Page 28 of Dead Man's Alibi

He smoothed a hand over her hair.A simple, affectionate gesture she’d come to depend on.For peace.For reassurance.“Carefulisn’t your MO, Sam.”He said it fondly.

Like helikedthat about her, when it was usually used against her like a weapon.

No wonder she wanted to marry the guy.

“No, not always,” she agreed.She touched his face, traced his cheekbone with her fingers.“But we’ll be careful for this.”For you.

Chapter Ten

Main Street Diner

Cal did notgo up to the Harrington cabin with donuts the next morning per Glenda’s suggestion.He also did not go up there the morning after that.Maybe Glenda was right and he should make some sort of overture, but Cal was certain keeping his distance was the better option.

Of course, then he’d had his tele-therapy session this morning, and now he didn’t knowwhatthe hell was the better option.

That was the thing about therapy.It never gave him any answers.Just more fucking questions.

What would happen, Cal, if you stopped walking away from things that might work out and started walking toward them?With an open mind?

How the fuck was he supposed to know?Sounded like a risk someone with his track record shouldn’t be taking.

Of course, he hadn’t told Dr.Michaels that.He understood the pattern well enough.Confess a thought in any sort of negative context and be presented with awhat would happen if…

One was enough.

Because even if hewantedto avoid the question, even if he wanted torefuseto go where the question led, he always found himself… needing to answer the question.

So he’d gotten to the diner early and settled himself in the booth that had become Jill’s regular seat.He ordered himself a big breakfast, got out his own laptop, and focused on work.

He hadn’t taken any cases on yet, which he was grateful for with everything going on with Nate.It gave him time to focus on making sure his brother didn’t get caught up in police incompetence.And since he’d done fairly well for himself over the past decade, he didn’t need to hustle to survive.

For a little while anyway.

He was deep in the weeds of trying to get a sense of Jules Hyatt’s life and who else she might have employed besides Nate when he felt someone approach.And stop.And hover.

He looked up.Jill was standing there, a frown on her face.She had one hand wrapped around her laptop bag, and the other on her waist.

“What are you doing?”she demanded.

She was wearing a big sweater that swamped her over baggy jeans.Her boots were a little muddy, and she had pretty, dangling gold earrings at her ears that matched the stack of bracelets on her wrist.It was a contrasting and charming combination.

“Eating.Working.”He smiled at her.“What about you?”

“You are in my spot, Cal,” she said darkly, dropping her bag on the bench across from him.

“I didn’t know you had a spot.”

“Yes, you did,” she said, emphasizing each word.

“Okay.”He lifted his hands, made awhat are you going to do?gesture.“Yes, I did.It just seems you’re kind of pissed at me, and I don’t understand why.”

She just stared straight at him.“Yes, you do.”

Well, this was… different.At least coming from Jill.Calling him out on all his lies.He didn’t quite know what to do with it.

What would happen if…yeah, yeah, yeah.

“Okay, let’s say Ikindof know why, but I also don’tfullyknow why.”When she still didn’t sit, just stood there, he figured she wasn’t going to give him any easy outs.She probably shouldn’t.“Are you offended I suggested using Jake’s interest in you for our nefarious purposes?”