Read The Gift for Free Online

next?”
    “Did Lorilee have a computer? An office other than this desk? A studio where she painted?” The in-vestigatortapped her chin, then snapped her fingers. “Oh, did she keep a diary?”
    The woman’s enthusiasm stunned him. Her attitude had changed drastically since entering his home. Why? Was it the prospect of snooping? It didn’t matter. All he knew was that he actually liked this side of her. “Yes to most of the above,” he finally answered. “It’s a big house.”
    “I can see that now.” She smiled again. “Thanks for being so cooperative. I, uh, get a little carried away with investigative work sometimes. I guess it shows.”
    “You must love your job.”
    Her smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and the haunted expression returned to her eyes. “Not exactly.” She looked away, the moment lost. “I used to have a job I loved,” she added, her voice soft.
    Her vulnerability tugged at him. His chest tightened and his breath caught. She didn’t seem as tall now, either.
    “But that’s not important,” she continued, her mask of indifference in place again. “What matters is finding out what happened to Lorilee.”
    Again Ty realized this woman just might be the one to finally learn the truth, if he only kept his hormones under control and his head screwed on straight. “Yes, that’s what matters.”
    “Good, then we really are on the same side, Malone.” She faced him again, but now she was all business.
    “Could be.” He nodded slowly, wanting to actually believe that, hoping his gut was right. “I’m afraid it’s going to take you more than one afternoon to look through all of Lorilee’s things, though.”
    She nodded and chewed her lower lip. “Do you mind if I spend time here while your children are at school?” She peered at him from beneath her lashes. “I promise to return things as I found them, and I won’t take anything off the premises without your explicit permission. Like the Rolodex.” She patted her backpack.
    “Do I have a choice?” Ty arched his brows and waited.
    A sly smile curved her full lips. “There’s always a choice, Malone.”
    “All right.”
    “Thanks for trusting me with your wife’s things,” she said, her tone sincere. “Maybe I’ll find something that will give us both answers.”
    Except that Ty’s reaction to this woman had triggered an entirely new set of questions.
    Ty Malone was easily the greatest temptation Beth had encountered since her college days at Northwestern. And she was one hell of a lot older and wiser now.
    This is business, Dearborn. Get with the program.
    “Where are Lorilee’s office and studio?”
    Malone took a step nearer just as the clock chimed the half hour. “We converted the attic into one big multipurpose room. Added windows and skylights.” He rubbed his chin. “She moaned and groaned at first that skylights didn’t complement the historical integrity of the house, but she got over it once she saw how much more light she had.”
    “I’ll bet she did.” Beth drew a deep breath. Malone even smelled nice, and not a damned thing like theway she’d expected a farmer to smell. Soap, fresh air, sunshine, a hint of leather, and just enough sweat to make him all man.
    Where was the stench of dirt and manure when she needed it most? That would dampen her libido in a hurry.
    “Mind if we take a quick look up there now?” She had to concentrate. Get the job done. “Then I’ll come back tomorrow morning for a longer look.”
    “Okay.” He motioned for her to follow him across the parlor and through an archway, where a curving staircase led to the second floor. “The attic stairs are at the end of the hall.”
    Beth gave a silent prayer of thanks that they weren’t going through the foyer again just yet. She wasn’t ready to face whatever—or whoever—had greeted her when she’d first arrived. Maybe she never would be. It would be better that way. She needed to talk to her cousin Sam.