Vindicate (Recovered Innocence #1)(57)

“It doesn’t hurt…much.”

“Leo’s car’s blocked in by the fire trucks,” I tell him. “I’ve been trying to get him to have the paramedics look at it.”

“Take my car.” Mr. Nash gives me his keys. I give him mine. “It’s parked around the corner on Third. I’ll stay here and talk to the police, see if I can’t get them to tell me anything.” Mr. Nash heads for an officer who looks like he’s in charge.

I can tell Leo wants to protest, but I grip his arm and tow him toward the car. I can’t believe someone blew up the agency office. We have to be getting close for him to do something so desperate. Thank goodness I’m militant about my backup and he didn’t succeed in destroying my files on Beau’s case. Something nags at me as we squeeze through the crowd. There’s something familiar about this scene, reminding me of the scene in front of Cassandra’s house after her body was discovered—the chaos, the crowd, the emergency vehicles.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch a familiar face, gazing up at the burning building. I change direction, causing Leo to stumble to make the adjustment.

“Dylan?”

He blinks, clearly surprised to see me. “I heard about the explosion on the news.” Grabbing me, he wraps me in a hard hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was worried when they said it was the agency’s building.”

I’m too stunned to do anything but let him hold me.

Behind me I can practically feel Leo’s irritation. “Hey, get off her.”

Dylan lets me go and looks past me to Leo. “Who are you?”

“Her boyfriend.”

“Her—” Dylan starts.

“He’s something, but not my boyfriend. Dylan Newman, Leo Nash. Leo, Dylan. Leo’s dad owns the agency. He’s helping me with Beau’s case for the summer.”

The guys shake hands, sizing each other up. If Leo was suspicious of Dylan before, that’s nothing compared to how he’s eyeing my brother’s friend right now.

“I’m sorry about your dad’s agency,” Dylan says, glancing up at the fully engulfed building.

“You really just came down here to see about Cora?”

Dylan’s gaze swings back to Leo. He doesn’t seem to like Leo any more than Leo likes him. “What business is it of yours?”

“Are you sure you didn’t just come down here to check out your handiwork?” Leo jabs a thumb toward the fire.

“What? You think I set that fire?”

“No,” I tell Dylan. “We don’t. Thanks for coming down to check on me. We’ve got to go.” I put my arm through Leo’s and drag him toward the car. “I’ll call you later.”

“The hell you will,” Leo mumbles, giving Dylan a backward glare.

“Not this crap again.”

“Come on. He’s a suspect, Cora. And he’s got the Forbidden Little Sister thing for you, whether you want to admit it or not.”

“What? That’s not a thing.”

“Ah, yeah, it is. He’s already ticked the Best Friend’s Girl thing off his list. You’re next.”

“No way. Even if I thought for a moment he had feelings for me he wouldn’t get far. I don’t think of him that way.”

“I bet Cassandra said the same thing at one point and he ended up banging her.”

I jerk to a halt. “He did not bang Cassandra. They just went out a few times.”

“Right. I’ve seen pictures of Cassandra. She was beautiful. There’s no way he didn’t try to get with her.”

“He might’ve tried, but that doesn’t mean he succeeded.”

“Zelda didn’t say it in so many words, but the gist I got was that ol’ Dylan back there slept over. A lot.” He makes air quotes around slept over.

“No.”

“You might think you know Dylan, but I know guys. And guys like sex. They especially like sex with hot chicks. You and Cassandra are definitely hot. I’m telling you he wants you.”

“You’re imagining things. He’s never made a single move toward me.”

“He’s working up to it with all that fake worry and touching. Lots of hugs and kisses. I’d put money on him making a move the next time you see him. If not, then he for sure will the very next time he sees you. You can also expect a phone call from him tomorrow.”

“Are you sure the pain hasn’t addled your brain?”

“My brain’s not addled.” We arrive at his dad’s car. He hits the unlock button on the remote and hands me the keys. “And we’re going to work out what exactly that something I am to you is.”

He climbs in the car, leaving me to sputter expletives at no one.





Chapter 26


Leo


My finger was only dislocated, no broken bones or torn tendons. The doctor said I was lucky. Right now the only thing I feel lucky about is that the pain meds haven’t worn off all the way yet and Cora is lying next to me in bed. She’s draped across my chest, one of her legs hooks over mine, and her arm is banded around me. I can’t move. I don’t care. She’s warm and good-smelling, with all of her soft parts pressed against me. She rejected my delirious half-pain, half-pain-meds attempt at seduction last night. I would’ve been shit anyway, so she saved me the humiliation.