Mad, Bad and Blonde (16 page)

“What were you trying to prove here?” she demanded. “That you can seduce me?”

“You seduced me as much as I seduced you.”

“Me? You’re the one who kissed me. Here and in Italy.”

“And you were the one who kissed me back. Then and now. You slap me, you dump water in my lap, yet you still kiss me back. Why is that?”

Great question. Too bad Faith didn’t have the answer. Because he could really use some answers about now. He sure as hell didn’t know what he was doing with her. Kissing her hadn’t scared her away at all. Instead, her sexy response shook him in a way he didn’t even want to admit.

“You ruined everything,” she said. “I had a plan, and you messed it up.”

Caine wondered if she was referring to his father’s case or to what happened in Italy.

“Does your father know you’re messing with this case?” he said. “Did he send you here to interfere?”

“No and no. He knows nothing.”

“You’ve got that right.”

She glared at him. “I meant about this case.”

“Again, you’ve got that right.”

“Specifically, I really meant he knows nothing about my interest in this case.”

“Why not?”

“Because it would upset him.”

Caine took a moment to digest that piece of intel. “Meaning he doesn’t want you messing with this case. He wouldn’t approve. He wants you to leave it alone, right? He wants you to blindly trust him when he says the case is closed. So why don’t you? What’s your motivation here? Are you just trying to irritate me? Sabotage my investigation?”

“I told you my motivation. It hasn’t changed. I’m going to prove that my father was correct in his analysis of the case.”

“What did you hope to gain by talking to Weldon? And don’t even try giving me that innocent face, Sunshine. I’m not buying that you’re a fan of old sci-fi movies,” Caine said.

“What’s your interest in Weldon?”

“I asked you first.”

“He’s a person of interest. And now I’ve probably missed seeing him because of your antics.”

“Right. So you should just trot on home.”

She stared at him in amazement. “Trot? What am I, some kind of horse?”

“You should march on home.”

“I’m not a Marine. I don’t march.”

“You marched out of that sushi restaurant the other night.”

“I was trying to get away from you.”

“Easy to do. Just stay out of my business.”

“It’s not just your business anymore. It’s mine now too.”

“You father isn’t dead.”

“No,” she said quietly. “And I’m sorry for your loss. I don’t know if I said that before—”

He cut her off. “It doesn’t matter. It’s too late for an apology.”

“Okay. I get that. You don’t believe your father is guilty. So who do you think sold the corporate formula to a rival?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”

“Me too.”

“No, you’re trying to reassure yourself that your rich daddy can do no wrong.”

“That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?’

“No, dammit.”

“Ohhhh, the librarian swears.”

“And I know how to shoot,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, but you haven’t gone to target practice in months. I checked. There are only a handful of firing ranges in the entire area. I’ll bet you’ve gotten rusty. Besides, you know the rules regarding concealed weapons in this state. You’re not the kind to break the rules.”

“I broke them with you. Big mistake.”

“That’s not what your kiss just said.”

“Another even bigger mistake,” she said. “One that won’t be repeated.”

“Not if you leave now.”

“I’m not leaving. There’s a chance I can catch Weldon when the movie lets out.”

“I have no intention of allowing you to intimidate Weldon into saying whatever you want him to say.”

“Me?
You’re
the one into intimidation.”

“You do all right.”

“So what are you suggesting?” she said. “That we both work on the case?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

“Are you crazy?”

Perhaps. Perhaps she was crazy like a fox. Or so Faith tried to tell herself. She had to be logical here. “If we work together, then we can keep tabs on each other. Make sure that things are aboveboard and that you’re not planting false evidence or something.”

“That sounds more like something you’d do. I don’t need false evidence,” he said. “The truth works for me.”

“So you do think we should work together.”

“I never said that.”

“Then what is your suggestion?”

“That you go home and keep your nose out of my business,” Caine said.

“That’s not going to happen. I’m here to stay,” she said. “Get used to it.”

“What about your job?”

“What about yours?” she countered.

