Page 44 of Dairy and Deadly

She reached for the door handle again. “I’ve already said more than I should.”

“Or not nearly enough?” Johnny bolted out of his door and hurried around the truck to hold her door open for her. He stood in the doorway glaring at her. “You can trust me, Ash.”

“I do trust you.” He was putting her in such a hard position.

“Just not enough to give me the truth.” His voice grew bitter with disappointment.

“Cut me some slack, will you?” Her chin came up. “You of all people should understand client confidentiality!” It was way more than she should’ve divulged to him, but she hated leaving things all wrinkled between them.

A slow grin lit his features. “So, youdidn’tresign from the police department?”

“No, I did,” she corrected firmly. “I haven’t lied to you about anything.”

His grin spread. “Then you must have taken a private case.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that.” She hopped down from his truck, intending to crowd him out of her way.

He didn’t budge. “You followed her into town. That’s the real reason you’re here.” There was an aha note in his voice. “You’re on one unending stakeout.”

“Please, Johnny,” she whispered.

He searched her face. Then he sighed and stepped back, allowing her to move around him. “Not that you asked for my input, but I’m not convinced Caro’s the villain you seem to think she is.”

Ashley spun back to him. “Do you know what kind of police detective I was, Johnny?” She was very good at what she did, and her gut was telling her that Caro was involved. Some way. Somehow.

“Homicide.” There was no hesitation in his response, telling her he’d done his homework on her.

Though she was secretly thrilled about his interest in her, she pinned him with a hard look. “I successfully closed every case except the last one.” The one that had cost her partner his life.

“But you intend to.” It wasn’t a question. He knew it wasn’t a question.

Ashley studied him bleakly. There was no point in denying it.

Chapter 9: New Partnership

Clint limped from Caro’s living room with another two boxes in his arms. He wished he’d followed through with his “threat” to call a group of buddies to help her move. He’d mistakenly assumed she wouldn’t have much more than a handful of suitcases to move out of a pre-furnished rental. He was wrong.

“What’s in these things anyway?” he grumbled as he passed by her perch on a barstool at the kitchen counter. “Gold bars?” Apparently, her idea of helping entailed scanning emails and staying on the phone while she arranged some new shindig at Chester Farm.

“Books,” she returned sweetly. “They’re full of things called words and—” She gave a yelp of alarm as he pretended to stumble in her direction with the boxes.

“Pardon me.” He winked at her and kept walking.

“You did that on purpose,” she spluttered, staring after him.

He tossed an innocent look over his shoulder. “Did what?”

She threw something at him, but she missed. He heard it hit the doorway, chuckling as he kept walking toward his truck. The bed of it was nearly full. He was going to have to cram the last few boxes in or make another trip. Or…his next idea was even more to his liking — making Caro hold a box or two on the way there.

She was waiting for him just inside the door when he returned, tapping the toe of her boot impatiently.

“Aw, did you miss me?” he drawled.

“Why are you doing this?” She folded her arms as she followed him to the final stack of boxes beside the bookshelves in the living room. “I honestly didn’t think you’d take it this far.”

Really? Well, he was happy to prove her wrong. He pivoted her way, inclining his head at her with false gallantry. “Just doling out some of our famous small-town hospitality.” He honestly didn’t know why he’d made the offer. He just had. Probably pure orneriness on his part.

“You can barely stand me,” she grated out.

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