Deadly Inheritance: A Romantic Suspense Read Online Free

total.”
    “So you have a project—what is it?”
    She sighed and glanced past his shoulder at the window.
    He stifled the urge to follow her gaze and look outside. The monitor embedded in a recessed corner of his desk showed there was nothing out there except her colorful little car, but there was always the instinctive pull to imitate the actions of others. Particularly others as attractive as this woman.
    He was aware—too aware—of all the small movements she made. She seemed to be struggling not to blush, and he almost smiled when she crossed and re-crossed her legs, swung her foot, and flipped her long, brown hair over her shoulder.
    Her cheeks grew pinker, despite her distracting actions. “I don’t see why it’s important. It’s just something I want to do.” Clearly, she wasn’t prepared to talk about her personal project.
    “Humor me.”
    When she eyed him, he grinned.
    Her blush grew deeper. She looked away and grabbed her hair, held it off her slender neck in a ponytail for a moment and then let the soft strands tumble down her back. “I don’t think it matters, but I’ll tell you if we can move on to something more germane afterward.”
    He nodded and waited.
    “I’m organizing a no-kill animal shelter.”
    That explained the softness in her eyes. And if her personality was just as tender, then it was almost a guarantee that he’d be nurse-maiding a woman with the screaming meemies before the end of the first day.
    He must have groaned aloud because she sat up straighter and uncrossed her legs. Her foot thudded on the floor. “I know what I’m doing—I’m a vet. I know only too well what’s involved. I’ve been working with a local shelter for over a year now. We desperately need to expand the facilities and do a few other things to make it tenable for long-term care. That inheritance will make all the difference in the world.”
    “It won’t help if you don’t survive,” he said dryly, tapping the threatening note she’d received.
    “That’s the point of coming here, isn’t it?”
    “Look, I’m not a bodyguard. Frank should have explained that. Have you shown this to the police?”
    She shook her head, dropping her gaze to her clasped hands.
    “You should. Let them figure it out and solve your uncle’s death.” He smiled to make his comment seem less harsh. “I can, however, promise you that there aren’t any ghosts. You’re safe as far as that’s concerned.” He glanced down at the folder on his desk.
    The tan file contained another case he needed to complete, along with a stack of others he hadn’t even had time to research. And then there was the art forgery one that had seemed so interesting.
    Had , that is, until he met Nora James. And while the cash on his desk was almost as attractive as she was, particularly when so many other clients kept promising to pay, but never actually did—as Frank well knew when he offered the bribe through the unsuspecting Nora—he didn’t want to lose two weeks chasing after spirits.
    The police were already involved if they were investigating her uncle’s death, and the ghosts were a red herring. So the truth was, she didn’t really need him, except to hold her hand. He studied her pretty face and deep brown eyes and thought for a moment that that might not be such a bad thing.
    He shifted and scratched the back of his neck as a flash of irritation buzzed him. Frank had said she was independent. She probably wouldn’t do anything he requested, making it impossible to help her.
    “I don’t want a bodyguard.” She sounded tired and aggravated by the whole subject, unconsciously echoing the way he felt. “I want you to do what Mr. Leonard said you could do: prove that there aren’t any ghosts haunting Autumn Hill. That’s it.” Her eyes twinkled with humor. “It should give you something to do. I think I’ll be safe enough with four cousins and you in the house. The police will figure out how my uncle died, I’m not