Carter sat at her round kitchen table beside the back door. The door was open, and the scent of tobacco hung in the air. Beside him was his cell, Glock, a milk carton, and an empty jar he’d used as an ashtray.
“You don’t mind, do you?” he asked when he spotted her looking at the jar.
“No, but it will kill you, you know.”
“Something will.” He shoved his hand through his hair. “Sleep well?”
“Yes. It had been a long day.”
He nodded.
“What’s going on with you?” She headed for the cupboard and reached for a mug.
“Wyatt called.”
“Everything okay?” She reached for a lemon.
“Yeah.”
She turned to him. “So, what did he want? Or shouldn’t I ask?”
He kind of huffed. “Sure, I can tell you. You’re the one who might be interested.”
“Oh?” She sliced the lemon, relishing the zingy scent.
“Turns out your beach house is for sale.”
“What?” She stared at him, knife aloft. “You can’t be serious.”
“Deadly.” He shrugged. “Wyatt bumped into the owner. Seems he’s a property man, owns several, but wants to free up some cash. He’s selling that one.”
“So why…?” Her mind was whirring. “Why would I be interested?”
“Because.” Carter stood. “I think you should buy it. Sell this place and start a new life down south. It would do you good.”
She laughed, a sudden burst of emotion. “I can’t just up sticks and move to be near you. Heck, we’ve only been—”
“No.” He shook his head. “Not for me, for you. Do it for yourself, Leah.”
Still, her mind was spinning. She did love that beach house. Had walked around it before they’d left, committing it to memory and knowing it had been a special place.
“It’s a good price, very fair,” Carter went on. “You could literally swap this for that, and when Wyatt said you were interested—”
“I’m not, I can’t be.”
He held up his finger. “When Wyatt said you were interested, the owner said he’d had more cancelations on rentals and so you could move right in while all the paperwork, or whatever, is being done.”
“What? Why would the landlord do that?”
“I guess Wyatt is a persuasive kind of guy.” A muscle in Carter’s jaw flexed.
She stared at him, her heart was thudding with excitement. Just the thought of being back by the beach had adrenaline surging through her system. How the heck Wyatt had found out it was for sale? That it was empty and available? She had no idea.
Don’t think about it.
“But … but my job,” she managed.
“Plenty of need for criminal lawyers in my neck of the woods.”