Tipping The Scales: Knox (Mate Craze)(19)

As I turned out of the driveway, I found myself waving, not to Knox because a girl has to have some pride, but at the largest of the statues. I was still blown away by the fact that Knox was able to turn random items that would normally fill a landfill into beautiful works of art. As much as I loved the statue I purchased on my way into town, it now became a treasure knowing that it was his hands that had forged the metal.

I was a goner. Three minutes after storming out of his place in anger, here I was swooning over his art work and picturing his smexy smirk. Even if I never saw him again, which was an impossibility because I sort of, kind of, stole his truck, I was going to leave town different then when I arrived. From a summer intrigue, to a dream hottie, to a real life sex on a stick artist and all around frustrating person, Knox has seared a place in my heart. A heart I expected would leave here battered at a minimum and most likely completely broken.

Pulling up to the building, I quickly found a spot and jumped out. I contemplated putting the keys on the seat since Knox was so comfortable with the safety of the town, but as people began to step out of their prospective buildings and began to stare, I decided to lock the door, shoving the keys in my pocket as I did so. An older woman gave me her best evil eye, and instead of cowering to her, like I normally would’ve, I squared my shoulders and walked up to the steps as if I owned the place. If I were lucky it would avoid her calling the police on the suspected grand theft auto her glare indicated she was positive was taking place.

“I’m back,” I announced far louder than necessary as I made my way into the office.

“You know the forms to fill out,” he answered without looking up. His computer screen was still rebooting, based on the noises coming from it, so his intense attention to the screen was an avoidance technique. The man was smarter than I gave him credit for because he was spot on with what was coming. I was about to give him guff.

“And you knew I would be back.” I slammed my notebooks down and started to fill out the requisition forms for the second time that day. I began with the file Liam had messed with, hoping he would make a mistake. Maybe if I flirted just a wee bit, I could fluster him. Normally I sucked at flirting, but this week seemed to be an exception to all my rules, so I looked for my in.

“Rules.”

“Rules smules,” I teased. “Speaking of rules, are you allowed to, you know, show me around after work or is it a conflict since I was researching here?” Even I could hear the incredible level of stupidity in my words. Of course he could do whatever he wanted on his own time. It wasn’t like he was a lawyer on a case I was arguing against or the cop who would probably arrest me for driving around in Knox’s truck.

“Not touching that one with a ten foot pole,” he mumbled as he made his way to grab the files he assumed I was requesting. I shook it up a bit to keep him on edge, but I would let him figure that out the hard way.

“Ouch.” I wanted him not at all, but hearing him so boldly state that I was less than desirable sucked. I could have sworn he flirted the tiniest bit earlier. Guess I got that wronger than wrong.

“Ouch would be if I decided to take Knox’s girl anywhere. I’m probably in trouble right now just for breathing the same air as you.” He slapped the files on the counter, taking my only partially completed requisition forms with him.

“I’m hardly Knox’s girl,” I countered as I snatched up the files with a little more force than necessary. I watched him like a hawk as he grabbed them, and unless he fixed things before I walked in, I might have just gotten lucky. Score one for insanely pathetic attempts at flirting.

“You drove his truck here.” His voice held a coldness I hadn’t heard from him before. I wasn’t sure if it was anti-Knox or being pissed at his inaccurate assessment that I was lying to him, but something forced the change and it was one I was far from comfortable with.

“I maybe took it.” I shrugged my shoulders, giving off a subtle smile.

“Stole it?” He clarified, his voice so quiet I wasn’t sure if I heard him correctly.

“No, more like borrowed it to leave his place when he pissed me off.”

“As I said, Knox’s female.” He turned, dropping the requisition forms on his desk and making the way to the back bookshelf, which I was fairly confident was being used as a prop.

“I borrowed it to leave his place in anger. He’ll probably be here with the police any minute.” That brought back some of the posturing Liam had been known for in the short time since we met. Me being pissed at Knox made him far happier than it should have. The curious side of me wanted to know what was up between these two, but the emotional side of me reminded myself that Knox didn’t deserve my attention right now.

“I’ll be in the next room. Don’t worry, I already turned my phone off.” I sashayed out of there, stopping at the door long enough to hear him reply.

“I’m sure you did.” He chuckled, aware that the action was directly related to being pissed at Knox.

Without wasting a moment I shuffled through the files until I found the one he had been tampering with. I sat down at the table and turned the pages, one by one. I didn’t need to read them, I only needed to find the ones that weren’t there before. Halfway through the file I hit the jackpot.

It was a second police report. I read through it a few times and nothing stood out in the actual report as being off. Nope. The report itself didn’t say that much. That wasn’t what made it so valuable and worth hiding. What mattered was the name of the recording policeman, Chief Renouf. Same last name as Knox. It didn’t feel coincidental in the slightest, especially with the sketchy way the paper disappeared the first time I requisitioned the file.