She nodded. "All this free time has given me time to think. Shouldn't I have a supportive work environment?"

"Yes, absolutely. That's why I'm my boss because only I am awesome enough to manage me." I smiled, and she returned it. "I hope you get the new position. What will you do?"

She followed me into the lot, where I plastered myself to the side of Dalton's truck and then slipped beside his passenger door. The sun shone brightly on the glossy black paint job. A little cloud cover would do wonders for us. Maybe a freak afternoon shower.

"Mostly what I do now, but they have a better benefits package," Braisley said as I slipped the lock pick kit from my back pocket.

I opened the case and selected my tools. "All good things."

"Yeah, and they're in Florida, so better weather."

I let out a dreamy sigh and paused before sticking the slide in the window. "Ah, Florida. I dream of life in Florida."

"Why don't you go?" she asked as I jimmied the window.

I shrugged. "All my stuff is here. Friends included, and there's this guy who recently kind of moved in with me."

I hated the way my cheeks turned a shade of pink as I talked about Broadrick. Also, did I admit we were now living together?

Braisley chuckled. "Enough said. I'd stick around for all that, too."

"Got it," I said as the truck lock popped and I opened the door.

Braisley watched as I searched the glove box first. "What are we doing?"

"Spying," I said and shoved the car registration and insurance information back into their protective case. The only other thing in the glove box was the truck's owner manual. How weird?

Where did he keep his gun? Tony kept his shoved in his glove box. What about gum? Or random oil change receipts?

"Are we going to jail?" Braisley asked as I climbed halfway into the truck, searching for anything.

He didn't even have a straw wrapper on the floor. What did he do with the straw wrappers?

"No. Dalton has the cleanest truck I've ever seen. Nothing good is in here." How could I spy on what he and Broadrick were up to if he didn't leave me any evidence?

"Vonnie?" Braisley said, as I peeked under the front seats.

"Just a second." I held up one finger behind me at her. A shadow fell over my back. "He's so boring."

"I prefer the term uninteresting. That way no one goes through my things without my permission," the deep voice of Dalton said behind me.

"Shit." I pulled out of his truck. "Braisley, you're supposed to be my lookout."

She pressed her teeth together. "I said Vonnie."

"It's fine. It's my fault, really." I didn't give her the proper teaching on how to be a lookout. We hadn't had time.

Dalton stood two feet from the open door of his truck with his arms crossed. "You want to explain this?"

Not really.

I tugged on the bottom of my shirt and lifted one shoulder halfway to my ear, going for nonchalant. "I'm helping with the weekly safety check. You failed, but have you met Braisley Wilson?"

Dalton moved out of my way as I stepped toward him and shut the truck door, hoping he'd forget where he found me. Braisley stared wide-eyed at me and tugged on a piece of her brown hair. I felt bad using her as my decoy, but sacrifices had to be made.

"Um, hi," she said to Dalton. He reached out and shook her hand, meeting her gaze.

They stared at one another for a full minute, just shaking hands. It got weird, so I had to step back into it.

"She's here on vacation, and I'm sure she'd love someone to show her around Pelican Bay."

Braisley's eyes widened more. "Oh no. I couldn't ask that. I'm fine. There are cupcakes."

Dalton's smile lowered a fraction of an inch. "There's nothing to do in this town. They don't even have decent Chinese food."

"Hey, that's rude." We had things to do.

I thought on it for a second, but since it was only May, none of the summer stuff had opened yet. Like the ice cream shop.

"See," he said, as if my silence proved his point. It did not.

I popped out a hip timed perfectly with a motorcycle revving further down the street. "We have the orchard."

"Yeah, the orchard," Dalton said with his gaze still on Braisley. "Great place to get shot."

She blushed. Hardcore. At least my cheeks never turned that pink when I talked about Broadrick. Wait. The opportunity opened for me and I grabbed on to it.

"Dalton is one of the leading men at Pelican Bay Security," I said. It might have been a lie. I didn't really know his status. "He's practically running the place."

Okay, that might have been putting it on a little thick.

"You do security?" Braisley asked Dalton.

I pulled my phone from my pocket after I replaced the lock picks.

KATY: Big steak is here.

"Shit," I said and slipped the phone in my other pocket. "I've got to go."

If Broadrick figured out I wasn't at the bed-and-breakfast, he'd have questions. Dalton would probably tell him anyway, but then I'd be further away from my crime and he'd be less upset. At least that's the theory I worked off of in these situations.

I turned and started on a quick jog. Braisley followed me.

"Dalton was cute. Right?" she asked as we crossed the first street.

"Yeah," I panted, trying to pick up the pace without actually running. "He's not filet mignon, but he's prime rib."

"What?" she asked halfway through the second block.

We stopped at the corner of Main Street. "Nothing. If anyone asks, we were taking a walk around the building."

"Got it."

I loved how quickly she agreed to things. Too bad Braisley didn't live in Pelican Bay. She'd make a great bakery girl.

"Crap," I said and slowed as we neared the bed-and-breakfast. A large body loomed at the top of the steps. He watched as we crossed the street while shaking his head. Disappointment oozed out of him.

Katy opened the door behind Broadrick as we hit the bottom step.

"I didn't leave town," I said as we approached. Broadrick's lips twitched. "Have you met Braisley? She's here on vacation."

"Nice to meet you," Broadrick said to her as we climbed the first step and then turned his attention right back to me. "Leave Dalton's stuff alone."

I stopped beside him and put myself into face-off mode. It's where I stood a foot away and crossed my arms with a hard stare. "Then stop meeting him in secret."

Broadrick crossed his arms, too. "It wasn't in secret."

Katy tugged on Braisley's arm and the two of them escaped to the safety of the bed-and-breakfast, leaving me alone with Broadrick.

"You told me he was out of town." I crossed my arms harder to make a point.

Broadrick let out a long sigh. "He's leaving now, and that doesn't excuse your actions."

"Yeah, well..." I searched for something else to say. "You scared away my backup."

"Backup for what?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

Great.

"I am going to interview the bartender at Eric's favorite bar. Last time it was a new guy and I want to question the regular guy. It opens in thirty and I want to get there before it gets busy." I needed the bartender's total attention. The good ones always knew the drama. Today I'd get to the bottom of this case with Mick and find his murderer.

Or at least possibly cross off Eric from my suspect list.

Broadrick held his hands outs. "My day freed up. I'll be your backup."

I had to think about it for a minute. "Okay, but whatever happens don't interfere."

His eyebrow twitched. "I'll do my best."