His Brother's Bride

CHAPTER ONE

“I HAVE HAD ENOUGH of New York, thank you very much.” Bonnie had had enough of everything at this point. She stood and picked up her purse—which had been searched earlier. “Goodbye.”

As she walked toward the door, she half expected Jaron or Quigg to stop her, but they didn’t.

That could have been because the door was locked. “The door is locked,” she said without turning around.

“She’s from very far out of town,” Jaron said.

Bonnie marched back to the table. “Why are we being treated like prisoners? We have cooperated fully. You have everything you need to know, and I want to go home—or back to my aunt’s apartment, then home. And I want to go now.”

“No can do.” Quigg didn’t look sorry, either.

What was it with men ignoring her requests all of a sudden?

“You’re going to be guests of the city of New York tonight. Maybe several nights.”

Oh, no, she wasn’t. “Nice try, but just call me a cab and I’ll consider us even.”

Quigg laughed.

Jaron looked at her pityingly.

The door opened and one of the detective duo stuck his head in. “One bed or two?”

Quigg glanced at them. “Two. Did you really have to ask?”

The detective held up two fingers to someone, then nodded at the captain. “All set.”

“Good work.” Quigg was once more all business. “Okay, listen up.”

Bonnie listened, but she didn’t like what she heard. “You’ve got to be kidding.” She’d said it before and she’d probably say it again. Captain Quigg actually wanted to keep them in protective custody.

“For how long?” she asked. “I’ve got a renovation I’m due to start on Monday.”

“As long as it takes.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“No, Bonnie, he’s not kidding, so you can stop saying that.”

Bonnie ignored Jaron. He’d done nothing but glare at her, and make derisive remarks for hours. Well, she was glad she’d seen this side of him. Yes, Jaron had now revealed himself in all his sarcastic glory. Her first impression of him had been right on the money. Oh, for a time there during dinner she’d thought he wasn’t so bad. Rub away that cool exterior and there was a gleam of an attractive man beneath. Actually, the man on the outside wasn’t too bad, but she was going to ignore that. She would even have been willing to tolerate another date if Aunt Cokie had insisted on it, but not now. Uh-uh. No way. The sooner she got away from him, the better.

And then the Cooper’s Corner Blind Date Queen was going to turn in her crown.

“So, how long do you think it’ll be until we’re free to go?” Jaron asked.

“We’ll need a positive ID on Sonny O’Brien. But first we’ve got to find him. And until then, we’re going to keep you two under lock and key.”

“We are not the criminals here!” Bonnie couldn’t believe this was happening. “You can’t do that.”