Page 71 of Not That Complicated

“What about this?” Amalie waved the paper in Liam’s face.

“Incorrect,” was all he said.

“Libel,” I hissed.

Liam winced.

“Whatisthe procedure when it comes to libel, Detective Nash?” I said. “I’m afraid I don’t know off the top of my head.”

“Don’t be an arse, Ray,” Amalie said, sounding bored. She set my latte on the counter, Adam’s Americano alongside it.

“Me? I’m the only person in here who isn’t an arse! Ten minutes ago, you thought I was confessing to necrophilia with one of my murder victims!”

“All right, all right, get over it. How was I to know you were talking about sleeping with Adam?”

I opened and shut my mouth a few times. Liam narrowed his eyes at Adam, Adam tightened his arm around my waist, and Amalie held out a fist for a bump.

I drew myself up and ignored it. “More likely than me sleeping with a corpse, isn’t it?”

She shrugged. If she did it again, I’d scream. “Lotta people been trying to lock that down,” she said with a lascivious grin at Adam. I felt his huff of laughter ruffle the top of my head. “Yeah, I’d say it’s more likely you slept with a dead guy than you snagged Adam.”

I flinched.

I’d been outraged and indignant when everyone thought I was a corpse-fucking serial killer thanks to the lovely Jasper’s shitty reporting. Having Amalie say in such an offhand tone that it was more likely than Adam being with someone like me hurt.

“Oh,” she said. “Ray, I didn’t mean—”

“Thanks, Amalie,” Adam said tightly, and let me squirm out of his arms.

I collected the coffees, blushed and muttered, “Forgot to pay.”

“On the house,” she said.

“No. Thank you.” I held my card out and it barely even trembled. She sighed and let me tap it against the card reader.

“Here ya go.” I darted a glance up at Adam, then pushed his coffee at him.

“What did you want from me today, Detective?” I said, focusing on Liam. “Shall we?” I gestured to the door.

Liam stepped aside and followed me out.

On my way, I noticed a young man get up and hover awkwardly. I recognised the muscles.Jasper. His big eyes were round, blinking rapidly, and he looked like a guilty, guilty puppy. I wasn’t going to sue the idiot, but he’d have to find that out on his own.

“What’s up?” I said to Liam. Flippantly I added, “Find another body?”

He hesitated.

“You didn’t.” I wheezed. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

“Are you serious?” Adam said beside me.

“Sorry, Adam,” Liam said.” Can’t talk about an open investigation with you when you’re not a concerned party.”

“I’m deeply concerned.”

“Rules are rules.”

“Ray will tell me later anyway,” Adam said.

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