Dead Right by Brenda Novak Page B

do we go from here, Ms. Barker? Can you get past your attraction to me?
    Or do you want to sacrifice your retainer to compensate me for my trouble and send me home?”

    Both questions were so shockingly blunt, Madeline didn’t know which to answer first. Money won out. “Sacrifice my retainer? Are you crazy?” she cried. “And I’m not attracted to you! I’m already involved.”
    “Then what’s the problem?”
    The fact that she’d just lied about being involved, of course. Not only was she flying solo at this point, she was beginning to miss the emotional and physical comforts a man could offer.
    She swal owed hard. “You’re not attracted to me, are you?” If it was al one-sided— her side—she should be okay. She certainly wasn’t about to lose the five thousand dol ars she’d given him.
    It was his turn to hesitate. His gaze flicked over her a second time but quickly returned to her face. “I told you. I’m not interested in any woman.”
    “Right. The ex.” She took a deep breath. “That’s good news.”
    “I’m glad you’re happy.” He rubbed his hands. “So…are we on?”
    “Let’s see how it goes this week,” she replied. “If you’re as good as you’re supposed to be, I should be able to tel fairly soon.”

    “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he said dryly.
    She started to lead him out, into the rain. “There’s one more thing.”
    “I’m dying to hear it.”
    Putting up her umbrel a, she raised her voice against the rumbling motors and the security guard tel ing everyone to move along. “People where I live are very…conservative. If you alienate them, we won’t have a chance.”
    “Why would I alienate them?”
    “I’m just tel ing you that Stil water isn’t California.”
    He gave her a salute. “Consider me warned. Somehow I’l keep my liberal self in check.”
    A minute earlier, he’d said he wasn’t interested in her—
    or any other woman. But when she glanced back at him, she caught him checking out her behind. “I thought you weren’t interested,” she said.
    He grinned. “Doesn’t hurt to look.”

    6
    H unter sat in the passenger seat of Madeline Barker’s economy car, watching the windshield wipers jerk across the glass and thinking that a woman driving a 1992 Toyota Corol a probably couldn’t afford him. “Your windshield wipers might actual y work if you’d replace the blades,” he said.
    She sent him an irritated look. “Thanks for the tip.”
    “You’re welcome.” Drumming his fingers on his knee, he cursed the moment he’d decided to come to the South.
    What was he doing here? He should be in Hawaii, sitting on the beach. But despite the rain in Tennessee and an unusual and slightly worrisome reception by his new client, Hawaii didn’t sound as appealing as it should have. He’d spent most of the last month on Oahu, taking pictures of an elected public official who’d flown his children’s babysitter there for a torrid affair. Without Maria, Hunter had no desire to go back so soon. What was the point? He wasn’t the type to lounge on the beach al day—not unless he was doing it for a reason, as with his last job, or he had someone with whom to share the sun and sand.
    Someone…He grimaced. Not only had he lost Maria’s love and respect, he’d managed to estrange most of his family. He’d been too hurt and angry to be civil to anyone.
    And he hadn’t al owed himself a romantic liaison—a romantic anything—since he’d gotten drunk two years ago and let Selena, the divorcee next door, coax him into bed.
    “So…are we going to drive the whole way without speaking?” he asked, eager to interrupt his own thoughts.
    He berated himself over that mistake often enough without starting in wel before the usual sleepless night.
    “I’m thinking,” she said.
    “I hope you’re thinking about tel ing me what you know of the day your father disappeared. Or is that part of the test to see if I’m any good?”
    “Funny.”