.

Grey was already at the table. His face a mask, but I saw the fire in his eyes. He was just as p.i.s.sed off as I was. Good.

”You lied.” I came out swinging. I thought he was going to deny it or at least lay out some type of FBI excuse. I was wrong.

”I did.”

”Why? To get back at me?”

”You know I can't talk to you about the case I'm on.” His even tone kept me off-balance.

I leaned against the table, pus.h.i.+ng my face closer to him, wanting-no, needing-him to show his emotions. ”You're not only lying to me; you're lying to yourself. All you had to say was that he had something to do with a case. I'd have dropped it.”

”No. No, you wouldn't have. You don't know how. You're like a dog with a bone-relentless. You just proved you're impulsive and reckless.” A thin chill hung on his words. I wanted his emotion, and I got it.

I sat back, feeling lightheaded. I breathed as deeply as I could. I thought about Betty's new dog and wondered if Betty had called Caro yet. Anything to momentarily distract myself from what was happening.

I twisted my ring. ”I have never interfered in your cases.”

”Until tonight,” he bit out.

”I've never lied to you. Even when I knew you'd be mad and we'd fight.”

”You knew about my job. I've always been honest about that.”

”But this was different. You told me you were going to DC. Was that true?”