Flashback (Kendra Michaels #11)

“No, not worth a damn. I’m not good at noble. Especially not after I watched you get naked and slide into bed just a few feet away. So do you want to take a shower with me? We have time before we go down to breakfast.”

She couldn’t think of anything she wanted more at this moment. “Too late,” she said regretfully. “I was restless and took my shower in the middle of the night.”

“Do you want another one?” He was grinning mischievously. “I promise to make it worth your while.”

“I know you could, damn you. But I just can’t stop thinking about those sisters. I want to know what you discovered last night.”

He leaned back slightly. “I’ve been thinking about Olivia’s observation about there being no file for Detective Williams. I decided to research him.”

“Good idea. What did you find out?”

“A very good record, in the police department and before that as a naval recruit. His navy career was undistinguished, but he found his groove with the San Diego Police Department. By all accounts, an outstanding detective, and he even received a meritorious service award shortly before he retired. He’s divorced and has a daughter who lives in New Mexico. There’s nothing in his background that suggests he can’t be trusted.”

Kendra nodded. “I want to talk to him again.”

“We will. In the meantime, my shower offer is still open.”

“I’ll think about it.”

He bent and gave her an especially sweet kiss. “Think hard. I’ll be waiting.” Then he was heading for the door. “But I do take rain checks.”

Which made her want to run after him. Of course.

She sighed and got up and headed for her bathroom. If she didn’t change her mind, she’d finish getting dressed so that she’d be ready to leave the condo when he came out of the shower. If she did change her mind…

She was fully dressed and was brushing her hair when her phone buzzed on the counter. The caller ID number looked familiar, but it wasn’t one listed in her directory. She answered it. “Kendra Michaels.”

“Dr. Michaels, it’s Pauley, down in the garage.”

“Pauley… Is everything okay?

He sighed. “Well, some idiot whipped into the garage and clipped your car’s left rear taillight and bumper.”

“Just to get things straight, we’re talking about my car, not Lynch’s Lamborghini, right?”

“Oh, God, no, not the Lamborghini.” Pauley seemed happy and relieved that it was her car, not Lynch’s, that was damaged. “This guy has his phone out, and he’s taking pictures all around. He’s making noises like some of the damage was already there.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, he’s a jerk. You should probably come down here and swap insurance info. I already snapped a pic of his license plate in case he decides to take off.”

Kendra muttered a curse. Just what she needed. “Okay. Keep him there. I’ll be right down.” Kendra cut the connection and immediately called Olivia. “We may be a little late for breakfast. Pauley said someone dinged my Toyota and I need to exchange insurance info. But it’s my car and not that Lamborghini, thank heavens. Pauley would have had a nervous breakdown if it had been Lynch’s car. I’ll call you as soon as I find out when we’ll be down. This shouldn’t take long.”

“Let me know if I can help,” Olivia said.

“Just keep breakfast warm. I haven’t even let Lynch know yet. He’d probably want to give the guy the third degree. See you later.” She put down her phone and grabbed her keys. She took the elevator down to the building’s main floor, then took the rear hallway to another elevator that took her to the parking garage.

Just go soothe Pauley, exchange insurance info, and then go back and get Lynch. Not a terrific way to start a day, but the early part hadn’t been bad at all. And she still had those rain checks if she wanted to collect.

She stepped out onto the second garage level, where she expected to see Pauley standing behind her car.

He wasn’t there.

“Pauley?”

No answer.

All the garage lights shut off.