Because after finally being released from jail that morning—a horrifying, humiliating experience she had no intention of repeating—her trusted attorney had revealed the lack of suspects in her case. Namely the fact that therewereno other suspects.
Only Cassie.
Only me.
Knowing her freedom—herlife—would soon be ripped away from her if she didn’t find another plausible suspect to hand over to the police, she’d taken Ellie’s advice and drove straight from the other woman’s office to the downtown building that was home to Eagle’s Nest Securities.
“I’m telling you, these guys are the real deal.”
“How can you be so sure, Ellie?”
“Five former Navy SEALs, Cass. It doesn’t get any more qualified than that.”
No, she didn’t suppose it did. Cassie just prayed Archer and the others on his team were enough to catch a killer…and keep her ass alive.
“See anything you want?”
The rumbled double entendre was no doubt unintentional. But damn if it didn’t leave her squeaking out a choked, “I’m sorry?”
With a slight lift of his chin, he motioned toward her menu. “Everything I’ve ever gotten here has been great. Don’t think there’s a bad choice on there.”
“Oh, I uh…yeah. I think I’m just going to go with the single smash burger and fries.” She’d picked the first thing that came to mind. “You?”
“Same, but the double.” He set the menu down in front of him. “Figured this place was a good choice since it’s small and out of the way.”
“Off the beaten path, is that it?”
“Exactly.” An agreeable nod. “After what you’ve been through, I thought it might be best to come someplace on the outskirts of town. Less chance of you running into reporters or someone you know.”
“And here I thought you brought me to this little hole-in-the-wall place because it was in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Seattle.”
With a tilt of his head, Archer frowned. “Why would that matter?”
He’s trying to play a game I’ve already mastered.
“I grew up in a neighborhood just like this one.” She looked around at the bustling lunch crowd. “If I had to guess, I’d say most of the people here are on their lunch breaks from their second…maybe even third job they’ve had to take just to make ends meet. Since they don’t have time to waste, they’re too busy scarfing down their meals and keeping focused on theirown conversations and problems to notice the fancy rich lawyer hiding all the way back here in the shadows.”
That handsome head of his righted itself. “Given your situation, I’d think anonymity would be a good thing.”
“Oh, it is.” Cassie took a sip of her iced water. “But that’s not why you brought me here.”
“It’s not?”
She set her plastic cup down onto the table before her and shook her head. “You brought me here because you were hoping I’d feel comfortable enough to let my guard down. Possibly reveal something telling. Not a confession to murder, of course. But you were hoping forsomethingthat would give you a more definitive answer as to whether or not I did it. And since people have a tendency to slip up when they’re in a more relaxed, familiar environment…”
Cassie held out both hands palms-up as if to say “Voila!”. At first, Archer didn’t so much as twitch a single muscle. But then…
“You’re good, I’ll give you that.” One corner of his sharp, bow-shaped lips curved upward.
“I am good, Mr. Nash.”And constantly underestimated.“I’m a good attorney. I was a good wife…” At least she tried to be. “And I’m not stupid enough to poison the man I was divorcing with a glass of wine from my own kitchen. So if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer to bypass all these little games you probably play with your other clients and just get to the part where we figure out who actuallydidput the cyanide in that bottle.”
The slightest touch of humor lit the browns in his eyes, and that smirk of his lifted a smidge more.“Fair enough,” Archer rumbled low.
And damn if the man didn’t look even sexier than before.
“So…how exactly does this whole thing work?” She stayed focused on the task at hand.
“That all depends.”