Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
She looked surprised to see him standing there but recovered quickly, her features rearranging into a polite smile. He did a quick sweep of her body. She was wearing formfitting navy slacks, a pale-peach blouse, and a short pair of heels. There was a briefcase on a long strap over her shoulder. Her hair was swept back again, and she looked both casual and fresh. Young, but not the girl he’d once known. She was a woman now, but the lines of her body and the particular way she moved were still familiar. As he watched her walk toward him, he recalled the feel of her beneath him in that old pickup truck that had creaked and swayed—
He pushed those memories from his mind, clearing his throat and stepping back to give her room to enter. “I’m sorry to stop by without calling,” she said, holding her hand out. He looked at it dumbly for a moment before realizing she wanted him to shake. He did so, feeling slightly offended by her obvious effort to pretend they were strangers who’d barely met, even though he’d thought they’d spoken as people who’d acknowledged having a history at the very least in the restaurant a couple of nights before. Well, if “strangers” was what she wanted, that was what he’d give her.
“It’s not a problem. I was just catching up on some paperwork.” He gestured to a chair in front of his desk, and they both took a seat. “What can I do for you, Detective Walker?” he asked, his tone formal.
Her smile slipped the barest bit. If his eyes hadn’t been focused on her mouth, he wouldn’t have caught it. When he’d sat down at the restaurant table across from her, her eyes had flashed with anger, and he’d understood that. He’d abandoned the girl he’d loved, leaving without a goodbye. He had no idea how long she’d be in Reno, but he did owe it to Sienna to at least apologize and explain his actions, if she’d allow it. Her anger had given him a small glimmer of hope that she felt something for him. And maybe she was angry on the surface, but if she still felt any emotion at all, he had hope that something more was beneath it. He felt that same flicker of hope now. Apathy would have extinguished it, but Sienna, as much as she might be trying, was not apathetic toward him. “Last night you asked me about the cards the victim from my case was holding. I needed permission to consult with you about the details of the case, and so I wasn’t prepared to share that information at the time, but I’ve received approval. My boss actually said the department has worked with you in the past on a few cases where the casino required police involvement. Anyway, I’m hoping you might be able to shed some light.”
Gavin sat back in his leather desk chair, steepling his fingers. “I’d be happy to.”
“Great. I appreciate that.” She leaned down, opening her briefcase and removing a stack of papers. She chose one and slid it across the desk, faceup. He reached forward, only breaking eye contact with her once the copy of a photograph of a hand of cards was directly in front of him. “An eight of spades, nine of hearts, jack of hearts, five of diamonds, jack of spades, ace of clubs, and two of diamonds,” he read aloud, his mind arranging and rearranging them in the way that came naturally to him. He felt Sienna’s hopeful gaze on him, his brow furrowed as he considered. Dammit, he wanted to have something insightful to tell her. But he didn’t.
“A pair of jacks is a decent start if the game is just beginning and you still have a chance to discard,” he offered.
“What if you remove the jacks?”
“Then you better know how to bluff.”
She gave him a wry half smile.
“Not much help, huh?” he asked, hating the disappointed set to her mouth.
“It’s okay,” she said. “You confirmed what I thought. There’s not enough information to figure out what those cards mean yet, if anything. Hell, the suspect could have put random cards in the victim’s hand.” Her eyes flitted away and a frown tugged at her mouth as though she was saying that anything was possible, but her gut was expressing something different. He saw it. He knew it without her saying a word.
Gavin wasn’t a detective. He was good at cards but not necessarily at puzzles. But he could read people. It was why—in addition to his skill with cards and numbers—he was a damn good poker player. He saw minor twitches. He noticed tiny flickers and the smallest intakes of breath, even in his peripheral vision. He cataloged. And he’d always read Sienna Walker better than anyone. At least once upon a time. Perhaps if that ability had changed as she had changed and grown, it hadn’t been by much. Yeah, Sienna felt in her gut that hand of cards meant something important.