“Never mind, Officer.” Lucky shot the cop a quick grin. “There’s the man of the hour now.”
“I thought that was you.” Travis Knox greeted him with half-grin and an inquisitive stare. When the man’s light blue eyes landed on her, they filled with even more confusion. “Ellie? What are you—”
“Hello, Travis,” she greeted the man who’d once tried putting Cassie in prison. “We were just talking about you.”
Knox slid his gaze to Lucky. “You spreading lies about me again?”
“Not yet,” Lucky joked back. “But the night’s still young, so…”
“Detective Brandt,” Ellie forced a smile in the brunette’s direction. “Nice seeing you again.”
It felt very bizarre to be engaging in polite conversation when her home was being turned to ash behind her. But this was new territory for her, and frankly Ellie didn’t have the time or wherewithal to decipher proper etiquette for a situation such as this.
The pretty homicide detective smiled. “Good seeing you again, too,” Detective Hubel Brandt responded in kind. “But,uh…I do have to ask… what the heck are you two doing at an apartment fire this time of night?”
Knox looked up at the blazing inferno and back to Lucky. His expression deadpan as he pleaded, “Please tell me this fire isn’t related to another Eagle’s Nest investigation.”
“Too early to say.” Giving her an unreadable look, Lucky reached down and linked his fingers with hers. “That’s Ellie’s building.” He gave her a comforting squeeze. “We were on our way back there when we saw the flames.”
Actually,he’dbeen the one to see the flames. Ellie hadn’t noticed them at first because she’d been too busy picturing herself having wild, totally unsafe car sex with the man currently holding her hand.
I’ve got you.
“Damn.” Knox looked down at her. “What floor are you on?”
Her gaze automatically lifted up toward what was left of her home. “The eleventh,” she told him without emotion.
There was no emotion in her voice, because right now Ellie felt nothing. Aside from the small solace Lucky’s hand was providing, the rest of her felt completely and totally numb.
She wasn’t blind, however, so she didn’t miss the look shared between partners when he’d told the man which floor her apartment was on. Apparently, Lucky didn’t miss it, either.
“What is it?” he demanded.
Sympathy fell over both of the detectives’ faces.
“I’m sorry, Eloise,” Detective Knox offered sincerely. “Fire Marshall said we won’t know for sure until the flames are out and they can get inside and take a good look, but…”
“But what?” Lucky pressed.
The other man blew out a breath and shook his head. “They’re pretty sure the fire started on the eleventh floor.”
“Southwest corner,” Detective Brandt clarified.
Lucky’s gaze found hers in an instant. At the same time, Ellie had turned to him as if seeking…something. What, she wasn’t sure.
Comfort? Reassurance? Words of wisdom to help her make sense of what her life had become?
Ellie wasn’t sure ofanythinganymore.
“What is it?” Knox directed the question to them both. “Do you know something that could help us—”
“My apartment,” Ellie blurted. “It’s…” She paused to correct herself. “Itwasthe southwest corner of the eleventh floor.”
Knox cursed, running a hand over the stubble covering his strong jaw.
“You’re kidding.” Detective Brandt stared back at her with a set of wide, rounded eyes.
Ellie shook her head and sighed. “I wish I was.”