Defying Logic (Valor and Doyle Mysteries, #5)

by Nicky James

She hadn’t called, left a message, or told anyone she planned to be away. But, and this part stood out, Holly had a reputation for being absentminded, so although missing three clinical days in a row was unusual, it was not the first time she’d been absent from work without consulting her supervisor.

And you aren’t thinking of Saphira who had a rep for running away so everyone treated her disappearance as a runaway?!

“How can I expect anyone to trust me ever again when I don’t trust myself to make the right decisions anymore? When I question everything. Do you know how many times that event plays in my head on a daily basis? I see it over and over and over, and every time, I question what I could have done differently. I don’t trust myself to pick up a gun and wear it. I’m terrified of being faced with those life-changing decisions again. I can’t do it, Amelia.”

Norrie was talking about helping university students and making a lot of money in the process.

The study that the neuro doctor talked about that Holly wanted to be a part of but couldn’t.

“And you’re not as unlikeable as you come across. First impressions are a bitch, but anyone who gets to know you can see you’re a decent person underneath. You have a big, tender heart in there. You care deeply for people. Ask Eden. Ask my sister. Ask Allison because she sees you. Heck, even Torin and Ruiz can see past your prickly coat of armor.” He hooked a finger with mine and drew me closer. “You might be hard to like, Quaid, but you’re easy to love.”

“I love you too.” I didn’t say the words often. Love wasn’t meant to be shouted from the mountain tops. Love wasn’t supposed to be loud and showy and exuberant. To me, love was quiet and intimate. Love was shared privately between two people. It was an undercurrent. Quaid understood, and he’d learned to read my love in the silences between those words.

You call it madness, I call it love. Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary. All of them were signed with an I, a perfectly drawn heart underneath, then the letter H underneath the heart. I love Holly. “Adam?” Frawley wondered out loud. “Doubtful.

I for Ike?

“Should we go find this Ike guy and see what he knows about Holly?” “I think that’s our next step.”

Why haven't you put together the link between Ike, the study Holly is so interested in, her being a user, him being jelous about the other guy's letter, etc

Duncan’s deceased wife used to be the head of the same department and donated to a scholarship in her name. Did that mean anything?

Uh, ya think?!

“Don’t flatter yourself. Daniel Craig was my favorite James Bond. No one ever agrees with me. They think I’m insane, but there’s something incredibly sexy about that man.” Ruiz looked at me like I had six heads. “Fucking Daniel Craig? Are you serious? He was the worst Bond.” I held up a finger. “But he’s sexy.” Ruiz batted at my hand. “Shut up. Oh my god, you’re gross. Sean Connery was the best James Bond, hands down, and I will fight anyone who disagrees with me. He was a badass motherfucker. And for the record, it has nothing to do with sex appeal, so get those dirty thoughts out of your head. That is not how you rate a Bond. Ever. It’s about his skill, his presence. The story. The adventure. The cool gadgets. No one watches for the eye candy. What is wrong with you?” I

I ws of the Roger Moore era so partial to his version though i did like Pierce Brosnan. Really really wish Hugh Jackman had played him.

“I was curious if there was a reason behind Edwin’s animosity. Did you notice he made a point of mentioning Ike’s inferior intelligence more than once?”

Wheb he sid this i immediately thought of the numbers...IQ scores?

“How do you explain the email correspondence originating from your computer, Ike?”

Edwin,who has been suspicious from the outset.

If so, it meant our motive changed. We were looking for someone with a profound hatred for Ike. But who?

Edwin, or the neighbor?

acting like the mother lion we’d expected hours ago when he’d been apprehended and brought in.

Suspicious...is she involved? Covering something up?

“I told you. Someone set me up.”

Sounds like Edwin to me.

You’ve made an enemy. Who did you wrong, Ike? Who did you piss off?” Ike stared at the photos from the lab for a long time. I didn’t think we’d get anywhere when he lifted his chin, eyes glassy, chin trembling, and said, “Edwin.”

I bet Edwin wrote the essay.

Norrie had gone alone in the middle of the night. She didn’t remember seeing anyone.

That part is just stupid. No smart, good, teenage girl would do that.

“This was printed in the Toronto District School Board’s monthly bulletin in 2017. Do you know what I think, Ike?”

Would never happen! Student information is confidential and district records are public. No way would this be in a district bulletin.

Edwin knew we were on to him, and he’d run.

No doubt bc Alanna warned him.

I tucked my hands inside my leather jacket as rippling nerves coasted my skin. “Yeah. I’m looking for a ring. An engagement ring. For my boyfriend.”

awwwww