Cliffhanger (The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, Book One)

Chapter 12

Bennett swung by his house to shower and change to meet Jonas, but he still got there early. He spun a french fry between his fingers while he waited, involuntarily thinking about the leaf he plucked from Belinda's hair when he met her on the Ocean Walk. That afternoon felt like a long time ago now that he was concerned with helping her solve the issues with her brother. It was an interesting situation no matter how you looked at it, but he would stay on it to keep near Belinda even if it wasn't interesting.

Jonas pulled out the chair next to him, the screeching waking Bennett up from his reverie. Jonas grinned, snapping the plastic menu in front of him. "Dreaming of Fawn Eyes, Bennett?"

Bennett snarled, dropping the soggy fry back on the plate. "I'm thinking about the sticky situation she's in." And the unspoken thoughts on her face earlier, he thought.

Jonas' grin disappeared. "Well, her brother is certainly trapped in an unpleasant one, that's for sure. On all fronts. How was she after Kyle...you know?"

"Frantic. Nervous. Scattered." Bennett recalled her expression when he told her about the rental car. "She got a little...verklempt."

"Verklempt? So she did go hysterical....that took longer than I imagined."

"I wouldn't define it as hysterical. She just lost it when I told her about Kyle and the rental car business. Then she ran up into her room for a while."

"And went hysterical. Belinda ran into her room so you wouldn't see, but trust me. She went nuts once the door closed. If there's one thing I learned growing up with four women, it's what happens when they have meltdowns."

Bennett had to accept that Jonas did have an advantage over him when it came to women, having three sisters. He leaned on the table then leaned back when bread crumbs stuck to his forearm. "What do you make of the rental car business anyway?"

Jonas scanned the menu. "Kyle denies that he rented that car and got pretty upset at the suggestion that he hurt his own sister. We're in the process of hunting down actual witnesses who made the rental agreement and not just a piece of paper, but it's difficult because it's a local place and the owners are being all skittish. I don't know what they're afraid of, but whatever people. I just want to solve this case."

"Okay. So I've gotten the official statement. Now what do you actually make of it?"

Jonas grinned. "I don't buy it. I could believe he killed Jeff, but trying to kill his twin sister in a brutal car accident? No. I don't see it." He set his menu down.

"If he killed Jeff, he might be afraid that Belinda will find out. People do terrible things when they're desperate." Of course, he didn't buy Kyle as that kind of guy either.

"That's true enough. But I'm not sold yet." Jonas stared at him over the menu, slanting his green eyes. "You're holding back on me. What's up?"

Bennett pursed his lips. Sometimes he thought Jonas knew him a little too well. He had too much trouble hiding how he really felt around Jonas. "It's just a feeling I get whenever the whole subject of Mark comes up with Belinda."

"You think something was going on with Kyle and Mark's girl there, uh, Lily Devore?"

Bennett wished that's what it was. "No...with Belinda and Mark."

Jonas' eyes widened. "I did not think of that." Jonas arched his back, leaning away from the table. "Are you sure this isn't just you trying to find a major flaw in Belinda?"

"No. And I don't even care that much, but..."

"But?"

Bennett sighed. "But I hate feeling jealous of a dead man." Every time Belinda said Mark's name, his stomach twisted up, and it had finally hit him that he wanted her to say his name with as much feeling. It was annoying to say the least.