“Is it a side? Aren’t you working with the police?”

“Trying to. They’re resistant.” She pointed to his donut. “You going to eat that?”

“Yeah.” He unwrapped the pastry. “Eventually.” He grinned.

“I’ve been to Baton Rouge and the PD here in New Orleans, told them what I know and stirred up the pot. But what have they done?” She frowned. “They aren’t exactly excited about the prospect of keeping me in the loop, if you know what I mean. I’m not really sure they can legally, so I’m out.” Absently swirling her straw through the ice cubes in her glass, she added, “And you know what? It really doesn’t work for me.”

That much he believed. Brianna was a woman with a purpose, and he was beginning to see that she was not easily derailed.

The tip of her tongue traced her lips, licking away some powdery sugar. He looked away, finding the motion too stupidly distracting. Man, he was in trouble. He spied a pigeon searching the cobblestone floor for crumbs, then turned his attention to his donut, biting through the maple glaze to the bacon-flavored cake beneath.

“Look,” she was saying, “I don’t want to get in the cops’ way; that was never my intention. I just want to help find the twins. But face it; the cops don’t want my help. Not here in New Orleans or in Baton Rouge.” She sighed. “I don’t think they trust me or my motives.”

“Because you’re related to Donovan Caldwell and you’re trying to prove that he’s innocent?”

“That’s the main reason, I guess, but there are others. I’m pretty sure Detective Bentz thinks I’m a nut job.” She flashed a smile and then took a final bite, polishing off her beignet. “You know, he figures if I’m not completely off my rocker, then at the very least I’ve got tunnel vision. So blinded by motive that I can’t see the truth. You heard him the other day, right? At the police station?”

“Everyone on the floor heard you.”

She pulled a face. “Maybe not my finest hour. I probably should have used some finesse, but damn, I was sick of being stonewalled.”

“Don’t blame you.”

“So, Bridges, do we have a deal?”

He couldn’t help but wonder where this would lead, and his brother’s warning about staying away from her sliced through his thoughts. But as he stared across the table, studying a face that was so like her sister’s, he heard himself say, “Deal.” Reaching across the table to shake her hand, he wondered if he’d just made the biggest mistake of his life.

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 25