Erin spun around to face a smugly mournful Gabriel. It only needed this, she thought. It wasn’t enough that she was lying to neighbors and skulking around a dead man’s house. No, she supposed her life of crime wouldn’t be complete without Genevieve’s loathsome brother to record her fall. “What are you doing here?”

“Where else would I be, cher?” He fairly purred the words, daring her to challenge him. She couldn’t see the young man watching them as though he couldn’t decide whether to call the cops. Gabriel could. If the chips fell, he had the First Amendment to hide behind. She was on her own. Right now, the independent Dr. Abbott needed him.

A similar thought occurred to Erin. There was no way to expose Gabriel without painting a bull’s-eye on her chest, too. Resigned to play along, she managed to say with saccharine sweetness, “I thought I asked you to wait in the car.”

“You were taking too long.” Enjoying himself, Gabriel sidled closer and grinned in triumph. “Plus, I haven’t seen your cousin Julian in forever. Sometimes I forget I married into such an extended family.”

“Big families are like that.” Trapped, Erin could do nothing but stand there and seethe. And try not to acknowledge how distressingly right his arm felt around her. Strong, steady, secure.

“Why don’t we let our friend go inside? You and I can take a last look at Julian’s home?” When Erin nodded testily, Gabriel extended his hand to the young man. “Thanks for your help.”

Suspicion gave way to lassitude. “No problem, man.”

In silence, the pair crossed the unkempt lawn to the nearly immaculate Harris property. Weeds had sprouted up along the sidewalk, poked through the bed of tulips at the front door.

Reaching past Erin, Gabriel tried the doorknob, which refused to turn under his hand. He shook the polished brass to no avail. Looking around, he figured they’d get inside faster through a window. “I’m going to look for an open window,” he explained. “Will you stay here until I get back?”

Erin nodded, and Gabriel headed around the corner. Once he was out of sight, she checked over her shoulder. Seeing no one, Erin reached into the pocket of her jacket. She removed a slim length of wire and crouched beside the lock. Using tricks learned from Sebastian years ago, she slid the wire into the opening. After testing the lock, she bent the wire and reinserted both tips. Soon the lock released with a slight click. Bingo.