Page 60 of Amber Gambler

For some reason, my tongue kept sticking to the roof of my mouth. “It’s very Danny Zuko.”

“Butclassier.” Josie swept her arm out like a hostess presenting the grand prize on a game show. “All the rebel vibes but none of the telling his buddies you put out for him on the beach this summer.”

“Josie.” I dropped my face into my hands. “Please stop.”

Shackling his wrist, she guided him to the window to see his reflection. “What do you think?”

Kierce studied himself, head tilted, then raked his fingers through his hair. “What do you think, Frankie?”

As much as it pained me to trade in this version of casual Kierce, which, damn Josie, did rev my engine, I didn’t have the heart to shame his taste. “I like it.” I smoothed his shirt over my arm. “How doyoulike it?”

“I would wear it.” His gaze met mine in the reflection. “For you.”

“That sounds like it’s not quite your speed.” I walked up behind him and eased the fabric down his shoulders with a flush in my cheeks, which was silly. It wasn’t like I was undressing him. Before a mental picture formed, I tossed the shirt to a spluttering Josie. “Let’s see which you prefer.” I guided his arms through the sleeves of his Hawaiian shirt, and the transformation was instantaneous. His earlier pride returned in a rush, the simple joy in his expression enough to silence even Josie. “Looks like we have a winner.”

“Suit yourself.” Josie slung the shirt over her shoulder. “You’re the one who has to be seen in public with him.” The petulant expression slid off her face as an engine thrummed behind us. “Incoming.”

“Harrow,” Kierce inferred from my sigh. “Would you like me to go?”

“Wait for me in the office.” I punched the code to let him in. “I don’t want this to get ugly.”

“All right.” He cupped my neck to avoid my injury, and heat tingled where our skin met. “I’ll be close.”

After securing Kierce, I approached the Chevelle, which spluttered before Harrow killed the engine.

“Carter called me.” He winced when he set eyes on me. “She neglected to mention it was this bad.”

“It was a dumb thing to do on my part.” I readjusted my ice pack. “How is she?”

“Itwasa dumb thing to do.” His gaze traced my injuries. “She’ll always crave you now that she’s had one taste. That’s all it takes. You can’t prank her if there’s even the remotest chance she’ll react in violence.”

“I wasn’t thinking.” I shifted on my feet. “I’ll send her a box of apology cheddar puffs.”

“Who was that with you a minute ago?” He peered around me. “The tall guy in the Hawaiian shirt?”

Thanking all my lucky stars he hadn’t recognized Kierce, I threw out a distraction. “What did Leer want?”

“Carter told you about that?” He ruffled his hair. “What, exactly, did she say?”

“You weren’t there when I met her at the morgue, so I asked after you.” I was grateful he was avoiding eye contact. “She said you had to see Chief Leer for something. I figured it was probation-period-ending stuff.”

“Yeah.” He dropped his arm. “Probation stuff.” He took the out without blinking. “I hear you got us leads from Maggy. I’ll use SPD resources to locate foreclosed homes on Kline and narrow down our choices. I assume it will be you, me, and Carter?”

A slight pause left room for me to volunteer Kierce, but I wasn’t about to throw him to the wolves.

“I’m not sure how much help I’ll be, but I’m willing to put in the effort. It’s my case, after all.”

“Ourcase,” he corrected me. “These kids might cooperate if they know you’ve spoken to Maggy.”

“Maybe.”

Had Maggy been alive, they would have cut her loose for talking to a cop about them. But it was worth a try. Their little gang was down three girls, possibly more, and they were more likely to trust me than him. Not because he wore a badge andI didn’t but because my past had a lot in common with their present.

“That reminds me. I put together a lineup for you.” He pulled out his phone and handed it over. “Do any of these girls resemble the asrai?”

“Let’s find out.” I flipped through them slowly, until I hit on one that tugged on my memory. “I can’t swear to it, but her face resembles the creature I saw.”

“That’s the best we can hope for.” He took his phone back. “I’ll tag it in the file.”

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