Burning Love. Debra Cowan

She focused her gaze on Cecily’s diamond ring, a huge butterfly. Terra had never liked that ring. It was gaudy.

      “Ms. Vaughn?” Jack drew Cecily’s attention back to himself. “Was there anything else that might have upset him?”

      “He really didn’t talk to me about other things,” she answered with a meaningful look at Terra.

      “Do you know anyone he’d argued with or might’ve been angry with? Did he talk about anything like that?”

      “No.”

      “He never mentioned any enemies at all? Anyone who may have threatened him or had a reason to harm him?”

      Cecily frowned, crumpling the tissue in nervous hands. “Wasn’t this fire an accident? What’s going on?” She seemed to struggle to focus, her gaze bobbing from Terra to Jack. “Are you a homicide detective?”

      “I do investigate homicides.”

      “Was he murdered?” she shrieked.

      “Ma’am, please try to stay calm.” Jack stepped around the love seat toward Cecily.

      Despite her feelings about Harris’s ex, Terra’s heart ached for the agony she read in the woman’s eyes. “Cecily, can I get you something?”

      Hatred flashed across her face and she pushed past Jack to stalk around the love seat toward Terra. “He told me he was helping you on a case. That’s why he’s dead, isn’t it? It’s your fault.”

      “Ma’am.” Before Terra even saw him move, Jack planted himself in front of Cecily, his face and voice stern. “We don’t know that Ms. August’s job has anything to do with this.”

      “I do.” She glared, stepping around him. “Harris wouldn’t be my ex if it weren’t for you, Terra. He wouldn’t be dead if it weren’t for you, because he would’ve been with me. All I ever wanted was to take care of him.”

      There was a difference between taking care of someone and smothering them, Terra thought. “Cecily, I didn’t come here to upset you. We’re trying to find out who would do this to Harris.”

      “My marriage was fine until he started spending so much time with you.” She poked a finger in Terra’s chest.

      Fury erupted, but Terra stepped back, fighting to rein in the hurt and anger crashing through her. Her hands curled into fists. “Don’t do that again, Cecily.”

      Jack firmly gripped the woman’s elbow. “Ms. Vaughn, please try and calm down.”

      “You’re the reason he left me in the first place.” The woman’s voice rose high and brittle with anger.

      Terra wasn’t going to be drawn into an argument, but she let out a sigh of relief when Jack guided Cecily to the love seat. “Here, take a seat. Let me get you a glass of water or something.”

      “No.” She glared through her tears at Terra.

      He studied her for a moment, then walked over to Terra. Keeping his back to Cecily, he pitched his voice low. “How do you want to play this?”

      His shoulder brushed hers, sparking an unexpected warmth. She forced herself to read his eyes, appreciating the earnestness in the blue depths. “I don’t want her calling a lawyer. I’ll wait for you outside.”

      “You don’t have to.”

      “It’s for the best. She’ll talk to you. I’m only upsetting her.”

      “You sure?”

      “Yes.” She kept her voice low, her stomach knotting at the sound of Cecily’s sobs. Terra felt like doing the same thing. The whole situation was horrible enough. Antagonizing Harris’s ex would only prolong things.

      She moved toward the door.

      “Where’s she going?” Cecily demanded.

      “Outside—”

      Terra closed the door on Jack’s soothing tone. As she made her way down the sidewalk toward his pickup truck, anger at Cecily and whoever had killed Harris burned through Terra. She paced from the hood of the blue pickup to the tailgate.

      She had to calm down, shake it off. Leaving Cecily’s house was the best thing for the investigation. Terra would be no good to anyone if she were angry. After a few minutes, her anger subsided. The cool night air skipped over her, raising goose bumps on her arms.

      She hugged herself against the chill.

      Crossing her arms, she walked the sidewalk to the end of the block, then back. She hoped Jack was getting somewhere with Cecily.

      A sudden vibration at her hip had Terra grabbing for the cell phone clipped there. “August.”

      “Hey, it’s me.” Robin Daly’s normally sunny voice was subdued. “How are you doing today?”

      “Okay.” Terra leaned against the truck’s door, grateful for such a good friend.

      “Did you eat?”

      “Yes, Mom.” Terra laughed, though she couldn’t remember how long ago she’d finished the cheese and crackers she’d grabbed on her way to the office earlier that day.

      “Were you able to stop by your place and shower?”

      “Yes. I was at the office until just a while ago.”

      “I’m off duty and so is Meredith. She doesn’t have to be back at the hospital until tomorrow night. Want to meet us for dinner?”

      “I wish I could, but I’m still working.” She, Robin and Meredith Boren had been friends since both the other girls had moved to Presley in junior high. “I came over to interview Harris’s ex.”

      “Ugh. How’s that going?”

      “I’m outside and she’s inside. What does that tell you?”

      “So, who’s interviewing her?”

      “Jack Spencer.”

      “You’re with Detective Yummy?” Robin squeaked.

      It wasn’t her friend’s incredulity, but the nickname, that had Terra grinning. “Detective Yummy? I guess I can see that.”

      “I should hope so, since you’re female and still breathing. Well, well, no wonder you don’t want to meet your two best friends for dinner.”

      “Hardly.” Terra would rather be with them. She knew what to expect from the two women who’d been her closest friends since eighth grade, who’d seen her through the deaths of her parents and her grandfather, and had been there for her immediately upon hearing about Harris last night.

      “…pretty sad.”

      “What’s that?” Terra snapped back to Robin’s conversation.

      “His wife. She was murdered by one of her social work cases.”

      “Murdered? How awful.” An image of Jack’s impenetrable blue gaze flashed in her mind. Was the loss of his wife the reason his eyes were so hard, so old? “When was this?”

      “Three or four years ago, I think. He hasn’t dated since then. At least not that anyone knows about.”

      “Can’t say I blame him.” Terra’s divorce had left her raw and skittish. The only reason she dated was to keep Robin and Meredith from pulling any matchmaking stunts. She made sure to date men who were interested in temporary fun, just like she was. The instincts she’d honed over the years told her Jack Spencer would be no casual dinner or last-minute movie.

      At the sound of a masculine voice, Terra straightened. “Here comes the detective now. Gotta go.”

      “Call me when you get home,” Robin said.

      “Okay.” Terra disconnected and clipped the phone