Page 59 of Deadly Avarice
My cheeks heated as memories of the previous night assaulted my brain. Franklin and I didn’t have sexy times every night. Many nights, we just cuddled in bed. Being wrapped in hisstrength and warmth was just as intimate as sex. At least to me. I’d learned Franklin felt the same. It was simply another way we fit together so amazingly well.
I rubbed the already healed bruises on my neck and collarbone, wishing I could still feel their sting.
“While I’m enjoying this conversation a little too much, we should probably change the topic before I have to excuse myself to the restroom. I’m afraid that trip will be rather embarrassing considering what’s going on south of my waistline.”
My grin turned into a goofy smile. “Yeah. I hear what you’re saying. Don’t worry, I’ve got a topic that will make your nether regions appear respectable again.”
Franklin sighed long and deep. “Hit me with it.”
“It’s nothing bad, or at least nothing new. I opened up the file with the list of necromancer mother names and it’s lengthy.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re downplaying the number of names on that list?”
“Because you’re an excellent detective,” I teased.
Franklin huffed an abbreviated laugh. “I see we’re to the buttering up part of the conversation.”
My mirth softened. “I think I’m gonna need a little help on this one. Unsurprisingly, there’s nothing else. Just names. I suppose I should be grateful there are last names listed also. Although, that’s hardly for my benefit.” I considered that thought and amended. “I should probably be grateful they didn’t remove the last names before the list was sent to me.” I didn’t know if the women’s addresses were recorded but had a feeling they were. The more information a warlock had on adefectivehuman mother, the better.
“You want me to see if Becks has time to whittle the list down?”
“Do you think Captain Cicely will mind? It’s not exactly police business and I’m sure Officer Becks has a lot more important work on her cyber-plate.”
“I think the captain will be more than happy to help. I can’t promise it will take priority, but I’m certain Captain Cicely will okay the time and resources when available. Besides, this is just the kind of thing that Becks loves. I guarantee you she’ll be over the moon with the challenge.”
Franklin’s surety eased a lot of my concerns. “As long as you don’t think either of them will mind. I don’t want to take advantage of their generosity. Captain Cicely doesn’t owe me anything.”
“Debatable, but I know no amount of arguing will convince you otherwise. The captain’s in a meeting this morning. I’ll double-check with her when she returns and get back to you. In the meantime, why don’t you go ahead and forward the list of names to me? That way I’m ready to go when Captain Cicely gives the okay.”
Leaning forward, I tapped a few keys on my laptop. “Just sent it.”
“Let me make sure I got it. Yup, it’s there.”
I inhaled, feeling like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. This problem shared was more than halved. “Thanks, Franklin.”
“No thanks needed. As soon as I’ve got the okay from the captain, I’ll get with Becks and see what the best method is to attack this list. We’ll figure out how to make it more manageable without wasting a lot of time none of us have.”
My goofy grin turned soft and the words “I love you” slipped free.
There was a pause, and I thought I heard Franklin take a deep inhale before he said, “I love you too. We’ll get this sorted.We’ll find the other necromancers and figure out a way to get them the help they need.”
My eyes slipped closed as we ended our conversation. Dropping the phone to the couch cushion beside me, I found my mind drifting as the warmth of the fire enveloped me. The next thing I knew, it was early afternoon and the fire had dwindled to little more than smoldering coals.
Chapter
Twenty-One
Franklin
“Of course we’ll help.” Captain Cicely’s elbows rested on the arms of her oversized chair; her ringed fingers intertwined as they rested on her abdomen. “It’s the least this department can do for Erasmus.” With a shake of her head, Captain Cicely added, “If he’d charged what his services are truly worth, the department would be bankrupt by now. Either that or we’d have a much lower solved cases rate. And that’s saying nothing regarding what Boone went through at the hands of Dr. McCallister.”
I started to object, but Captain Cicely silenced me by holding up a hand. “I know what you’re going to say, but I still feel responsible. I’m a witch and a damn good one and I still didn’t figure out what McCallister was until it was too late. That’s on me.”
While I didn’t have a magical bone in my body, I thought the captain was taking too much responsibility on herself. But just like earlier with Boone, I knew this was an argument I’d never win and would be little more than wasted breath.
“Have you spoken with Officer Becks yet?” the captain asked.
“Only in generalities and that was before we had access to the complete list. I wanted to speak with you first.”
