Page 21 of Wicked Love
Would Iwantto?
To his credit, Beckett didn’t push for anything more than a conversation. He walked a little ahead of me on the path and turned off it into a secluded clearing where I found a bench surrounded by enough trees that it wouldn’t be visible to anyone passing by on the path. He sat down at one end, leaving plenty of room between us when I sank down at the other side.
“You think these family friends could have been involved?” he asked, pulling out his phone.
I shook my head. “It’s a long shot. I just want to cover every possibility. They were pretty good friends with my parents, and they drifted out of my mom’s life not too long after he died. Probably just normal life changes, but there’s a tiny chance guilt played a part.”
“Names?”
“Stacy and Kyle. I don’t remember the last name, but they lived on the same street as my parents’ house for several years—they may still be there. Hopefully that’s enough for you to trace them?”
“Absolutely.” He shot me a mild but warm smile and tapped the information into his phone. When he looked at me again, the intensity in his gaze brought to mind his passionate touch when we’d run back to his car out of the wind the last time we were here. A flush crept over my skin despite my best efforts.
“You said you have some news on your end too?” I asked quickly as a diversion—and because I did want to know.
Beckett’s mouth twisted, so I knew it wasn’t anything all that good. “I heard back from my poison-expert friend. Anthea’s pored over your dad’s medical records, and she’s found a few hints that suggest foul play. But there’s nothing overt enough for her to even be sure of exactly what toxin was used. Whoever was responsible, they covered their tracks very thoroughly.”
My heart sank. “So there’s no evidence we could use to prove the case in those reports, then.”
“Not with just the hospital records. They may help us connect the dots to other proof we turn up. And it tells us we’re dealing with someone who’s both skilled and meticulous.”
“Wonderful,” I grumbled. “Anything else from the other things you were looking into?”
Beckett hesitated, his gaze lingering on my face. “I’ve made a little progress, but I’m still sorting through all the information.”
“Is there any way I could help with that?”
“Maybe,” he admitted. “But, Maddie, I don’t want to put you in any more danger than you already are.”
Hearing him use my nickname with all the familiarity of our past relationship tugged at my heartstrings, but the rest of what he said sent a prickle of irritation through my nerves.
“It’s my dad we’re investigating. I want to be involved as much as I can.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Logan tried very hard to push me out when my car got stolen, and that didn’t go his way. I don’t recommend you take the same tactic.”
One corner of Beckett’s mouth quirked upward. “You have always struck me as a woman who goes after what she wants—and generally gets it.”
“Well, there you go.”
He spread his hands. “It isn’t just you, though, is it? The more you’re involved, the more chance there is that the people we’re working against will realize and strike out not just at you but the people you care about again.”
My thoughts slipped back to my conversation with Mom, and my chest tightened. “I don’t want that. Isn’t there anything I can do from behind the scenes, things that aren’t likely to get noticed? The sooner we crack this case, the sooner we’ll allreallybe safe.”
“You do have a point there.” He tipped his head to the side in contemplation and then met my eyes again. “I can think of one thing you can do that shouldn’t put any spotlight on you. It’s a small help, but it could lead me straight to the person who tried to frame me.”
I sat up straighter with a jolt of eagerness. “What? Let’s do it.”
Beckett let out a soft laugh. “I’ll have to get a few things set up first, but we should be able to give it a try tomorrow.” His hand twitched as if he’d considered reaching toward me and then thought better of it. “I really do admire how dedicated you are—to this cause and everything else you’re doing with your life. And that bravery, being more than ready to jump right into action no matter what we might face. I never lied about how much I liked that side of you either.”
A lump rose in my throat. My gaze dropped to my hands as I fumbled for the right response while his praise tingled through my veins.
It was so easy for him to talk like that. Just like he’d made himself seem like the perfect Prince Charming when we’d first met. But there was so much more going on behind that polished front.
But he’d given me what I needed in the ways that mattered most too. I lifted my gaze to meet his again. “I appreciate that you’re letting me be an equal part in this situation instead of shunting me off to the side for my supposed protection. It means a lot.”
The gleam in his eyes sent off a fresh flare of heat through my body. “I’ve always seen you as an equal, Maddie. I know you’re more than capable of holding your own. If Icanprotect you and the people you’re close to from the worst parts of my life, I’m going to do that, but I’ll be upfront about it the whole way through. You can count on that.”
When he said it that way, I believed him. I restrained a giddy shiver. “You said we can do this thing tomorrow?”
He nodded. “Let me know what time in the morning works best for you working around your classes, and we’ll meet up then. I’ll pick you up behind the theater downtown—and we’ll see if we can catch at least one rat.”
