Zander frowned. She had to be talking about Caroline. He didn’t like that at all. The first stranger to show up looking for Caroline had tried to stuff her into a car. Okay, he’d been her brother, but Zander still didn’t like it. The second one had tried to sneak into the B & B while she’d been asleep. He definitely didn’t like that.
Was this woman the next person they’d sent to bring Caroline home? Was she going to pretend to be a friend to get information about where Caroline was? Or was she actually someone Caroline knew who would pretend to be a concerned ally until she got Caroline into her car? Or alone somewhere she could keep Caroline until Brantley, or Christopher, or someone worse showed up?
Zander spread his feet and crossed his arms, keeping an eye on the woman and keeping his body between her and the bathroom.
“It’s gonna be okay.” Spencer held up a hand. “Just take a deep breath.”
The woman's eyes widened and she took a step toward him. “A deep breath? My friend was nearly kidnapped the other day, then checked into a bed and breakfast in this town, and is now missing. And you want me to take a deep breath?” The woman looked Spencer up and down. “Who do you think you are?”
Clearly Spencer’s attempt to be soothing wasn’t working and he seemed confused by that. In spite of his suspicion of the woman, Zander had to cough into his hand to cover his laugh.
“How about you tell me who you are first,” Spencer said.
“I don’t need to tell you anything.”
“Well if you want help, that's kind of how it works.”
The woman's eyes narrowed as she studied Spencer. Zander opened his mouth to intervene.
“Wait, are you the hot cop?” the redhead asked Spencer before Zander could say anything.
Zander paused at that. Caroline’s brother could have told this woman that there was a cop involved, of course, but he doubted Christopher had used the word “hot”.
Spencer lifted a brow. “What makes you say that?”
“She told me she'd met a cop. He was the one who took her to the bed and breakfast in the first place. And you have cop written all over you.” The woman pointed a finger and circled it as if to encompass all of Spencer.
“And you think I’m hot, huh?” Spencer gave her a cocky little grin.
“You're not exactly her type, though.” The woman looked puzzled.
“No?”
“No. She goes more for the bad boys. Tattoos and stuff.”
Spencer glanced at Zander.
Yeah, this sounded…off. Not that Zander was going to argue about Caroline’s type. But because he didn’t have the impression she was close to any of the women in the wealthy social circle her family was a part of. Not close enough to talk about what kind of men they were attracted to, anyway. Sure, this woman could be a total stranger to Caroline, sent here just to get information, but that just didn’t feel right.
“You don't know that I don't have tattoos,” Spencer told her. “But maybe if you're nice, I'll show you.”
The redhead lifted both brows. “So my friend comes here, you put her up in the bed and breakfast, and now she's missing, but you’re here having coffee, and hitting on total strangers? What the hell?”
Spencer stuck out his hand. “Special Agent Spencer Landry. I'm not your friend’s cop. For the record.”
The woman looked at his hand. “Special Agent?”
“FBI.”
“Are you here investigating her disappearance?”
Spencer withdrew his hand when it seemed clear she wasn't going to take it. “I am not.”
The woman's eyes flickered to the table behind him again. “Not done with your pancakes yet?”
“And who are you again?”
“Max Keller. Investigative journalist for the New Orleans News.”
Surprise slammed into Zander. Wait a second. This was Caroline’s Max? Her only friend? The reporter she fed info to? The one she’d gone to grade school with?
The Max Zander had been stupidly jealous of ever since he’d first heard the name and how close Max and Caroline were?
Holy shit. Max was a woman. A very attractive, feisty, clearly-protective-of-Caroline woman.
Spencer's mouth curled up. “Investigative reporter? So you’re really good with details and stuff like that?”
The woman propped a hand on her hip. “I am. And holding people in power accountable.”
“People in power. Right. Like him?” Spencer pointed at Zander.
The woman looked over, took note of Zander's uniform, and straightened. Then understanding dawned. “You're Caroline’s cop.”
Zander nodded. He sure fucking was. As problematic as that thought was. And this was Caroline’s best friend. A woman. Who was not here to do her any harm. Or take her back to her family in New Orleans to marry Brantley Anderson. “Zander Landry.”
“Landry? You two are related?”
“Yes.”
“So it's safe to say the FBI is not here investigating you and the fact that you might've been the last person to see my friend alive?”
“Caroline is fine,” Zander said.
“Caroline is not where she’s supposed to be. Her phone is still in her room rather than with her and there's no sign of her.”
“Were there signs of a struggle? Blood? Any witnesses hear or see anything strange?” Zander asked.
“No. But I know Caroline better than anyone. She wouldn't just up and leave without letting me know. She would never leave her phone behind unless she had a very good reason. And the people that she deals with probably wouldn't leave behind the signs of a struggle or blood.”
That was interesting. Max was clearly not a fan of the circle Caroline usually ran in and he could appreciate that. She was also extremely protective of her friend and even ready and willing to fight with law enforcement to find Caroline. He liked Max.
“Well, gee, maybe there are things you don't know, Ms. Keller,” Spencer said.
Zander shot his cousin a look. Why was Spencer poking this woman? She was clearly concerned about her friend and that wasn't inappropriate, considering the circumstances.
But when he looked back at Max and saw the spark in her eye and the pink in her cheeks, he understood. She was stunning and it was possible that Spencer just wanted to see her riled up.
“Look, Special Agent,” Max said, derision dripping from her words like hot sauce from a crawfish. “I know Caroline, and I promise you that I’m going to get to the bottom of whatever is going on down here.”
“Well, Ms. Keller, I can promise you—”
“Max!”
They all turned as Caroline came out from the back of the bar.
“I’m so glad you’re finally here!” Caroline hurried forward with her arms out and a huge grin.
But Max didn’t react immediately. She looked taken aback. It was clear she didn't recognize her friend at first.
Caroline came up short in front of Max, dropped her arms, and gave her friend a grin. “Hey. It’s me.”
Max started shaking her head. “Holy shit. What are you wearing?” Max stepped forward and pulled Caroline into her arms, hugging her tightly. But then she set her back and swept her gaze from head to toe. “What the hell? Where have you been? And I would have walked right past you looking like this.”