Page 42 of Firefly Effect

“Evie is pretty, Daddy.”

Just like that, my foul mood dissipates, and a smile curves my lips. “She is, isn’t she?”

Lucy nods. “You should kiss her.”

She says those words so innocently, having no idea that kissing Evelyn Vaughn has been a fantasy of mine since I first laid eyes on the woman.

“Maybe I will, goose.”

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

EVELYN

Light fades to darkness as Lincoln and Lucy walk out of sight. It only makes me despise Gabe more. I whip around to face him, furious at the way he came in here to question me “off the record,” as he put it. His questions have all been nothing but a pathetic attempt to be the one who solves the Firefly Man serial murders.

Gabe is a traffic cop—and a bad one, at that. His arrogance constantly gets him into trouble. Lucky for him, there isn’t exactly competition in his profession, especially in a small town like this one, so he gets away with it.

“Come back into the office,” he demands. At least he has the decency to keep his voice low in front of my customers.

Thank goodness I’m not the only one working tonight. For a weekday, we’re surprisingly busy. Janessa is covering the bar while Armando handles the floor, so I’ve been available for Gabe’s interrogation.

“No,” I tell him firmly, facing him. “I need to get back to work, and you shouldn’t be talking to me like this. If you have questions for me, I’ll come to the station.”

“Why do you have to be so damn difficult, Evie? I’m just trying to do my job.”

The way this man enrages me. “You already have my timeline, my alibi, my fucking DNA. Investigate me all you want.”

Gabe lets out a frustrated sigh. “It’s not you I’m trying to investigate.” He looks around to make sure no one else is listening then glares at me. “You think it’s a coincidence that J.D. retires, Lincoln Reed moves to town, and suddenly there’s a homicide linked to the Firefly Man near Deep Creek? You know I don’t believe in coincidences.”

I shake my head. “I don’t really care what you believe. I’ve already told you everything.”

Gabe’s jaw clenches. “Yet, you won’t tell me the details of your relationship with the good doctor.”

Rolling my eyes, I try my best to hold onto my composure, but my temper is thinning by the second. “There are no details. He’s not my therapist, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

Gabe tilts his head in obvious disbelief. “C’mon, Evie. Do you think I’m not going to talk to Doreen?”

I groan. “I went for a free consultation. That’s it.”

His accusing stare only gains intensity. “I’ve seen him at this bar more than the drunk locals.”

Matching his stare, I raise my chin. “Maybe he’s thirsty.”

“His daughter just handed you an invitation to her birthday party.”

I nod, a small smile teasing my lips. “And I accepted.”

He heaves out a heavy, exasperated exhale. “So, there’s nothing suspicious about this guy to you? You don’t think the timing is at all weird?”

I grit my teeth and force myself to pause before responding to him. My anger is mounting too fast and too hot. “Not any more suspicious than my ex-boyfriend coming here to interrogate me ‘off the record’ about a man who has been nothing but kind to me.”

Gabe looks like he’s just been slapped. He reels, taking a step back, his eyes searching mine like he’s suddenly looking at a stranger. “Jesus, Evie. A man was just murdered nearby. That doesn’t burn you to the core after what we went through with Carley?”

My body begins to quiver. “What we went through? You weren’t the one who found her bludgeoned corpse.”

“No, but I saw her.” He scowls. “After you ran off.” He blows out an angry breath. “And I saw her guilty-as-sin brother holding her bloodied body. You think that shit didn’t fuck me up? Why do you think I became a cop?”

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