Page 13 of Tessa's Trust

“The name suits you.”

I jerked upright. “Contessa? It’s an elite British royalty type of name. Some modern-day princess with multiple doctorates.”

“Huh.” He switched the beams to low in order to see better through the catapulting snow. “I see it as the name of a stunning redhead with Irish eyes, ones that can spit fire or warm with intrigue.”

I blinked. “Stop being nice.”

His chuckle warmed me in all sorts of impossible places. “Nobody ever accuses me of being nice. That’s funny.” He sped up. “What’s your glitch with doctorates? Some of the dumbest people I know are lawyers.”

I snorted and caught myself. “Too easy,” I murmured. If I had a glitch because I’d decided not to attend college, then that was on me. Sometimes, I looked at Anna with all her education and felt like I should’ve done more. But all I’d ever wanted was to run my own restaurant, and I’d figured out the fastest path to take. I was happy. “You’re not a dumb lawyer,” I said. “Rumor has it you’re one of the best in a trial.”

“You’re sweet, too.” He turned the final corner, and Timber City with Lilac Lake came into view. “I’m not looking for a relationship, Contessa, but I would like a date for the New Year’s Eve party at the Elks Lodge. Full disclosure? It’s my grams’ birthday wish.”

His honesty was greatly appreciated, and I had always adored his grams. But playing make-believe for even one night with him could lead to a disaster. Yeah, he was hot and sexy, but there was no way he was staying around, and I was setting down roots. Deep.

And even though I was the wild sister, I never gave my heart away quickly. I was even slower to give my trust. I’d learned that lesson the hard way, and I’d take it to my grave. It was time to focus on reality and not silly daydreams. “We need a copy of the deed found on Rudy’s body.”

Nick nodded. “I’ll see if I can get one so we can compare it to other documents Sadie signed. The weirder part is, why can’t we find her? It’s the middle of the night. She should’ve been home when the sheriff called on her.”

“I don’t know.” I’d been thinking the same thing and hoped she was all right. “I did give her a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in cash and didn’t ask what she planned to do with it.”

“She probably didn’t take it to the bank,” Nick said, shaking his head.

I rubbed my eyes. “No, she probably didn’t.”

Sadie didn’t seem the type to trust banks. However, she was a smart lady, so I figured she had a plan. I hoped she was all right. The idea that something had happened to the older woman yanked me out of my warm fog. “I take it the sheriff couldn’t find her brother, either?”

“Nope,” Nick said. “He even called a buddy somewhere to track their phones. They’re both turned off.”

Now that didn’t sound good. At all. “We have to find her.”

“The sheriff will find her.” Nick turned away from the lake and into Timber City, where I lived. “Don’t go playing private detective like your sister has done several times.”

I wanted to defend her, but it was a miracle she was still standing. So, I just looked out the window and tried to make out the buildings through the storm. “Do you know anything about Lenny Johnson’s murder? It’s odd that his body was also found in the basement.” Maybe there was a psychotic ghost killing folks down there. I shivered, even though I didn’t believe in ghosts.

“No. It’s a local murder, so their local prosecutor would have been involved. I’ll give him a call tomorrow and get the details, just so we know.” He reached over and took my hand. “I’ll make sure you’re safe, Tess.”

Heat flashed up my arm and sizzled through my entire body. My heart rate picked up, and my lungs stuttered. “That’s kind, but I can take care of myself.” My voice came out breathy, so I freed my hand. “It’s okay, Nick. Don’t worry.” A sense of loss filtered through me as he put his hand back on the steering wheel, so I looked out the window again and not at his hard body.

Timber City was about fifty minutes from Silverville and had about fifty thousand residents. It used to be a small forest-industry town. Now, it was all about tourism with the lakes, mountains, and golf courses. I lived above Smiley’s Diner, where I had worked for years.

Nick pulled through the archways to town and drove down Main Street to park right outside the diner. Holiday lights still sparkled from every streetlight and many of the businesses, now barely glowing through the angry blizzard. He shut off the engine and turned to look at me, big and broad in the small cab.

Heat infused my face. “What?”

“You still haven’t agreed to go out with me on New Year’s,” he rumbled, his voice low and velvety soft in the sudden quiet.

I could admit that a part of me wanted to agree. I figured it’d be a lot of fun to go out with Nick Basanelli. He was intriguing and looked good in everything from gym shorts to power suits.

“We just don’t work.” I fumbled for the door handle.

“How do you know we don’t work?” His voice licked across my skin.

“Because I’m not a moron.” I opened the door, and the frigid air instantly slammed into me. Wincing, I slid out onto the sidewalk while holding the door so I didn’t fall on my face. The concrete was extremely icy, and it didn’t look like anybody had scattered any salt for at least the last several hours. “Thanks for the ride,” I said, waving and then shutting the door.

His door instantly opened, and he came around the vehicle before I could blink. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

I paused and looked up—way up—into his face. While I was a good five foot six, he had significant height on me. “What?” I asked.

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