Desperately Seeking Dad. Marta Perry

to protest his innocence.

      “Bottom line is, I’m not going to sign anything that says I’m that child’s parent. I can’t, because it’s not true. In three or four weeks, you’ll know that as well as I do. Maybe by then I’ll be able to point you in the right direction.”

      “I don’t want my private business splashed all over Bedford Creek.”

      “Believe me, it’s in my interest to keep it quiet even more than it is yours. I’ll be discreet. But I’m going to start looking at this problem like a cop.”

      Her eyebrows went up at that. “Funny, I thought you always had.”

      He reminded himself that cops and defense attorneys went together like cats and dogs. “Look, Counselor, I am what I am.” Her sarcasm had effectively doused that spurt of longing to hold her, which was just as well. He stood, picking up his jacket. “I’ll be on my way now. I don’t suppose we’ll see each other again.”

      “I’m afraid you’re wrong about that.” She stood, too, her gaze locked on his.

      He gave an exasperated sigh. “You’re assuming that in three or four weeks you’ll have proof I fathered Emilie. I know you’re wrong.”

      “Actually, that isn’t what I was thinking.” She took an audible breath, as if building up to saying something she knew he wasn’t going to like. “Emilie and I aren’t staying here. We’re going back to Bedford Creek until the results come in.”

      “What?” He could only stare at her. “Why? Why on earth would you want to do that?”

      “You’re right about one thing—the answers have to be in Bedford Creek. That’s where Tina became pregnant. That’s where the truth is. I can’t just sit here and wonder for the next month. I need to find out, no matter what.”

      “After the results come—” he began.

      She was already shaking her head. “I’m supposed to have a hearing on the adoption in a little over a month. Before then I have to resolve this, once and for all. And that means I’m coming to Bedford Creek.”

      He lifted an eyebrow skeptically. “Don’t you mean you want to keep an eye on me?”

      A faint flush warmed her smooth skin. “Let’s say I have a high respect for the power of a police uniform. I don’t want to see it used against me.”

      He fought down the urge to defend himself. If a man found it necessary to defend his honor, it must be in question. He took a careful step back.

      “No point in my telling you not to worry about that, is there?”

      She shook her head. “I won’t interfere. You can pretend I’m not even there.”

      “Now that I can’t do.” He smiled grimly at her perplexed look. “You’re forgetting—people in Bedford Creek already know you and Emilie came to see me. They’re probably speculating right this minute about where we are today. You can’t come back and pretend we don’t know each other, not in a small town.”

      “I’ll say I’m there on vacation. You told me Bedford Creek is a tourist town. My presence doesn’t have to have anything to do with you.”

      Obviously she hadn’t thought this far ahead. “Nobody would believe that. If you come back, we’ll have to keep up the illusion of friendship. And if we’re both going to be looking into what happened when Tina lived there, we’d better figure out a way to cooperate on this, or at least not step on each other’s toes.”

      He could see just how unpalatable she found that, and at some level it grated on his pride. He wasn’t that hard to take, was he? It wasn’t as if he were asking her to pretend a romantic interest in him.

      Her eyes met his, and he could read the determination there. “I suppose you’re right. You know a lot more about your town than I do. But I’m still coming. So that means we’re in this together, for as long as it takes.”