What She Forgot (What She 2)

“You’re right. She has a trust fund that could feed a small nation.” He laughed. “Just let her play at working for a while. She’ll get tired of it.”

“I don’t need help.”

“That’s not what she told Lynn. Your office was a mess.”

“It’s my office.” I could leave it a mess if I wanted to.

“Admit it. She was helpful.” He paused as a slow grin slipped across his face. “So she pulled a gun on you, huh?”

“In my own fucking office. At two in the morning,” I grumbled. With silky, nylon-covered feet, her shoes kicked off in the corner, the top button of her dress undone, one of my pencils stuck in her hair, holding it up off her neck.

“She’s a hell of a shot. I think she’s teaching an intro-to-gun-safety class at the shooting range. And another one at the women’s shelter. That one is more hand-to-hand combat, though. No guns.” He laughed. “Never tussle with Shelly, man. She can kick ass.”

“She can’t work for me.”

“Too late.” He tossed up his hands and grinned. “She’s in. It would be a lot of work to get her out.”

I’d get her out.

“I know you didn’t fuck her, by the way,” Mason suddenly blurted out.

“What?” I jerked my head up from where I’d been staring at the file on his desk.

“At the church. You found her naked in the hallway. You helped her get dressed.”

“Oh, that. Yeah.” I scratched my head again. “Why was she naked in the church?” I asked. I couldn’t stop myself.

He laughed. “Apparently, she hung her dress up in one of the back rooms and had to go to the bathroom. As she was coming out of the stall, the hem of the dress she didn’t want to wear got stuck on the lock handle. She didn’t want to tear the dress, since Lynn gave it to her for some special occasion or another, so she shimmied out of it. She didn’t think anyone would see her.”

I saw her. I saw a lot of her. Damn it.

“She’s very pretty,” Mason said, his eyes watching me closely.

“Uh-huh.” I opened the file and flipped through the pages. “Are you sure about these?”

“No one is ever sure of anything when it comes to mental health. But you were looking for a tie between them, a motive, or some way to link them together. I couldn’t find one. I’d be happy to take a look at more, though.”

“I’ll let you know.” I closed my file.

“About Shelly—”

I held up my hand. “I really don’t want to discuss Shelly.” That was a finished deal. I would get rid of her. That would be done.

“I just wanted to warn you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied. “I’ve been warned.”

“She’s very beautiful.”

“You’re married to her twin. Of course you’d say that.” I snorted.

“I’d say that even if they looked nothing alike. She’s a lovely woman.”

“Why do I feel a but hanging in the air between us?”

“But,” he said loudly, “don’t forget that she is what she is.”

“What is she, exactly?”