"License, and please remove your sunglasses, Miss."
"Of course, is it sergeant or lieutenant?" She reset her sunglasses on top of her hair, reached for her purse and found her license. "May I get out of my car, please?"
She didn't mind him throwing a glance down her blouse, but he was over six feet, and she wanted to deny him the psychological advantage of standing above her. Besides, her denim skirt had ridden up, and a flash of legs about now might be useful; there's more than one way to swing your legs out of a car. Let him pretend not to notice.
Goddard stepped back to let her out. He looked at her license and then at her: twenty-six, brown hair, hazel eyes, five foot nine, 120 pounds.
Behind the sunglasses, his eyes were unreadable still with the slight movement of his head, she could guess where he was looking. He was taking his time. "Leave something on me, I might get cold."
"Sorry, was I staring?"
"Everything in its proper place? Maybe you're just trying to estimate my weight to compare it to my license. Cops can't be too careful these days." She noticed him looking down at her left hand. "I'm his sister. Not his wife. Not his mother." She took a slight step toward him, checking him out a little. She had a thing about smells. Up close, this guy smelled gorgeous. Love to see his eyes.
"Welcome to Florida, Miss Reid," he said routinely. "What's your business in Park Beach?"
"You can check my ID but really that's it. My business isn't your business. Before we go any further, I'd like for you to identify yourself."
"Detective Sergeant Goddard. You can stop the performance. I checked with Pennsylvania and you're not a lawyer.
"I'm not performing. Impudence comes naturally to me. And I never said I was a lawyer. I signed your logbook as Sandra Reid and asked to visit Raymond Reid. I know you detectives watch for clues like that."
"You requested special treatment in the visitor room, you were at the Inn Towner earlier asking questions, running around since, and right now you're outside Tammy Jerrold's office. Obviously, you're trying to worm your way into a murder investigation. I'm not going to allow it. I don't want anyone, even an attractive woman, messing around in police business. You think you've some special status in this?"
"Yes, very special, I'm a citizen. Check that with Pennsylvania."
The detective wasn't used to challenges. "You're pretty savvy with all this. I'm curious, would it violate your civil rights, if I asked what you do up there."