Page 17 of Dead Man's Alibi

“Oh yeah.More than they don’t, in fact.”He leaned back in his seat, seeming casual and at ease.When the waitress came over and offered to fill up the mug in front of him, he nodded.

“I mentioned it because I liked your book,” he said when the waitress left.“And I didn’t even think you did half bad with the crime scene part.”

“Half bad, huh?”She studied his face.“I feel like that might be high praise coming from you, Detective.”

“Jake.”

“Jake.”Sure, why not?

First-name basis with the handsome detective who was too old for her, probably.A little morning conversation because he thought she was pretty.Why not?Grandma said she needed to get some kind of social life.

Well, here she was being social.

“So, is this one going to be another mystery?”he asked, gesturing at her computer.“Or do you not talk about books while you’re writing them?”

Jill looked at her screen.She didn’t mind talking about them usually, but the fact she wasusingCal’s traumatic amnesia, or at least theideaof it, made her a bit uncomfortable sharing with Detective Hayes.

Jake.

But thinking about her book, and the fact Cal hadn’t gotten back to her, made her consider… “I guess you’ve been in a few courtrooms.”

“Yeah, a few.”

“I don’t suppose I could ask you a few questions about procedures and the like?One of my main characters is a small-town deputy, and she’s on the stand for a criminal trial.It’d be great to get your take on what that’s like, if you don’t mind.”

He leaned forward, like he was eager and interested, that smile never leaving his face.“Lay ’em on me.”

*

Cal woke witha start, sunlight streaming onto his face.He looked around.He was in his bed, so that was a plus.He didn’t think he’d been dreaming, didn’t remember anything anyway.

He sat up on a yawn.His laptop was at a precarious angle, leaning against his side.

Right.He must have fallen asleep reading through all the emails from Jules Hyatt that Nate had forwarded to him.Pretty boring stuff.Definitely nothing that would incriminate a guy for murder.

Cal ran a hand through his unruly hair.Probably needed a cut, but not today.Too much to do to make sure Nate didn’t catch any more heat.

He righted the computer, then remembered he’d also read the chapter Jill had sent him.He had a few notes for her, but he wanted to deliver them in person.Hadn’t she said she’d be at the diner or library today?

He checked his phone.She hadn’t texted or emailed or anything, but that wasn’t Jill.She was never pushy about anything, especially book stuff.She tiptoed around it like she was afraid to offend or ask too much.

He couldn’t decide if it wasstillbecause she was using traumatic amnesia in the book and felt uncomfortable being inspired by his shit, or just because she didn’t want to feel like a nuisance, even though he was volunteering his help.

Maybe both.

He figured that was still partially his fault.He’d tried to express to her that something about the character she was writing… mattered to him in a personal kind of way.

It was pretty ridiculous to feel personally validated by herwork of fiction, but, well… he did.It made him want to help, want to be involved.

And then there was the fact he liked talking to her about it.Something about talking to Jill… it didn’t feel connected to Marietta, even though she wassoconnected to a woman who’d been equal parts savior and nightmare for most of his childhood.

But Jill Harrington didn’t have all the strings pretty much everyone else he came into contact with did, including her grandmother.She was just her own person, and he liked that.

Or maybe Cal just needed to get out more.

“That’s probably the one,” he muttered to himself as he got out of bed.

He rushed through a shower, then figured he’d walk down to the diner for some breakfast.If Jill was there, he’d talk about her scene.If she wasn’t, he’d email her the notes he’d taken and ask if she wanted to meet up to go over it.