“I don’t trust you,” he said.

“I don’t trust you either, so we’re even on that one. What are your other objections?”

“Too many to list them all.”

“Let’s try to reach a middle ground here. I’m willing to listen to your suggestions. How do you suggest we work together?”

“The same way porcupines have sex. Carefully.”

“It always come back to sex with you, doesn’t it,” she said indignantly.

“I don’t know. Does it?”

“Never mind. Let’s just keep our minds focused on the facts here,” she said.

“How can we, when we don’t agree on the facts? You think my father is guilty. I know he’s innocent.”

“We both agree with the fact that Weldon was your father’s lab assistant and that therefore he’s a person of interest. Don’t you think it’s strange that he’s moved so many times in such a short period? And had several employers? Why do you think that is? Do you think he has something to hide? Or is he afraid of something and wants to keep on the move?”

“If he was really afraid, he’d have skipped town. He hasn’t as far as we know.”

“Good point. Which leaves us with him having something to hide.”

“Hold on, Sunshine. Maybe the guy just doesn’t like putting down roots.”

“Why has he disappeared now? What has him spooked? He hasn’t been back to his apartment for several days now.”

“Maybe he’s on vacation.”

“His coworkers don’t think so. They said he was on a family leave of absence but hadn’t traveled out of town.”

“He doesn’t have any family.”

“I know. So what’s the plan? To wait for the movie to let out and see if he’s there in the crowd?”

“The crowd?” he said. “It’s not like people were lined up around the block to get in to see this flick.”

“Why don’t you go home, and I’ll stay and watch for him.”

“Yeah right, like that’s going to happen,” he said.

“Then you’re agreed that we both stay.”

“I’m not agreeing to anything.”

“We’ve got over an hour before the movie is over. Why don’t you tell me what you’ve come up with so far in the case?”

“Yeah right,” he repeated. “Not going to happen. I’m not getting into a game of you-show-me-yours-I’ll-show-you-mine with you.”

“Because you’re afraid that I know more than you do.”

He just laughed.

She glared.

“Hey,” Caine said, “if you don’t want me laughing at you, then don’t say such funny things.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny. I was being analytical.”

“Is that why you were fondling the placket of my jeans when I kissed you? Were you trying to
analyze
me? What were your findings?”

“That you’re not as big as you think you are,” she shot back.

“No? I think your findings are faulty.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again.

This time she did push him away, only to haul him back and kiss him on her own terms.

Then she stepped away and gave him a cool stare.

“No,” she said. “My findings were accurate.”

He gave her a wry look. “You know, Sunshine, sometimes you surprise me.”

“Get used to it,” Faith told him. She couldn’t get used to the way she practically burst into flames whenever Caine touched her. She’d never felt this way before. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she keep her cool?

At least she’d sounded like she was totally together when she’d shot that comment at him. She needed to prove that she could be focused on the case and not distracted by his seduction techniques.

“So we’re agreed that we will work together, right?” she said curtly.

“Wrong,” he said. “Go home and let me get back to work.”

“Not going to happen. So let’s go across the street to that Starbucks and get a table near the window to wait for Weldon.”

She took his arm and tugged him toward the coffee shop entrance. Maybe touching him more often would make the physical contact seem more matter-of-fact and less the cause of an intense I-want-you-now volcanic need.

Faith ordered a tall soy sugar-free cinnamon dolce latte no whip no foam no sprinkles. He ordered black coffee and a brownie. They snagged the empty table in front of the window.

“So how are we going to do this?” she asked,

“Do what?”

“Work together on this case.”

“We’re not.”

“It would be more efficient.”

“Says you.”

“Look, it’s not my idea of fun either.”

“It’s not supposed to be fun,” he growled.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “That was a bad choice of words.”

“Yeah, it was.”

Keeping her gaze on the theater across the street, she sipped her latte.

“How are we supposed to work together given the circumstances?” he demanded.

“I didn’t say it would be easy.”

“I’m a former Marine. We don’t do easy.”

