Sleeping Beauty Suspect. Dani Sinclair

don’t you explain it to me?”

      “It’s complicated.”

      “Family always is,” Flynn agreed easily.

      “This really is off the record?” she asked Lucan.

      He shot Flynn an irritated expression. Flynn raised his eyebrows.

      “Unless you tell me something that as a police officer I have to take immediate action on, our conversation is off the record. But you’re going to have to talk to someone officially, soon.”

      Whitney considered that. There was no reason to drag Barry over here at this hour on a Sunday night. She had done nothing wrong. Time enough to call Barry when things became official.

      “My father’s wife held a birthday party for Dad’s sixtieth birthday last night.”

      “His wife being your stepmother?”

      Whitney tried to keep her features impassive. “Yes. Ruby is his second wife. My mother died when I was fourteen.”

      With a calm she didn’t feel, Whitney explained that she had left the party around one o’clock and returned to her condo.

      “Alone?”

      Whitney debated. “Yes and no.” She met his gaze flatly. “I drove myself to and from the party, but my stepmother’s brother followed me home to be sure I made it okay.”

      “Some reason to think you wouldn’t?”

      “Christopher was being a gentleman.” She flushed, remembering the way he’d abruptly pulled her against his chest, his wet mouth covering hers.

      “He saw me to my door.”

      “Gentlemen don’t usually cause that particular expression on a woman’s face.”

      Whitney bit her lip.

      “He tried something?” Flynn demanded.

      The way he instantly bristled in her defense was touching, but in this case unnecessary. “Christopher had nothing to do with what happened.”

      “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” Lucan’s voice contained a silky edge of similar menace.

      “He made a pass?” Flynn pressed.

      Whitney strove to keep her expression blank. Men had always found her attractive so she’d had to learn early how best to deal with their egos and protective instincts. Most of the time she had no trouble keeping relationships where she wanted them. It was rare when she missed the warning signs that would have allowed her to head off a scene like the one at her door last night.

      “He’d had a few drinks at the party,” she temporized. “He surprised me by trying to kiss me. It didn’t mean anything. He even apologized.”

      Lucan leaned back and sipped his beer. Flynn’s gaze was more disturbing. His jaw knotted. “How old is this guy?”

      “Two years younger than me.”

      That brought matching frowns.

      “How old’s your stepmother?” Lucan asked.

      “Ten years older than me. Ruby was my mother’s private duty nurse. Right after my mother died, Ruby’s mother was in a fatal car crash.” She tried to keep the anger from her voice. “Ruby was living with us at the time. At twenty-four she found herself saddled with a much younger half brother.”

      “What happened to the father?”

      “I don’t know. I got the impression her mother hadn’t married Christopher’s father.”

      “So your father and your stepmother had something of an instant bond.”

      Her jaw hurt from clenching her teeth. She tried to relax and nod.

      Lucan was apparently satisfied, but Flynn wasn’t. “Did this guy hurt you?”

      “Of course not. It was no big deal. Christopher’s like…” She almost said a puppy. “A younger brother to me.”

      “Younger brothers don’t put the moves on their sisters unless they’re warped,” Flynn stated.

      Whitney felt her cheeks pinken again. “Like I said, he’d been drinking. He felt sorry for me. His sister and I had had words earlier.”

      Lucan straightened up. “You and your stepmother had a fight?”

      “More of a loud disagreement. My father isn’t well and I wanted to know what was wrong. She told me to ask him.”

      They waited. A simple answer wasn’t going to work here and she knew it.

      “I dislike Ruby. We don’t have much to do with one another. I haven’t lived at the estate since I went away to college at seventeen. I have a substantial trust fund so I’m not reliant on my father or his wife for anything. I bought my own place when I graduated.”

      “About this disagreement,” Lucas pestered.

      “My fault entirely. I was tired, I’d had some champagne.” One glass, but that had been enough to loosen her usual control. “I said a few things I regret and then I left.” Stormed out in a fury, actually. “Christopher followed me home and walked me to the door. He kissed me. I sent him away, went inside, poured a glass of wine and started getting ready for bed.”