Checkmate (Caitlin Calloway Mystery Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

request.
    “Counter,” Jamie said and sighed.
    CC moved directly towards the coffeemaker perched on the counter. She was unaware that Emma remained attached to her leg. The youngster failed to loosen her grasp as CC poured her coffee. She paused for a moment to inhale the delectable aroma, took her first sip, and felt the world righting itself. A second sip encouraged her to look down at the child clinging to her.
“Peanut?” She was suddenly curious as to why a small child was latched onto her. “Why?” She directed the question towards her wife.
    “I love these morning chats,” Jamie said wryly. CC simply sipped her coffee. “Stevie had a meeting with a client.”
    “Feed me,” Emma sweetly pleaded.
    “Want some coffee?”
    “Yes!”
    “No,” Jamie said sternly. Somewhere in the midst of her fog, CC knew Jamie was right and that for some reason it was bad to offer a seven-year-old a cup of coffee.
    “Cereal?” CC slowly lifted Emma up and placed her back in her chair.
    “Yes!” Emma once again said gleefully.
    “No,” Jamie said.
    “What?” CC frowned. “We have boxes of the crap.”
    “And according to your sister, that’s just what it is.”
    “Cocoa Krispies, please?” Emma was not above begging. “Fruit Loops?”
    “Uh, no.” CC was forced to decline. “There’s way too much sugar in those.”
    “Which is why Stevie doesn’t want Emma eating cereal here,” Jamie explained.
    “Can’t blame her for that.” CC had to agree. Nothing but high-octane sugar-laden junk lurked in the cupboard.
    “Hey.” Jamie defended her actions. “I buy the kind that I like, since you don’t eat the stuff. Besides, they’re full of vitamins and calcium. It says so right on the box.” She held up a box of one of her favorite breakfast treats.
    “And apparently they’re also magically delicious.” CC groaned. “Where is it you went to med school?”
    “Cook for your niece. I need to take my shower.”
    “I can handle it.” CC watched Jamie stomp off. “So, fruit?”
    “I don’t like fruit.”
    “Eggs?”
    “I don’t like eggs.”
    “Oatmeal?”
    “I don’t like oatmeal.”
    “You liked it last week.”
    Emma sat there with her little arms folded across her chest. “Man, you are so much like your mother. Fine, how about French toast?” She was quickly running out of options.
    “Yes, please.”
    “Cool.” CC blew out a breath in relief.
    “With caramelized bananas and a dusting of confectionary sugar,” Emma said with authority.
    “Someone’s been watching the Food Network with Auntie Jamie.” CC began to prepare a simple version of French toast.
    “You’re getting basic toast dipped in egg batter, Wolfgang.”
    “Boring.” Emma sighed dramatically. “And I like Cat Cora.”
    “Something else you got from Aunt Jamie.”
    “Can’t wait until she’s a teenager,” Jamie said and chuckled
    upon entering the kitchen. “Want me to take over?”
    “No thanks, James.” CC smiled. “The coffee’s kicking in. Sorry I wasn’t swift on the uptake.”
    “Auntie Caitlin won’t caramelize bananas for us,” Emma said
    and scowled.
    “Ogre.” Jamie snickered.
    “She shouldn’t be able to pronounce half those things much less request them for breakfast.” CC placed a simple breakfast in front of the little critic.
    “I’m not the o ne who lets her watch Court TV,” Jamie said.
    “It’s not called that anymore. And I only let her watch because I was on it. She wanted to know what I did.”
    “Yes, letting a seven-year-old know what you do at your job is brilliant.”
    CC looked over at her wife and tried to figure out just what she had done to tick her off? The tension was rolling off Jamie’s body. Then it hit her. Jamie wasn’t mad at her. She was upset by where CC had been. The trip was an ugly reminder that, someday, Simon could be free.
    “It went okay.”
    “So you said when you called.” Jamie’s response was gruff. “Sorry.” She shook her head.