“It’s okay.” He sighed. After a few moments, he asked, “What has you so frustrated?”
“Oh, the usual.”
He said dryly, “That tells me nothing.”
I sighed. “I keep hitting walls. If I get a lead, it goes nowhere.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll get there. You always do.” There was a smile in his voice as he added, “Which is why you have my vote.”
I smiled. “That’s the only reason?”
“What other reason could there be?” he deadpanned.
I chuckled. “I can’t think of any.”
“Me neither.”
I lifted one brow. “Oh, really?”
“Not a one.”
I moved my hands and tickled him lightly on his stomach.
He jerked and let out a squawk of a laugh. “Stop that,” he hissed. “I’m not ticklish.”
“Sure. Sure. That’s why you’re wiggling around because you’renotticklish.”
He grabbed my hands, holding them against his body. “Truce?”
“Truce.”
He let go of my hands, and I smiled.
We were silent for a while, and I thought maybe he was drifting off, but then he said, “Guess who’s pregnant?”
“Who?”
“Janelle Raiden.”
I sat up on one elbow. “Really?”
He glanced at me over his shoulder. “I’m only telling you because she said it was okay if you knew. I wouldn’t break her confidence.”
“I know that.” I smiled. “Who’s the father?”
“According to her, it has to be Archie.”
“Is she happy about it?”
He hesitated. “I think it’s confusing for her.”
“Makes sense. Archie deceived her. I’m sure she’s conflicted.” I lay back down. “Is she keeping the kid?”
“I think so. She’s leaning that way. She and Kobe are an item, and he’s on board.”