“But you believe in teamwork, right?”

“When we’re sharing the same mission, yes. Not with—”

“—the enemy?” she inserted.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“Don’t put words in my mouth.”

Her gaze moved to his mouth, his sinful mouth. He’d done some darkly sensual things to her in Italy with that mouth of his. And his recent kiss proved that what they’d shared in Positano hadn’t been a fluke. The physical chemistry was still there, stronger than ever.

“Is that look for me or for my brownie?” he asked.

“Your brownie.”

“You want?” He held up a small piece to her lips, daring her to take it. “How badly do you want?”

She turned up her nose, which only made his fingers brush her bottom lip and her chin. She couldn’t let him see how much he got to her. She had to keep her head here and not get pulled into his magnetic field.

“How badly do
you
want?” she said.

“I’ve got the brownie. You don’t.”

“Yes, but I’ve got the file on your father’s case, and you don’t.”

“And you’re willing to share?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“I didn’t think so.”

“Not the entire file.”

“Why not?”

“Because if my father found out . . . he wouldn’t be pleased.”

“If his company has nothing to hide, then he shouldn’t mind.”

“I am willing to share some information.”

“Go ahead.” He sat back in his chair.

“Only four people worked closely on this particular biofuel project. Your father was in charge of it. He had two other chemists working with him at the research facility in Joliet: Dr. Fred Belkin and Dr. Nolan Parker.”

“I already knew that.”

“Fred died of a brain tumor last year.”

“Again, old news,” he said.

“Did you know that several former employees of American Research Corporation’s research facility had or have brain tumors? They’re presently suing the company.”

“So? What does that have to do with my father’s case?”

“I don’t know yet,” she said.

“Are you insinuating that my father may have had a brain tumor and that’s what made him embezzle money?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. And what about Nolan Parker?”

“What about him?”

“What role did he play in this whole thing? Have you talked to him?”

“Not yet. I know from his earlier statements that he firmly believed my father was guilty.”

“What reasons might Nolan have for saying that?”

They spent the next half hour talking about possible scenarios without reaching any conclusions. To her surprise, she enjoyed brainstorming with Caine. Once he set his hatred for her father aside, they were able to work together well.

But how realistic was it to expect him to feel any other way if he blamed her father for his dad’s death? What if the situation was reversed? How would she feel if she thought his dad was responsible for her father’s death? The idea gave her chills. And not the good kind.

Why had Caine kissed her earlier? Had it been to distract her? Or to make her fall for him harder?

Working with him didn’t mean that she trusted him any more than he trusted her.

She looked out the window. “They’re coming out of the theater.”

“Weldon?”

She shook her head. “I don’t see him.”

They waited until the last person had departed. No Weldon.

Caine checked his watch. “Gotta go. I’ve got things to do.” He stood and made a hasty retreat.

She wanted to follow him, but she had things to do herself. The first was to check out another lead a few blocks away. The corner tavern looked like hundreds of other Chicago neighborhood bars. This one was next to the “L” elevated train tracks and had a Singleton’s Tavern vintage wooden sign that she would have expected to see outside some English countryside pub. Stepping inside, she discovered the place wasn’t very busy. A blue and white neon sign behind the bar touted the fact that Pabst Blue Ribbon was on tap here.

“Are you looking for the Geek Meet group?” the bar-tender asked.

She nodded.

He tilted his head. “In the back on the right.”

Faith walked back to the accompaniment of the “L” roaring by outside, making the floor vibrate.

A woman greeted her at the door to a large, quieter room. “Welcome.” She looked down at her clipboard. “We’re glad you’ve joined us. And your name is?”

“I didn’t sign up ahead of time. Is that a problem? Weldon told me it would be okay.” Faith scanned the name tags on the table beside her. Sure enough, there was Weldon’s Hi My Name Is self-adhesive name tag.

“Well, we normally like people to sign up beforehand, but we do have some extra space tonight, so you’re in luck. There is a cover charge.”