Page 34 of Sentinel's Kiss

“It is to me.”

Ryder turned anguished eyes on him. “Drop it.”

“No. You owe me for babysitting Ashley.” Ryder didn’t have to know that he’d do that for free.

Ryder sighed. “Sarah’s insurance policy.”

It hit him like a ton of bricks. He broke out in a cold sweat and a red haze filtered into his vision.

“Pull over, jackass,” Ryder snapped, and yanked on the wheel.

“Are you out of your mind? Don’t touch the wheel when I’m driving.”

“Then pay attention.”

“How much?”

“All of your attention.” Ryder crossed her arms under her breasts.

“How much money does the fucking asshole have?”

“The policy was for a million dollars.”

“And that wasn’t motive?” Sentinel exploded.

“Motive was there. It was always there. You want proof for the cops? Break apart his alibi and find out if the members of this hunting club like to kill each other’s spouses.”

“Fuck that, I’m going to burn the place to the ground.”

“Not while Reporter Barbie is there with you you’re not.”

Sentinel punched his dashboard. “Fuck,” he gritted out. It looked like he was going to Pennsylvania again after all, and he probably should keep his hands off Ashley before it got any deeper.

Good luck with that.

“You can drop me off at home,” Ryder said wearily.

“No, you’re going to the boardroom and explain what you just told me to everyone else.”

Ryder rolled her eyes. “Maybe we can watch your girlfriend on the six o’clock news.”

They didn’t say anything else until they got to the Blue Line.

“So you went to college with Ashley?” He locked his car and set the alarm.

Ryder nodded. “Yeah.”

“What was she like?”

“Party girl. Wild. She was out of control.”

“She have a lot of boyfriends?” Sentinel tried to ask casually, but the thought of Ashley sleeping around made him a little crazy.

“We weren’t close. I don’t really remember seeing her with anyone or a lot of anyones. She wasn’t that kind of partier. She was more of a drinker and a thrill seeker. I remember she liked to flash her boobs at the fraternities.”

“Bet they liked that,” he said sourly.

“They didn’t know how to take her. I remember this one party we were at.” Ryder gave Naomi a high-five and then went behind the bar to grab a bottle of whiskey.