Jeanne Adams - Dark and Deadly

“Oh, yes,” he drawled. “Totally unrelated. Nasty coincidence you might say. Worried my poor cher cousine half to death, though. I scolded the people responsible quite harshly.”

“You did, eh? You know you shouldn’t tell me that.”

“No, I reckon not. But you’re okay, for a damn Yankee Philly boy,” he fired back. “You come down south to the Big Easy, I fix you up with the best meal and the best time you ever had. Payback for taking care of my girl, here.”

“I may take you up on that.” Tibbet grinned. “I had family down there, once upon a time.”

“You ever had roots there, they still there, you know?”

“Detective?” Torie asked. “Do you think you could find out about Mister Pratt for us? They won’t tell us anything.”

“I think I can make that happen,” Tibbet said. “Why don’t you two walk over to the nurse’s station with me,” he said, pointing to Dev and Pam. “We’ll find out and you can relay. Ms. Hagen, I can’t say it’s been a pleasure, but I appreciate all the help you’ve given me. I’m sorry for all the trouble you’ve had.”

“Thank you, Detective. I appreciate you as well.”

“A regular lovefest,” Dev drawled, getting to his feet. Torie could tell he was sore; he was moving more slowly than usual. Pam rose as well, and shot her a smile.

“We’ll be back.”

They trooped out en masse, and Paul rolled his eyes in mock relief. “I thought they’d never leave.”

“Oh, stop.”

“Never.” He bent down and kissed her. “I need to tell you something. I don’t want it to change anything between us, but we’ve had too many unspoken issues, over so many years, that I can’t not say it.”

“What?” Torie frowned, worried now that things would turn upside down yet again.

“With Pratt in the hospital, the meeting on Monday may be postponed.”

She rolled her eyes. “I thought it was something serious.”

“It is. You’re Todd’s sole heir.”

The words registered, and Torie’s mouth dropped open. “I’m what?”

“Other than a few charitable gifts, you inherit everything,” Paul said.

“Ah.”

“I don’t want it to make a difference between us. And I don’t want you to think that, like Melvin, I want you for—”

“Shhh.” She rested a finger on his lips, stopping the flow of words. “You’re nothing like him and never have been. In fact, you’re the opposite in so many ways. If it will make you feel better, I’ll give it all away.”

“I could help you start a foundation.”

“How about we do it together?” She waited, hoping to see the truth in his eyes. He gave it to her in the gleam in his eye and the smile that blossomed on his face.

He bent to capture her mouth in a searing kiss. “How ’bout we do that? How about we do a few other things together, too.”

“Like what?” she asked, not really caring what he said, as long as he kept looking at her that way—and kept kissing her. It made her feel so alive.

“Like buy a house, get married, play with the dogs, go on vacation. Stuff like that.”

“Wait.” She tuned in to his words between kisses. “What did you say?”

“I said—” he began.

“The middle part.”

“Ah, I, uh, well. What would you say to getting married?”

“I’d say yes.”

ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.

119 West 40th Street

New York, NY 10018

Copyright © 2009 by Jeanne Adams

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

ISBN: 1-4201-1068-3

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Epilogue

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Epilogue