Baltimore [3.5] Broken Silence Read Online Free Page A

abandoned them, while all this time he’d been lying in an unmarked grave.
    ‘It’s from Sophie Johannsen,’ he said, after reading the text. Sophie was the archaeologist who had volunteered her expertise in underground mapping. ‘She’s trying to get in touch with you, Daphne. She needs you to call her ASAP.’
    Daphne’s sigh was weary. ‘I know. I got her voice mail this morning, but I haven’t had the courage to call her back. She found my father’s guitar buried close to where they found his body. She says it’s in excellent shape because it was in a waterproof case. Sophie wants to give it to me, but I can’t handle going back to the cabin right now.’
    ‘Completely understandable. I can call her if you want.’
    ‘No, I’ll do it. I’ll ask her to put it aside and one of your people can bring it to me later.’
    ‘Sounds like a plan. Are you okay now?’
    ‘I was okay before. I just liked having you hold me.’
    ‘I’ll hold you more later. When I get home from work.’
    ‘I’ll be waiting.’

Chapter Two
    Baltimore; Monday, December 23, 7:00 P.M.
    A mber Knowles ran from the kitchen, leaving the pot of baby-bottle nipples boiling on the stove. ‘Don’t slam . . .’ The door slammed, and the baby began to cry. ‘I just got her to sleep.’
    Brock pushed past her, grocery sacks in hand. ‘Sorry,’ he said insincerely.
    ‘Whatever.’ She went back to the bedroom and lifted the baby from her crib. ‘You’re a lot of trouble,’ she crooned. ‘I can’t wait to get rid of you. I’m really starting to hate you. But you’re so pretty. Your new mama and papa are gonna pay big bucks for you. I’ll never have to worry about money again.’
    Because Amber did. Constantly. Between the legit bills, Brock’s increasingly more expensive ‘supplements,’ coupled with the huge pay cut she’d taken moving from the hospital to private nursing . . . She was always dodging bill collectors and was damn tired of it.
    The brat finally went to sleep again and Amber dragged herself to the kitchen. ‘Next time,’ she snapped, ‘do not slam the damn door.’
    ‘Hey, babe, it’s not like I’m having a vacation either.’ Brock pulled a bag of diapers from one of the grocery sacks. ‘These fuckers are expensive.’
    ‘I keep telling you that kids cost too much. Maybe now you’ll remember the next time your mother nags us about grandchildren. Tell her we can’t afford them so she’ll get off my back.’
    ‘We’ll be able to afford anything we want soon,’ Brock said. ‘We could have babies then.’
    ‘Dammit. We’ve been over this, Brock. I worked as hard for this body as you did for yours. If you think that I’m going to let some whiny little brat ruin it . . .’ She broke off abruptly when he started to grin, making her smile, too. ‘You’re just yanking my chain, aren’t you?’
    ‘Only because it’s so much fun to do.’ He reached over, slapped her ass. ‘I like this body, too. And after this little fiasco, I’ll be happy if I never see a baby again.’
    ‘Good.’ She looked at the table, rolled her eyes. ‘For God’s sake, did you get anything on my list?’ The table was stacked with beer and the protein shakes he ‘couldn’t live without.’
    ‘I got diapers and three pounds of steak. And by the way, your nipples are boiling.’
    She ran to turn down the flame. ‘Did it not occur to you to turn down the stove yourself?’
    ‘But then I wouldn’t get to say that your nipples are boiling. And that never gets old.’
    She shook her head, her anger dissipating yet again. ‘You are such a middle-schooler.’
    ‘It’s why you love me.’
    ‘You’re right.’ Actually, it was because he was total eye candy and amazing in the sack to boot, all those hours in the gym very well spent. The two of them looked good together, turning heads whenever they walked through a crowd. Imagine how much better they’d look in flashy clothes, driving fancy cars to a different