She gave Stacey’s car a wide berth, but watched from the corner of her eye as Junior pulled Stacey into an embrace and rubbed her back consolingly. He gave her a soft kiss on the lips. She clung to him, appealing to him about something that had caused her consternation. His answer seemed to soothe her. She went limp against his chest.
Junior worked himself out of her clutches, but in such a charming way that Stacey was smiling when he tucked her into the driver’s seat of her car and waved her off.
Alex was already inside her room when he tapped on the door and said, “It’s me.”
She opened the door. “What was that all about?”
“She thought I’d spent the night with you, since we were having breakfast together in the coffee shop.”
“Lord,” Alex whispered. “People in this town certainly have fertile minds. You’d better leave before anybody else gets that impression.”
“What do you care? I don’t.”
“Well, I do.”
Uneasily, Alex glanced toward the unmade bed. On any other morning the housekeeper was knocking while she was still in the shower. This morning, of all mornings, she was running late. Alex was afraid that the bed would give away her secret. The room was redolent of Reede. His essence lingered on each surface like a fine coating of dust. She was afraid Junior would sense that.
Gently, he removed her sunglasses and traced the lavender half-moons beneath her eyes. “Bad night?”
That’s an understatement, she thought. “You might as well hear it from me. I’m sure it will get around. Late yesterday afternoon I went to Nora Gail’s place.”
His lips parted with surprise. “Son of a bitch.”
“I needed to talk to her. It seems she’s Reede’s alibi for the night Celina was killed. Anyway, while I was there, a man got shot. There was blood, an arrest.”
Junior laughed with incredulity. “You’re kiddin’ me.”
“I wish I were,” she said grimly. “Here I am, representing the D.A.’s office, and I get involved in a shootout between two cowboys in a whorehouse.”
Suddenly it all collapsed on her. Instead of crying, she began to laugh. Once she started, she couldn’t stop. She laughed until her sides ached and tears were rolling down her cheeks. “Oh, God, can you believe it? If Greg Harper ever hears about this, he—”
“Pat Chastain won’t tell him. He has a girl out at—”
“I know,” she said, “Reede told me. He responded to the call and hustled me out. He didn’t seem to think there would be any repercussions.” She shrugged in an offhanded manner that she hoped didn’t look as phony as it felt.
“It’s good to hear you laughing for a change,” Junior commented, smiling down at her. “I’d like to stick around and cheer you up even more.” He placed his hands on her derriere and began to move them up and down. Alex pushed him away.
“If you wanted to cheer someone up, you should have gone with Stacey. She looked like she could use it.”
He glanced away guiltily. “It doesn’t take much to make her happy.”
“Because she still loves you.”
“I don’t deserve her.”
“That doesn’t matter to her. She’ll forgive you anything. She already has.”
“Of murder, you mean?”
“No. Of loving someone else—Celina.”
“Not this time, Alex,” he whispered and dipped his head to kiss her.
She dodged his well-aimed lips. “No, Junior.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.”