First Do No Evil: Blood Secrets, Book 1 by Carey Baldwin Page B

brushed his index finger across her lips. “Hush. You’re talking nonsense. I know it’s cruel, ironic even. But crime rates are higher on Halloween, and that’s the true explanation. Let me call Dr. Greene. He knows what you’ve been through. I doubt you’ll even have to go in to see him, and I can pick up a prescription for you and bring it by.”
    Reaching out, he began to massage the back of her neck. The weight of her head became too much for her now languid muscles to support, and her chin bobbed to her chest. She jerked to attention. “My God. You put something in my chocolate.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    She pushed his hands away and scooted the few inches it took to reach the end of theloveseat, as far away from Garth as she could get.
    “Don’t be angry.”
    “What part of ‘I don’t want any tranquilizers’ didn’t you understand?”
    “You said that after . It was wrong of me, I know. But I’m worried about my little sister. In fact, you know that idea about moving you to my place—”
    “I believe I said no to that as well.”
    “Okay, okay. If you don’t want to leave your home, I understand. I’ll bring a few things over and stay with you here. You’re exhausted. Let me take care of you, Sky. Just for a few days.”
    The room was spinning, but she shook it off. Garth was right about one thing: She did need sleep. “I’m tired. You should go home. I know you mean well, but like I said before, I can take care of myself.”
    “First say you forgive me.”
    “I forgive you. Happy?”
    “Not really. You didn’t sound sincere, but I guess I deserve a reprimand, and you deserve a little privacy.” Looking at her with the eyes of a puppy whose master is holding a rolled up newspaper, he reached out his hand.
    She took it. He was her big brother, and overprotective or no, it was impossible to stay mad at him.
    “Promise me one thing, and then I’ll leave.”
    “Pinky swear?” She managed a weak smile.
    “I’m a man of science. I don’t pinky swear. That would be humiliating.”
    “You did when we were kids. You owe me, Garth.”
    He pulled her off the couch and gave her a bear hug. “Then I pinky swear I’ll leave just as soon as you promise me you’ll stay away from Benson. He’s got you so worked up you’ve picked your nails to bloody stubs. If you’re worried about the robbery, that you might still be in danger—”
    “I’m worried you might still be in danger.”
    “Let me finish, Sky. If you’re worried, I’ll look into things myself. I’ll weigh every fact, and I’ll even go to bat to have the police reopen the case if I think an objective assay of the facts warrants it. All I ask is that you get some rest, eat a few meals, and stay away from renegade detectives.”
    Garth’s words were floating around in the air, and before she could catch them all and arrange them in her mind, she was startled by a knock on the door.
    Her vision tunneled, and then went black. As her knees buckled, she reached her arm out blindly for support and Garth’s strong hands found her and steadied her.
    “I’ve got you, Sis. Just take it easy. I only put one Valium in your cup, but you’re as loopy as if I’d put ten. Did you really eat when you were with Benson?”
    Ill-advised to tell lies to Garth. He saw through them so easily. “Guess I just stood up too fast. I will eat something, though, before I go to bed.”
    The knock sounded again. With Garth hovering beside her, she answered the door, and when she saw who it was, the hairs on the back of her neck lifted. Not since high school had this man stood waiting on her doorstep. And one thing was certain, Deputy Sheriff Scott Humphries hadn’t come here tonight to escort her to the homecoming dance.
    Porch light sifted over Scotty’s face, illuminating his boyish features and respectful eyes. Removing his hat, he raked his fingers through sculpted mounds of curly caramel hair. “Sorry about the hat head.” He nodded a greeting.