Page 36 of Ruthless Cross

It took him only a second to realize the cameras had been turned off. "They were able to turn off the system. It could have been a hack or was done on-site. This system is not particularly complicated." As he looked at the phone, he couldn't help noticing that Juliette had received voicemails and messages. "People have been calling and texting your mom."

"I know. It's been buzzing all day, but I haven't had a chance to look through it."

"Why don't you let me do that?"

"No," she said abruptly. "I need to hang onto the phone. May I have it, please?"

He handed it back to her, not wanting to break the trust they were starting to build. Plus, he thought he could probably get her to go through the messages and voicemails with him.

"Thanks." Callie put the phone in her pocket and then wrapped her arms around her waist. "I feel cold."

It wasn't all that chilly, but he suspected the events of the last twenty-four hours were catching up to her.

"I'll take you home now."

"I probably should say no and just drive myself."

"Why should you say no?" he challenged.

"Because…" Her voice drifted away, but her gaze clung to his. "I'm feeling too connected to you, Flynn. And it scares me. You seem like you could be a friend, but you could also be an enemy. I don't want to like you, but I do. And there's this really strong connection between us that I don't understand and that I'm not sure I want."

He should lie and say he didn't know what she was talking about, but he'd already promised her honesty. "I feel the connection, too, Callie."

"It's weird, right?"

"Weird and not so bad at the same time," he said lightly. "I noticed you the first moment I saw you. When you walked into the museum last night in that spectacular red dress, my heart stopped."

She flushed at his words. "I borrowed the dress from a friend. I thought it was a little too much, but she said I should go for it. I didn't have time to argue."

"It wasn't too much. It was…nice. Really nice."

"Thank you. I have to say a part of me thinks there's a hidden agenda behind your flirting."

"I told you I was going to tell you the truth."

"I'm trying to believe that. I just can't quite figure you out."

"Good. I prefer to be more interesting than predictable. Now, why don't we get out of here?"

"Before someone else arrives?" she murmured.

He met her gaze. "I wasn't going to say that, but yes."

"Do you think they were looking for the phone or the photos or something else entirely?"

"That's what we need to figure out."

Chapter Nine

When they arrivedat her apartment and took the stairs to her third-floor apartment, Callie was more than happy to have Flynn at her side. She was rattled from the scene at Arthur's house and not sure what to expect in her own home. She felt like she hadn't been home in days, even though it had only been twenty-four hours. So much had happened since she'd met her mother and Arthur in the limo for what was supposed to have been a fun evening of art and champagne.

She inserted her key in the lock and held her breath as she opened the door. Stepping inside, her gaze moved across the open space living area that included the living room, kitchen and dining area. Relief ran through her as it appeared that nothing had been touched.

She wasn't nearly as neat as Arthur, but there was only one used coffee mug on the kitchen counter since she had loaded the dishwasher yesterday before she'd gone to the museum. Her laptop sat open on the coffee table next to a bottle of roasted peanuts, one of her favorite snacks, and the book she'd been reading was on the table by the couch.

"No one has been in here," she said, turning to Flynn.

"Mind if I check the bedroom?"

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