Page 77 of Secret Baby for Mr. Grump

He smiled at me despite the frown.

“What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “The thing with Darryl is over, and I didn’t have much to do. So I thought I would fly in and help you with your little investigation.”

“I didn’t ask for your help.”

“But I’m giving it anyway.”

“I’m not paying you for this,” I warned.

He rolled his eyes. “I was due some off time anyway,” he said, unbothered.

“Don’t you have some Christmas event to be at with your family?”

“I’m Jewish,” he said with a snort, and I blinked, not sure if he was telling the truth or not. With Sean, one never knew.

“Who are you?” Evan questioned, his eyes flying between us in a little bit of panic and annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

“Sean Goldman,” Sean said with his trademark charming grin. “And let’s just say I’m here to rectify the investigation you guys fucked up.”

“Wefucked up?” Evan sounded incensed by the very idea. One would think he took pride in his job and didn’t accept bribes from wealthy people to turn the other eye to their indiscretions.

But I knew Evan only got the job as sheriff because there was nothing else for him to do, and he couldn’t hack it at college. After he dropped out, his father, the previous sheriff, let Evan take over his role.

I knew all this because Sean had presented me with an entire dissertation on the guy, including all the dirt he could find. And there was plenty.

“Just because you got away with murder because you got your littlegirlfriendto testify for you does not mean we fucked up,” Evan said, continuing his farce.

“Careful,” I warned, giving him a side eye that had him visibly paling. While he hadn’t said anything vulgar, I didn’t like the tone with which he referred to Allie.

“Yeah, you don’t wanna say anything about his honey,” Sean said. “I’ve never even met the girl, but I can already tell you that he’s pretty protective over our little miss.”

And seeing the gleam in his eyes, I then realized the real reason Sean was in town. He wanted to be his nosy little self and meet Allie himself in person.

“Damn it,” I swore, but the bastard, Sean, immediately dropped a folder in front of Evan.

“This is an order from the police commissioner, who I have on speed dial if you want to confirm it. Or I can also ring the governor if you would like.” He shrugged. “Either way, if you don’t open up those files in the next few seconds, we’re going to have a real problem.”

Disbelief flashed through him as it must have finally sunk in. Evan’s gaze swung between the paper, Sean, and me as he tried to figure out what to do. Eventually, his eyes went back to me, and whatever he saw in my expression was the deciding factor.

He probably saw that I would have no problem destroying him in order to get what I wanted.

Self-preservation won out over pride, and he got up, heading for the backroom where stacks of folders were probably stored.

During the minutes he was gone, I glared at Sean.

“I’m not going to let you meet her, you know,” I said, keeping my tone threateningly mild.

“I’d like to see you try to stop me,” he retorted in a tone that was just as mild.

“She doesn’t know who I was in New York,” I told him, hating the fact that I had to be vulnerable but knowing that it was the only way to make him understand. “She doesn’t know the ruthless man I became. She only knows me as Marcus, and I don’t want to scare her.”

At this, an understanding as well as amusement reflected in Sean’s gaze. “Jeez, you’re really in love with this girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I admitted.

“Well, don’t worry,” he promised. “Your secret is safe with me.”

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