Page 29 of Taken By the Ripper
“Did you—” She cleared her throat. “Did you find anything else?”
Such as something that might implicate her as well. Or even Jack.
“Fragments of wood. Chipped brick. Vampire blood. This swath of fabric. Not enough evidence to connect this to the Ripper, but every bit is worth investigating.”
For a moment, she studied his tall, slender profile as he stared at the board with crossed arms, a puzzled frown on his face. He was insistent and dedicated to this case. Jack was right. If she couldn’t convince Claude to step away, she must destroy the documents to hinder his progress.
But where were they?
The mess of folders, parchment, and paperweights on the desk discouraged her, as she’d never find the files she needed within the chaos. Claude La Cour was a disorderly man. Who would have known? Especially judging by his often-neat appearance alone.
“What are you telling the other officers?” she murmured, now her turn to glance toward the door.
He crossed to the desk, dug through a pile, and picked up a folder before opening it. Her heart leaped to her throat as she approached slowly, hope blossoming within her. Was thisthefolder withthedocuments? Had he just shown her what she must inevitably destroy?
“Everything is written in code,” he answered, flipping through several documents. “Should another officer look through my findings, it will appear normal. But there may be a monster and a few vampires involved. Probably.” He winked at her, which did strange things to her stomach as it flipped and flopped and fluttered.
It’s only because he’s handsome, she tried to convince herself.He likely flirts with any woman he comes across.
“Do you often deal with vampires?” she ventured.
“Why?” he asked, and she watched a little too closely as he set the folder back on the table and crossed his arms to look her way. “Are you worried about me?”
She detected the flirty hint of amusement in his tone. This was her chance to do what needed to be done or to flee entirely and abandon her original quest.
But as she thought of Jack, a desire to protect him surfaced. She wanted to keep him safe, even if that meant deceiving a detective.
“Yes,” she answered truthfully, which seemed to take him entirely off guard.
He dropped his hands to his sides, and his lips parted as he stared at her with an unreadable expression. The longer he stared, the more her stomach fluttered. She couldn’t stand it. Because what she was about to do was sure to hurt him if—or perhapswhen—he found out.
“Umm,” she said to break the silence in the room. “These are for you.”
She lifted the corners of a cloth from her basket, which harbored a dozen biscuits within, and placed them on top of the desk, making sure to leave the remaining cloth inside for when she would need it soon.
“Biscuits?” His eyebrows lifted nearly to his hairline. “I didn’t know you baked.”
“I don’t.” She laughed and shook her head in a self-deprecating manner. “Norma made these. I hardly have extra time to visit you here, let alone stand in front of the kitchen for hours on end.”
“Then I feel very fortunate, indeed, that you chose to spend what little time you have by paying me a visit.”
“Ah, well, you’ve taken time out of your busy day to stop by the infirmary. I could at least show a little appreciation for the flowers.” She smiled as she took another sip from the mug. “And for the coffee.”
He shifted a little closer, and she swore he would be able to hear the way her heart pounded should he only lean forward the slightest bit.
“I can now see that flowers were not the right gift for you.” He smirked, his gaze flickering to the mug in her hands. “Seeing as you do enjoy hoarding my coffee.”
She laughed and shook her head sadly. “Coffee has turned into a want rather than a need. I cannot purchase it any longer. So, I will take yours any chance I get.”
Oh no. Was she flirting back?
Not at all. This was necessary for her task for the Ripper. It meant nothing. Therefore, she could either distract him or seek a reason for him to leave her alone with the documents. But she must make a quick choice.
However, she realized the choice was already made for her when Claude took another step toward her until his tall frame towered over her, highlighting the amusement shining in the blue of his eyes. Amusement and…
Something else.
Interest. Passion. She wasn’t sure. But did she really want to find out?
