“Probably the same way you did. I’m investigating the case and got a lead. But see, there’s a difference between me investigating and you investigating.” He paused and fixed me with a serious look. “I’m a cop and you’re not. So you shouldn’t be following up on leads.”

“I’m just curious by nature,” I said weakly. “So you think someone was trying to steal the bronzes and Lavinia stumbled onto them?”

Striker shrugged. “That’s one possible motive. But seeing as the bronzes are still here, it’s not likely.”

I frowned at the statue. “Why not?”

“Don’t you think the thief would have grabbed at least one of them after going to all the trouble of clobbering Lavinia?”

“But what if he got scared off? Maybe he didn’t have time.” Maybe I had scared him off when I came into the library. An icy chill ran up my spine when I realized I might have suffered the same fate as Lavinia.

“Maybe.” Striker sniffed the air. “Do you smell peppermint?”

I thought of the Iced Fire I’d doused my leg in at the bookstore and felt my cheeks grow warm. I shook my head and he frowned at the air.

“So, what other motives are you looking at?” I asked innocently.

Striker disarmed me with a full smile this time. It was the first time I’d seen him smile and I realized it was quite charming.

“Oh, no … you can’t get information out of me that easily.” He shook his head at me. “Besides I don’t want you running around investigating the other motives.”

“I don’t need you to give me leads.” I tilted my chin up. “I have some of my own.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that. I hope I don’t have to arrest you to keep you out of trouble.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, not knowing if he was joking or serious. He couldn’t actually arrest me, could he?

“I don’t think Augusta would keep me in jail.” The truth was I wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t keep me in jail—she’d warned me many times about investigating.

Striker laughed, and I was annoyed to discover his laugh was actually pleasant. “I think your sister would agree. She doesn’t want you getting caught up in anything that might get you hurt. It’s funny—your last name suits you to a tee.”

“How’s that?”

“You take a lot of chances … unfortunately those chances could end up getting you hurt.”

I almost melted a little at the concern in Striker’s eyes, but I really hated it when people tried to tell me what to do and I was more than a little annoyed that it was probably true that my own sister would let me sit in jail.