Page 27 of Out to Get Her
She pulled her hand away and tried to keep her eyes steady. Tried to keep them from turning into pits of flaming rage lava. Tried to keep from showing that he’d gotten to her.
“I have backing from the parish and the state,” she said. “IfI need them.”
Not that he was worried about her. He was just trying to get under her skin. Rattle her. Like all the men threatened by the possibility of her actually being good at her job.
He leaned back in his chair again and smiled. “Good. I’m glad you have help. Speaking of help.” His head tilted in curiosity. “Where’s that cheerful little lap dog of yours today?”
She knew exactly what he meant, but she replied, “Dexter is at home, where he always is.”
“I meant your protégé. Officer… what was his name again?”
“Officer Boutin is on call at the station today.”
“Seems to me y’all pay him far too much to smile and fetch coffee.”
This current iteration of his smile set the hairs on the back of Samantha’s neck to stand at attention.
Nathan was hiding something. And he was toying with her.
Whether he knew something related to the case or whether this was simple reputation preservation, she couldn’t tell. What she did know was that he wouldn’t reveal anything unless he wanted to. And she didn’t have any leverage for digging further.
Yet.
“I’m going to need to confirm your whereabouts yesterday. Tell me who you were with.”
His smile faded to a slight grimace. He wasn’t used to her being this direct or to him being the one on defense.
“I’d rather not.”
“I’m sure you’d rather not be a prime suspect with no alibi even more.” It was her turn to smile.
Leverage.
She didn’t have an ounce of it when they’d been married or during the divorce. It felt good to finally have the upper hand on her ex. Too bad it took a man’s death to get it.
“I’ll need you to promise discretion.”
She didn’t owe him a damn thing, and smearing him would bring her so much joy. But she needed the name of whoever this woman was. Someone who most likely didn’t deserve Samantha’s wrath or retribution. “Fine. I’ll do what I can.Name.”
He frowned as she relished his displeasure, wishing she could make the weasel squirm even more.
After considering his options, he said, “Rhea.”
Samantha ran through her mental list of every Etta citizen she could remember. There was only one Rhea on that list. But Nathan couldn’t be that careless.
Could he?
“Last name.”
He was silent for a long moment, then a crack appeared in Nathan’s confident veneer as he said, “Rhea Blanchard.”
ChapterTen
Erin put moremoney in her parking meter, then walked back down Main Street toward the little cafe Trey had agreed to meet her at if she bought him lunch. With some time before Trey’s work break, Erin decided to snoop around a bit while she waited for him.
Main Street was a three-block strip of stores and government buildings, including the clerk’s office and the police station at the far end of the street. Not much had changed. Same shops, only she noticed as she walked past Mr. Robicheaux’s place that he had a display pot outside filled with metal irises on stakes. She smiled at the pretty decorations, something she wouldn’t have expected from the gruff man she remembered.
A little farther down, she saw what appeared to be the only empty store space downtown. It was narrow but had big front windows like all the other shops. A perfect spot for a boutique, maybe something similar to the one back home where she sold her jewelry on consignment.
