Page 71 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

Yes, well there was that. “I think you can leave, Colton. It’s clear Mitch couldn’t have done the things you said. There’d be records. Of him crossing the border. Of him flying—because obviously he couldn’t drive to California and back.”

“He might have fake ID.”

“Now you’re just pulling stuff out of your ass. Making stuff up. Truthfully, it’s beneath you. You know he didn’t do these things. You’re just being a prick.”

Those flinty dark-brown eyes didn’t give anything away. “I’ll be back.”

“Well, you’ll need a warrant and probable cause. You can’t just harass someone because theymighthave done something. And, for what it’s worth, Mitch isn’t like that. He’s not vengeful. He wouldn’t fly down to California just to hurt someone.”

“You’ve known him what, ten minutes?”

She released Mitch’s hand and rose. “Fuck off and get out of my house. You don’t want me calling Greg to report your harassment, do you?” Sergeant Gregory Wilder was well known in Mission City—as Colton’s boss and as a man who didn’t tolerate bullshit.

She wasn’t sure this qualified as harassment. She wasn’t sure about the criteria for warrants and what probable cause really was. She wasn’t a lawyer—she just watched a lot ofLaw and Order. Every single episode since the beginning. A few on reruns as well. Jesse L. Martin was a hell of a lot sexier than Colton Pritchard.

He pushed off the mantel to straighten. “Don’t leave town. Or if you do, check in with the department. We need to keep tabs on you until this is resolved.”

Mitch rose slowly. “What if it’s never resolved? What if Marjorie decided to take off and is never heard from again?”

“Why would she do that?”

Loriana glanced at Mitch who went eerily still. “Why does anyone do anything?”

Colton cocked his head. “I’d never consider leaving town without informing someone—my sister, my partner—someone. It’s not something that’s usually done.”

“Marjorie is…” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I don’t want to speak ill of her, but she was volatile.”

“Was?” Colton’s gaze narrowed.

“Is.” Mitch made the correction quickly. “I meant she was when I knew her. And maybe she’s changed over the past few months.” He met Loriana’s gaze. “But I don’t think so. When someone tells you who they are, you need to believe them. She was ambitious to the core. Willing to step on anyone who got in her way.”

Colton scratched his nose. “Might that have pissed someone off so much that they wanted her out of the way? Wanted her dead?”

“I don’t know.” Mitch shifted from foot to foot. At least he wore socks now. “I didn’t wish her ill—despite what she did to me. But might everyone be so forgiving? I don’t know.”

“And people do disappear.” Loriana wracked her brain. “Alessandra Soriano. Well, Alessandra MacLean now. She walked away from her life. Tragic circumstances.”Crap.

“What do you know?” Colton’s interest was clearly piqued. “Because those circumstances were supposed to be kept private.”

Bluster or bluff? Or both?“You know there are very few secrets in Mission City, Colton. I heard through the grapevine and, of course, I’d never pass along such information. Allie is settled now—back in the community where she belongs. She brought that nice guy from Vancouver and they’re married and everything’s good now. Didn’t she have a baby last month? I think they named him Raphael.”

Colton scratched his stubble-free jaw. “They did.”

“So, see?”

“See what?” The scowl was back.

“This Marjorie woman may yet turn up. Regardless, Mitch had nothing to do with it. So, again, I’m inviting you to leave my home.”

His eyes tracked between the two of them. “This isn’t over.”

Loriana stalked to the door and held it open. “Yes, it is. It really is.”

With one final glare, Colton nodded and headed out.

She slammed the door behind him. “Insufferable man.”

Mitch dropped back to the couch. “He’s not wrong. I can see why I’d be a suspect.”

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