Page 4 of Call Back

Chapter 2

Colt noticedOwen moments after I did. Putting his hand on my shoulder and leaning into my ear, he asked, “Want me to get rid of him?”

I was still too shaken by the man in the baseball hat, who’d already slipped away, to ask Colt how he knew Owen. He’d encountered Brady a few times—most of them unpleasant—but as far as I knew, he’d only seen Owen at the Kincaid last Friday night, standing next to me. Hell, I’d barely spent any time with Owen myself.

“No. I need to talk to him.” I’d been expecting Owen to come looking for me. It was part of the reason I’d asked Brady to let me stay with him after my apartment was declared a crime scene. It had seemed unlikely Owen would force a confrontation, especially an unpleasant one, in front of his best friend. But I’d had enough time to collect myself. I could face him now.

Colt kept his hand on my shoulder as he addressed the crowd. “Thanks for listening, y’all, but Maggie and me are gonna call it a day. Be sure to head inside and check out the fine display of vintage and newer household items, and you sure don’t want to miss Alvin’s cookbook sale—twenty percent off!”

It sounded a lot like a prepared spiel, which made me wonder again if I had been set up. But I had bigger fish to fry—like the detective heading straight for me.

Steeling my back, I met him at the front of the crowd. “Detective Frasier, what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?”

A few of the women who’d lingered after the performance were casting envious glances in our direction. I’d gone from singing with one devastatingly handsome man to talking with another gorgeous one. Owen was tall, dark, and handsome, but the apprehension in his eyes made me wary.

“I was downtown for lunch and decided to see what all the commotion was about.”

I motioned to the store behind me. “Just Alvin trying to drum up a little business.”

“Did he have a permit for that?”

“Did he need one?”

He didn’t answer, his gaze landing on Colt, who’d been cornered by a couple of women. “I confess, I’d also planned to drop by and see you.”

I wasn’t surprised, but I wasn’t pleased either. “And how did you know I’d be here?”

“Brady.” His gaze turned back to mine. “Got a minute to chat?”

“Sure,” I said breezily, as if nothing was amiss.

“How about we walk down to Starbucks and get some coffee?”

It was an understatement to say I didn’t trust Owen, but Starbucks was about as public as it got, which meant I should be safe. “Okay. Let me go tell Alvin.”

“I think he knows you’re leaving,” Owen said, motioning to the window.

Sure enough, Alvin was standing behind the window, watching me with a worried look. I lifted my hand in a short wave, then pointed down the street.

Alvin nodded, still looking concerned, but business was booming a little too much for him to keep his attention on me.

“You seem to have a way with men,” Owen said dryly.

I grinned, pretending not to notice the barb beneath his words. “Well, I’m not sure about that.”

“You’ve got Brady under your spell.”

I laughed. “I assure you, I’m incapable of holding anyone under a spell—otherwise, I wouldn’t be working at a boutique in downtown Franklin. I’d be back in New York onstage.”

“See, I think you could be back in New York, yet you’re still here.” His tone held a challenge. “Why?”

I glanced up at him, letting my smile fade. “Do you want to have this discussion here on the sidewalk?”

“No. Definitely not.”

Something in his tone made my heart thud against my ribcage. Owen had lied in his report about the events leading up to Geraldo Lopez’s death, and I hadn’t contradicted him. I’d claimed my memories of the shooting were a blur, but Owen had watched me intently while I gave my report, and I suspected he knew I wasn’t telling the truth. If so, he was right—I’d been alert and aware for the shooting, and I knew Owen had shot Dr. Lopez to stop him from saying something.

Was Owen going to call me on it now?

---